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Proverbs 10-12
Contemporary English Version
Proverbs 10-12
Contemporary English Version
Solomon's Wise Sayings
10 Here are some proverbs
of Solomon:
Children with good sense
make their parents happy,
but foolish children
make them sad.
2 What you gain by doing evil
won't help you at all.
Obeying God is the only way
to be saved from death.
3 If you obey the Lord,
you won't go hungry;
if you are wicked,
God won't let you have
what you want.
4 Laziness leads to poverty;
hard work makes you rich.
5 At harvest season
it's smart to work hard,
but stupid to sleep.
6 Everyone praises good people,
but evil hides behind
the words of the wicked.
7 Good people are remembered
long after they are gone,
but the wicked
are soon forgotten.
8 If you have good sense,
you will listen and obey;
if all you do is talk foolishly,
you will destroy yourself.
9 You will be safe,
if you always do right,
but you will get caught,
if you are dishonest.
10 Deceit causes trouble,
and foolish talk
will bring you to ruin.[a]
11 The words of good people
are a source of life,
but evil hides behind
the words of the wicked.
12 (A) Hatred stirs up trouble;
love overlooks the wrongs
that others do.
13 If you have good sense,
it will show when you speak.
But if you are stupid,
you will be beaten
with a stick.
14 If you have good sense,
you will learn all you can,
but foolish talk
will soon destroy you.
15 Great wealth can be a fortress,
but poverty
is no protection at all.
16 If you live right,
the reward is a good life;
if you are evil,
all you have is sin.
17 Accept correction,
and you will find life;
reject correction,
and you will miss the road.
18 You can hide your hatred
by telling lies,
but you are a fool
to spread lies.
19 You will say the wrong thing
if you talk too much—
so be sensible and watch
what you say.
20 The words of a good person
are like pure silver,
but the thoughts
of an evil person
are almost worthless.
21 Many are helped
by useful instruction,
but fools are killed
by their own stupidity.
22 When the Lord blesses you
with riches,
you have nothing to regret.[b]
23 Fools enjoy doing wrong,
but anyone with good sense
enjoys acting wisely.
24 What evil people dread most
will happen to them,
but good people will get
what they want most.
25 Those crooks will disappear
when a storm strikes,
but God will keep safe
all who obey him.
26 Having a lazy person on the job
is like a mouth full of vinegar
or smoke in your eyes.
27 If you respect the Lord,
you will live longer;
if you keep doing wrong,
your life will be cut short.
28 If you obey the Lord,
you will be happy,
but there is no future
for the wicked.
29 The Lord protects everyone
who lives right,
but he destroys anyone
who does wrong.
30 Good people will stand firm,
but the wicked will disappear
from the land.
31 Honest people speak sensibly,
but deceitful liars
will be silenced.
32 If you obey the Lord,
you will always know
the right thing to say.
But no one will trust you
if you tell lies.
Watch What You Say and Do
11 The Lord hates anyone
who cheats,
but he likes everyone
who is honest.
2 Too much pride
can put you to shame.
It's wiser to be humble.
3 If you do the right thing,
honesty will be your guide.
But if you are crooked,
you will be trapped
by your own dishonesty.
4 When God is angry,
money won't help you.
Obeying God is the only way
to be saved from death.
5 If you are truly good,
you will do right;
if you are wicked,
you will be destroyed
by your own sin.
6 Honesty can keep you safe,
but if you can't be trusted,
you trap yourself.
7 When the wicked die,
their hopes die with them.
8 Trouble goes right past
the Lord's people
and strikes the wicked.
9 Dishonest people use gossip
to destroy their neighbors;
good people are protected
by their own good sense.
10 When honest people prosper
and the wicked disappear,
the whole city celebrates.
11 Good people bring prosperity
to their city,
but deceitful liars
can destroy a city.
12 It's stupid to say bad things
about your neighbors.
If you are sensible,
you will keep quiet.
13 A gossip tells everything,
but a true friend
will keep a secret.
14 (B) A city without wise leaders
will end up in ruin;
a city with many wise leaders
will be kept safe.
15 It's a dangerous thing
to guarantee payment
for someone's debts.
Don't do it!
16 A gracious woman
will be respected,
but a ruthless man
will only get rich.
17 Kindness is rewarded—
but if you are cruel,
you hurt yourself.
18 Meanness gets you nowhere,
but goodness is rewarded.
19 Always do the right thing,
and you will live;
keep on doing wrong,
and you will die.
20 The Lord hates sneaky people,
but he likes everyone
who lives right.
21 You can be sure of this:
All crooks will be punished,
but God's people won't.
22 A beautiful woman
who acts foolishly
is like a gold ring
on the snout of a pig.
23 Good people want what is best,
but troublemakers
hope to stir up trouble.[c]
24 Sometimes you can become rich
by being generous
or poor by being greedy.
25 Generosity will be rewarded:
Give a cup of water,
and you will receive
a cup of water in return.
26 Charge too much for grain,
and you will be cursed;
sell it at a fair price,
and you will be praised.
27 Try hard to do right,
and you will win friends;
go looking for trouble,
and you will find it.
28 Trust in your wealth,
and you will be a failure,
but God's people will prosper
like healthy plants.
29 Fools who cause trouble
in the family
won't inherit a thing.
They will end up as slaves
of someone with good sense.
30 Live right, and you will eat
from the life-giving tree.
And if you act wisely,
others will follow.[d]
31 (C) If good people are rewarded[e]
here on this earth,
all who are cruel and mean
will surely be punished.
You Can't Hide behind Evil
12 (D) To accept correction is wise,
to reject it is stupid.
2 The Lord likes everyone
who lives right,
but he punishes everyone
who makes evil plans.
3 Sin cannot offer security!
But if you live right,
you will be as secure
as a tree with deep roots.
4 A helpful wife is a jewel
for her husband,
but a shameless wife
will make his bones rot.
5 Good people have kind thoughts,
but you should never trust
the advice of someone evil.
6 Bad advice is a deadly trap,
but good advice
is like a shield.
7 Once the wicked are defeated,
they are gone forever,
but no one who obeys God
will ever be thrown down.
8 Good sense is worthy of praise,
but stupidity is a curse.
9 It's better to be ordinary
and have only one servant[f]
than to think you are somebody
and starve to death.
10 Good people are kind
to their animals,
but a mean person is cruel.
11 Hard working farmers have more
than enough food;
daydreamers are nothing more
than stupid fools.
12 An evil person tries to hide
behind evil;[g]
good people are like trees
with deep roots.
13 We trap ourselves
by telling lies,
but we stay out of trouble
by living right.
14 We are rewarded or punished
for what we say and do.
15 Fools think they know
what is best,
but a sensible person
listens to advice.
16 Losing your temper is foolish;
ignoring an insult is smart.
17 An honest person
tells the truth in court,
but a dishonest person
tells nothing but lies.
18 Sharp words cut like a sword,
but words of wisdom heal.
19 Truth will last forever;
lies are soon found out.
20 An evil mind is deceitful,
but gentle thoughts
bring happiness.
21 Good people never have trouble,
but troublemakers
have more than enough.
22 The Lord hates every liar,
but he is the friend of all
who can be trusted.
23 Be sensible and don't tell
everything you know—
only fools spread
foolishness everywhere.
24 Work hard, and you
will be a leader;
be lazy, and you
will end up a slave.
25 Worry is a heavy burden,
but a kind word
always brings cheer.
26 You are better off to do right,
than to lose your way
by doing wrong.[h]
27 Anyone too lazy to cook
will starve,
but a hard worker
is a valuable treasure.[i]
28 Living right is a pathway
that leads to life
and away from death.
Footnotes
- 10.10 and foolish … ruin: One ancient translation “but you can help people by correcting them.”
- 10.22 When … regret: Or “No matter how hard you work, your riches really come from the Lord.”
- 11.23 Good people … trouble: Or “Good people do what is best, but troublemakers just stir up trouble.”
- 11.30 act … follow: Hebrew; one ancient translation “but violence leads to death.”
- 11.31 rewarded: Or “punished.”
- 12.9 It's … servant: Or “It is better just to have an ordinary job.”
- 12.12 An evil … evil: Or “Evil people love what they get from being evil.”
- 12.26 wrong: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 26.
- 12.27 but … treasure: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Proverbs 10-12
New International Version
Proverbs 10-12
New International Version
Proverbs of Solomon
10 The proverbs(A) of Solomon:(B)
A wise son brings joy to his father,(C)
but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
5 He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.(J)
8 The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.(O)
9 Whoever walks in integrity(P) walks securely,(Q)
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.(R)
10 Whoever winks maliciously(S) causes grief,
and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,(T)
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.(U)
12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
but love covers over all wrongs.(V)
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,(W)
but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.(X)
17 Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,(AE)
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips(AF)
and spreads slander is a fool.
19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
but the prudent hold their tongues.(AG)
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of sense.(AH)
23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,(AL)
but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.
28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.(AV)
29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.(AW)
30 The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.(AX)
31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,(AY)
but a perverse tongue(AZ) will be silenced.
32 The lips of the righteous know what finds favor,(BA)
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.(BB)
3 The integrity of the upright guides them,
but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.(BG)
5 The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,(BK)
but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.(BL)
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.(BM)
7 Hopes placed in mortals die with them;(BN)
all the promise of[c] their power comes to nothing.(BO)
8 The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
and it falls on the wicked instead.(BP)
9 With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape.(BQ)
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;(BR)
when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.(BS)
11 Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,(BT)
but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.(BU)
12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,(BV)
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.(BW)
15 Whoever puts up security(CB) for a stranger will surely suffer,
but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.(CC)
16 A kindhearted woman gains honor,(CD)
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 Those who are kind benefit themselves,
but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.(CE)
20 The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,(CH)
but he delights(CI) in those whose ways are blameless.(CJ)
21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished,
but those who are righteous will go free.(CK)
22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
26 People curse the one who hoards grain,
but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.
27 Whoever seeks good finds favor,
but evil comes to one who searches for it.(CN)
28 Those who trust in their riches will fall,(CO)
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.(CP)
29 Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise.(CQ)
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,(CR)
and the one who is wise saves lives.
31 If the righteous receive their due(CS) on earth,
how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates correction is stupid.(CT)
3 No one can be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.(CW)
4 A wife of noble character(CX) is her husband’s crown,
but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.(CY)
5 The plans of the righteous are just,
but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.
6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.(CZ)
8 A person is praised according to their prudence,
and one with a warped(DC) mind is despised.
9 Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
than pretend to be somebody and have no food.
10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,(DD)
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies have no sense.(DE)
12 The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
but the root of the righteous endures.
14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,(DH)
and the work of their hands brings them reward.(DI)
17 An honest witness tells the truth,
but a false witness tells lies.(DO)
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
but those who promote peace have joy.(DR)
21 No harm overtakes the righteous,(DS)
but the wicked have their fill of trouble.
24 Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in forced labor.(DY)
25 Anxiety weighs down the heart,(DZ)
but a kind word cheers it up.
26 The righteous choose their friends carefully,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.(EA)
27 The lazy do not roast[d] any game,
but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.
28 In the way of righteousness there is life;(EB)
along that path is immortality.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 10:6 Or righteous, / but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence
- Proverbs 10:7 See Gen. 48:20.
- Proverbs 11:7 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate, Syriac and Targum When the wicked die, their hope perishes; / all they expected from
- Proverbs 12:27 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
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