Beginning
The Wise Sayings of Solomon, Chapters 10 through 29
10 The sayings of Solomon:
A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
2 Riches taken by wrong-doing do no good, but doing what is right and good saves from death.
3 The Lord will not let those who are right with Him go hungry, but He puts to one side the desire of the sinful.
4 He who works with a lazy hand is poor, but the hand of the hard worker brings riches.
5 A son who gathers in summer is wise, but a son who sleeps during gathering time brings shame.
6 Good things are given to those who are right with God, but the mouth of the sinful hides trouble.
7 Those who are right with God are remembered with honor, but the name of the sinful will waste away.
8 The wise in heart will receive teaching, but a fast talking fool will become nothing.
9 He who is right in his walk is sure in his steps, but he who takes the wrong way will be found out.
10 He who winks the eye causes trouble, and a fast talking fool will become nothing.
11 The mouth of the one who is right with God is a well of life, but the mouth of the sinful hides trouble.
12 Hate starts fights, but love covers all sins.
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, but a stick is for the back of him who has no understanding.
14 Wise men store up learning, but the foolish will be destroyed with their mouths.
15 The riches of a rich man are his strength, but the need of the poor is what destroys them.
16 The pay earned by those who are right with God is life, but the sinful are paid by being punished.
17 He who listens to teaching is on the path of life, but he who will not listen to strong words goes the wrong way.
18 He who hides hate has lying lips, and he who talks to hurt people is a fool.
19 The one who talks much will for sure sin, but he who is careful what he says is wise.
20 The tongue of those who are right with God is like fine silver, but the heart of the sinful is not worth much.
21 The lips of those who are right with God feed many, but fools die for want of understanding.
22 The good that comes from the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.
23 Doing wrong is like play to a fool, but a man of understanding has wisdom.
24 What the sinful man is afraid of will come upon him, and what is wanted by the man who is right with God will be given to him.
25 When the storm passes, the sinful man is no more, but the man who is right with God has a place to stand forever.
26 Like sour wine to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to those who send him.
27 The fear of the Lord makes life longer, but the years of the sinful will be cut off.
28 The hope of those who are right with God is joy, but the hope of the sinful comes to nothing.
29 The way of the Lord is a strong-place to those who are faithful, but it destroys those who do wrong.
30 Those who are right with God will never be shaken, but the sinful will not live in the land.
31 The mouth of those who are right with God flows with wisdom, but the sinful tongue will be stopped.
32 The lips of those who are right with God speak what is pleasing to others, but the mouth of the sinful speaks only what is bad.
11 The Lord hates a false weight, but a true weight is His joy.
2 When pride comes, then comes shame, but wisdom is with those who have no pride.
3 The honor of good people will lead them, but those who hurt others will be destroyed by their own false ways.
4 Riches are of no use in the day of God’s anger, but being right with God saves from death.
5 Those right with God, who are without blame, make a straight way for themselves, but the sinful will fall by their own wrong-doing.
6 Being right with God will save the honest man, but those who hurt others will be trapped by their wrong desires.
7 When a sinful man dies, his hope dies with him, and all his power comes to nothing.
8 The one who is right with God is kept from trouble, but the sinful get into trouble instead.
9 The sinful man destroys his neighbor with his mouth, but those who are fair will be saved through knowing God.
10 The city is glad when everything goes well with those who are right with God, and there are shouts of joy when the sinful are destroyed.
11 A city is honored by the good things that come to the faithful, but it is torn down by the mouth of the sinful.
12 He who hates his neighbor does not think well, but a man of understanding keeps quiet.
13 He who is always telling stories makes secrets known, but he who can be trusted keeps a thing hidden.
14 A nation falls where there is no wise leading, but it is safe where there are many wise men who know what to do.
15 He who puts himself as trust for what a stranger owes to another will suffer for it, but he who hates to be trusted for what another owes is safe.
16 A kind woman gets honor, and bad men get riches.
17 The man who shows loving-kindness does himself good, but the man without pity hurts himself.
18 The sinful man earns false pay, but he who spreads what is right and good gets pay that is sure.
19 He who will not be moved from being right with God will live, but he who goes for what is bad will bring about his own death.
20 The Lord hates those who are sinful in heart, but those who walk without blame are His joy.
21 Know for sure that the sinful man will not go without being punished, but the children of those who are right with God will be saved.
22 A beautiful woman who does not think well is like a gold ring in the nose of a pig.
23 The desire of those who are right with God is only good, but the hope of the sinful is anger.
24 There is one who is free in giving, and yet he grows richer. And there is one who keeps what he should give, but he ends up needing more.
25 The man who gives much will have much, and he who helps others will be helped himself.
26 The people curse him who keeps grain for himself, but good comes to him who sells it.
27 He who looks for good finds favor, but he who looks for wrong-doing will have bad come to him.
28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but those who are right with God will grow like a green leaf.
29 He who troubles his own house will be given the wind, and the foolish will serve those with a wise heart.
30 The fruit of those who are right with God is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
31 If those who are right with God will be paid on earth, how much more the sinful and the wrong-doer!
12 Whoever loves strong teaching loves much learning, but he who hates strong words is foolish.
2 A good man will get favor from the Lord, but He will punish a man who makes sinful plans.
3 A man will not stand by doing what is wrong, but the root of those who are right with God will not be moved.
4 A good wife is the pride and joy of her husband, but she who brings shame is like cancer to his bones.
5 The thoughts of those who are right with God can be trusted, but the words of the sinful are false.
6 The words of the sinful lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the faithful will take them away from trouble.
7 The sinful are destroyed and are no more, but the house of those who are right with God will stand.
8 A man will be praised for his wisdom, but a man with a sinful mind will be hated.
9 A man who has only a little honor and has a servant is better than one who honors himself and does not have bread.
10 A man who is right with God cares for his animal, but the sinful man is hard and has no pity.
11 He who works his land will have all the bread he needs, but he who follows what is of no worth has no wisdom.
12 The sinful man wants what sinful men have, but the root of those who are right with God gives fruit.
13 A sinful man is trapped by the sin of his lips, but those who are right with God will get away from trouble.
14 A man will be filled with good from the fruit of his words, and the work of a man’s hands will return to him.
15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to good teaching.
16 The anger of a fool is known at once, but a wise man does not speak when he is spoken against.
17 He who speaks the truth tells what is right, but a liar tells lies.
18 There is one whose foolish words cut like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Lips that tell the truth will last forever, but a lying tongue lasts only for a little while.
20 Lying is in the heart of those who plan what is bad, but those who plan peace have joy.
21 No trouble comes upon those who are right with God, but the sinful are filled with trouble.
22 The Lord hates lying lips, but those who speak the truth are His joy.
23 A wise man hides how much learning he has, but the heart of fools makes known their foolish way.
24 The hand of those who do their best will rule, but the lazy hand will be made to work.
25 Worry in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.
26 The man who is right with God is a teacher to his neighbor, but the way of the sinful leads them the wrong way.
27 The lazy man will not cook the food he has caught, but the man who does his best has what is of great worth.
28 Life is in the way of those who are right with God, and in its path there is no death.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.