Proverbs 10:1-11

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.
²What you gain by doing evil
    won't help you at all.
Obeying God is the only way
    to be saved from death.

³If you obey the Lord,
    you won't go hungry;
if you are wicked,
God won't let you have
    what you want.
⁴Laziness leads to poverty;
    hard work makes you rich.
⁵At harvest season
it's smart to work hard,
    but stupid to sleep.

⁶Everyone praises good people,
but evil hides behind
    the words of the wicked.
⁷Good people are remembered
    long after they are gone,
but the wicked
    are soon forgotten.

⁸If you have good sense,
    you will listen and obey;
if all you do is talk foolishly,
    you will destroy yourself.
⁹You will be safe,
    if you always do right,
but you will get caught,
    if you are dishonest.
¹⁰Deceit causes trouble,
and foolish talk
    will bring you to ruin.^[a]
¹¹The words of good people
    are a source of life,
but evil hides behind
    the words of the wicked.