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Proverbs 10-14
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Proverbs 10-14
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
III. First Solomonic Collection of Sayings[a]
Chapter 10
1 The Proverbs of Solomon:
A wise son gives his father joy,
but a foolish son is a grief to his mother.[b](A)
2 Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing,
but justice saves from death.[c](B)
3 The Lord does not let the just go hungry,
but the craving of the wicked he thwarts.[d]
4 The slack hand impoverishes,
but the busy hand brings riches.(C)
5 A son who gathers in summer is a credit;
a son who slumbers during harvest, a disgrace.
6 Blessings are for the head of the just;
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.[e]
7 The memory of the just serves as blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.[f]
8 A wise heart accepts commands,
but a babbling fool will be overthrown.[g]
9 Whoever walks honestly walks securely,
but one whose ways are crooked will fare badly.
10 One who winks at a fault causes trouble,
but one who frankly reproves promotes peace.
11 The mouth of the just is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up disputes,
(D) but love covers all offenses.[h]
13 On the lips of the intelligent is found wisdom,
but a rod for the back of one without sense.[i]
14 The wise store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool is imminent ruin.
15 The wealth of the rich is their strong city;
the ruin of the poor is their poverty.[j]
16 The labor of the just leads to life,
the gains of the wicked, to futility.[k](E)
17 Whoever follows instruction is in the path to life,
but whoever disregards reproof goes astray.(F)
18 Whoever conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
19 Where words are many, sin is not wanting;
but those who restrain their lips do well.(G)
20 Choice silver is the tongue of the just;
the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the just nourish many,
but fools die for want of sense.[l]
22 It is the Lord’s blessing that brings wealth,(H)
and no effort can substitute for it.[m]
23 Crime is the entertainment of the fool;
but wisdom is for the person of understanding.
24 What the wicked fear will befall them,
but the desire of the just will be granted.
25 When the tempest passes, the wicked are no more;
but the just are established forever.
26 As vinegar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes,
are sluggards to those who send them.
27 Fear of the Lord prolongs life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.(I)
28 The hope of the just brings joy,
but the expectation of the wicked perishes.[n]
29 The Lord is a stronghold to those who walk honestly,
downfall for evildoers.
30 The just will never be disturbed,
but the wicked will not abide in the land.
31 The mouth of the just yields wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the just know favor,
but the mouth of the wicked, perversion.[o]
Chapter 11
1 False scales are an abomination to the Lord,
but an honest weight, his delight.[p](J)
2 When pride comes, disgrace comes;
but with the humble is wisdom.[q]
3 The honesty of the upright guides them;
the faithless are ruined by their duplicity.
4 Wealth is useless on a day of wrath,[r](K)
but justice saves from death.
5 The justice of the honest makes their way straight,
but by their wickedness the wicked fall.[s](L)
6 The justice of the upright saves them,
but the faithless are caught in their own intrigue.
7 When a person dies, hope is destroyed;(M)
expectation pinned on wealth is destroyed.[t]
8 The just are rescued from a tight spot,
but the wicked fall into it instead.
9 By a word the impious ruin their neighbors,(N)
but through their knowledge the just are rescued.[u]
10 When the just prosper, the city rejoices;(O)
when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
11 Through the blessing of the upright the city is exalted,
but through the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.
12 Whoever reviles a neighbor lacks sense,
but the intelligent keep silent.
13 One who slanders reveals secrets,(P)
but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
14 For lack of guidance a people falls;
security lies in many counselors.(Q)
15 Harm will come to anyone going surety for another,(R)
but whoever hates giving pledges is secure.[v]
16 A gracious woman gains esteem,
and ruthless men gain wealth.[w]
17 Kindly people benefit themselves,
but the merciless harm themselves.
18 The wicked make empty profits,
but those who sow justice have a sure reward.(S)
19 Justice leads toward life,
but pursuit of evil, toward death.
20 The crooked in heart are an abomination to the Lord,
but those who walk blamelessly are his delight.[x]
21 Be assured, the wicked shall not go unpunished,
but the offspring of the just shall escape.
22 Like a golden ring in a swine’s snout
is a beautiful woman without judgment.[y]
23 The desire of the just ends only in good;
the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
24 One person is lavish yet grows still richer;
another is too sparing, yet is the poorer.[z]
25 Whoever confers benefits will be amply enriched,
and whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
26 Whoever hoards grain, the people curse,
but blessings are on the head of one who distributes it!
27 Those who seek the good seek favor,
but those who pursue evil will have evil come upon them.[aa]
28 Those who trust in their riches will fall,
but like green leaves the just will flourish.(T)
29 Those who trouble their household inherit the wind,
and fools become slaves to the wise of heart.
30 The fruit of justice is a tree of life,
and one who takes lives is a sage.[ab]
31 If the just are recompensed on the earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner
Chapter 12
1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates reproof is stupid.[ad](V)
2 A good person wins favor from the Lord,
but the schemer he condemns.[ae]
3 No one is made secure by wickedness,
but the root of the just will never be disturbed.[af]
4 A woman of worth is the crown of her husband,(W)
but a disgraceful one is like rot in his bones.[ag]
5 The plans of the just are right;
the designs of the wicked are deceit.[ah]
6 The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
but the speech of the upright saves them.[ai]
7 Overthrow the wicked and they are no more,
but the house of the just stands firm.
8 For their good sense people are praised,
but the perverse of heart are despised.[aj]
9 Better to be slighted and have a servant
than put on airs and lack bread.(X)
10 The just take care of their livestock,
but the compassion of the wicked is cruel.[ak]
11 Those who till their own land have food in plenty,
but those who engage in idle pursuits lack sense.[al](Y)
12 A wicked person desires the catch of evil people,
but the root of the righteous will bear fruit.[am]
13 By the sin of their lips the wicked are ensnared,
but the just escape from a tight spot.
14 From the fruit of their mouths people have their fill of good,(Z)
and the works of their hands come back upon them.[an]
15 The way of fools is right in their own eyes,
but those who listen to advice are the wise.
16 Fools immediately show their anger,
but the shrewd conceal contempt.
17 Whoever speaks honestly testifies truly,
but the deceitful make lying witnesses.[ao](AA)
18 The babble of some people is like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise is healing.
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
the lying tongue, for only a moment.[ap]
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil,
but those who counsel peace have joy.
21 No harm befalls the just,
but the wicked are overwhelmed with misfortune.
22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,(AB)
but those who are truthful, his delight.
23 The shrewd conceal knowledge,
but the hearts of fools proclaim folly.[aq]
24 The diligent hand will govern,
but sloth makes for forced labor.(AC)
25 Worry weighs down the heart,
but a kind word gives it joy.(AD)
26 The just act as guides to their neighbors,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27 Sloth does not catch its prey,
but the wealth of the diligent is splendid.
28 In the path of justice is life,
but the way of abomination leads to death.
Chapter 13
1 A wise son loves correction,
but the scoffer heeds no rebuke.[ar]
2 From the fruit of the mouth one enjoys good things,(AE)
but from the throat of the treacherous comes violence.[as]
3 Those who guard their mouths preserve themselves;[at]
those who open wide their lips bring ruin.(AF)
4 The appetite of the sluggard craves but has nothing,
but the appetite of the diligent is amply satisfied.
5 The just hate deceitful words,
but the wicked are odious and disgraceful.
6 Justice guards one who walks honestly,
but sin leads the wicked astray.(AG)
7 One acts rich but has nothing;
another acts poor but has great wealth.[au]
8 People’s riches serve as ransom for their lives,
but the poor do not even hear a threat.[av]
9 The light of the just gives joy,
but the lamp[aw] of the wicked goes out.(AH)
10 The stupid sow discord by their insolence,
but wisdom is with those who take counsel.
11 Wealth won quickly dwindles away,
but gathered little by little, it grows.(AI)
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a wish fulfilled is a tree of life.[ax]
13 Whoever despises the word must pay for it,[ay]
but whoever reveres the command will be rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
turning one from the snares of death.
15 Good sense brings favor,
but the way of the faithless is their ruin.[az]
16 The shrewd always act prudently
but the foolish parade folly.[ba]
17 A wicked messenger brings on disaster,
but a trustworthy envoy is a healing remedy.
18 Poverty and shame befall those who let go of discipline,
but those who hold on to reproof receive honor.[bb]
19 Desire fulfilled delights the soul,
but turning from evil is an abomination to fools.
20 Walk with the wise and you become wise,
but the companion of fools fares badly.(AJ)
21 Misfortune pursues sinners,
but the just shall be recompensed with good.
22 The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the just.
23 The tillage of the poor yields abundant food,
but possessions are swept away for lack of justice.[bc]
24 Whoever spares the rod hates the child,
but whoever loves will apply discipline.(AK)
25 When the just eat, their hunger is appeased;
but the belly of the wicked suffers want.
Chapter 14
1 Wisdom builds her house,
but Folly tears hers down with her own hands.[bd]
2 Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord,
but those who are devious in their ways spurn him.
3 In the mouth of the fool is a rod for pride,
but the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the crib is clean;
but abundant crops come through the strength of the bull.[be]
5 A trustworthy witness does not lie,
but one who spouts lies makes a lying witness.[bf](AL)
6 The scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for the intelligent.
7 Go from the face of the fool;
you get no knowledge from such lips.
8 The wisdom of the shrewd enlightens their way,
but the folly of fools is deceit.[bg]
9 The wicked scorn a guilt offering,
but the upright find acceptance.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and its joy no stranger shares.[bh]
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.[bi](AM)
12 Sometimes a way seems right,
but the end of it leads to death!(AN)
13 Even in laughter the heart may be sad,
and the end of joy may be sorrow.
14 From their own ways turncoats are sated,
from their own actions, the loyal.
15 The naive believe everything,
but the shrewd watch their steps.[bj]
16 The wise person is cautious and turns from evil;
the fool is reckless and gets embroiled.
17 The quick-tempered make fools of themselves,
and schemers are hated.
18 The simple have folly as an adornment,
but the shrewd wear knowledge as a crown.[bk]
19 The malicious bow down before the good,
and the wicked, at the gates of the just.
20 Even by their neighbors the poor are despised,
but a rich person’s friends are many.(AO)
21 Whoever despises the hungry comes up short,
but happy the one who is kind to the poor![bl]
22 Do not those who plan evil go astray?
But those who plan good win steadfast loyalty.
23 In all labor there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to loss.
24 The crown of the wise is wealth;
the diadem of fools is folly.
25 The truthful witness saves lives,
but whoever utters lies is a betrayer.
26 The fear of the Lord is a strong defense,
a refuge even for one’s children.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
turning one from the snares of death.
28 A multitude of subjects is the glory of the king;
but if his people are few, a prince is ruined.
29 Long-suffering results in great wisdom;
a short temper raises folly high.[bm](AP)
30 A tranquil mind gives life to the body,
but jealousy rots the bones.
31 Those who oppress the poor revile their Maker,
but those who are kind to the needy honor him.(AQ)
32 The wicked are overthrown by their wickedness,
but the just find a refuge in their integrity.
33 Wisdom can remain silent in the discerning heart,
but among fools she must make herself known.[bn](AR)
34 Justice exalts a nation,
but sin is a people’s disgrace.[bo]
35 The king favors the skillful servant,
but the shameless one incurs his wrath.
Footnotes
- 10:1–22:16 The Proverbs of Solomon are a collection of three hundred and seventy-five proverbs on a wide variety of subjects. No overall arrangement is discernible, but there are many clusters of sayings related by vocabulary and theme. One thread running through the whole is the relationship of the “son,” the disciple, to the parents, and its effect upon the house(hold). In chaps. 10–14 almost all the proverbs are antithetical; “the righteous” and “the wicked” (ethical), “the wise” and “the foolish” (sapiential), and “the devout, the pious” and “the irreverent” (religious). Chapters 15–22 have fewer sharp antitheses. The sayings are generally witty, often indirect, and are rich in irony and paradox.
- 10:1
The opening saying ties the whole collection to the first section, for “son,” “father,” and “mother” evoke the opening line of the first instruction, “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and reject not your mother’s teaching.” The son is the subject of parental exhortation throughout chaps. 1–9. This is the first of many sayings on domestic happiness or unhappiness, between parents and children (e.g., 15:20; 17:21) and between husband and wife (e.g., 12:4; 14:1). Founding or maintaining a household is an important metaphor in the book.
Adult children represented the family (headed by the oldest married male) to the outside world. Foolishness, i.e., malicious ignorance, brought dishonor to the parents and the family.
- 10:2 Death: untimely, premature, or sorrowful. The word “death” can have other overtones (see Wis 1:15).
- 10:3 The last of the three introductory sayings in the collection, which emphasize, respectively, the sapiential (v. 1), ethical (v. 2), and religious (v. 3) dimensions of wisdom. In this saying, God will not allow the appetite of the righteous to go unfulfilled. The appetite of hunger is singled out; it stands for all the appetites.
- 10:6 This saying, like several others in the chapter, plays on the different senses of the verb “to cover.” As in English, “to cover” can mean to fill (as in Is 60:2) and to conceal (as in Jb 16:18). Colon B can be read either “violence fills the mouth (= head) of the wicked” or “the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” The ambiguity is intentional; the proverb is meant to be read both ways.
- 10:7 The name of the righteous continues to be used after their death in blessings such as “May you be as blessed as Abraham,” but the wicked, being enemies of God, do not live on in anyone’s memory. Their names rot with their bodies.
- 10:8 The wise take in instruction from their teachers but those who expel or pour out folly through their words will themselves be expelled.
- 10:12 Love covers all offenses: a favorite maxim in the New Testament; cf. 1 Cor 13:7; Jas 5:20; 1 Pt 4:8. Cf. also Prv 17:9.
- 10:13 An unusual juxtaposition of “lips” and “back.” Those who have no wisdom on their lips (words) are fated to feel a punishing rod on their back.
- 10:15 An observation rather than a moral evaluation of wealth and poverty; but cf. 18:10–11.
- 10:16 Wages are a metaphor for reward and punishment. The Hebrew word does not mean “sin” here but falling short, a meaning that is frequent in Proverbs. Cf. Rom 6:1: “But what profit did you get then from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.”
- 10:21 The wise by their words maintain others in life whereas the foolish cannot keep themselves from sin that leads to premature death.
- 10:22 Human industry is futile without divine approval; cf. Ps 127:1–2; Mt 6:25–34.
- 10:28 The thought is elliptical. Joy comes from fulfillment of one’s plans, which the righteous can count on. The opposite of joy thus is not sadness but unfulfillment (“perishes”).
- 10:32 The word used for “favor” is favor shown by an authority (God or the king), not favor shown by a peer. A righteous person’s words create a climate of favor and acceptance, whereas crooked words will not gain acceptance. In Hebrew as in English, straight and crooked are metaphors for good and wicked.
- 11:1 The word pair “abomination” and “delight” (= acceptable) to God is common in Proverbs. Originally the language of ritual, the words came to be applied to whatever pleases or displeases God (cf. also 11:20). False weights were a constant problem even though weights were standardized. Cf. 20:23; Hos 12:8; Am 8:5.
- 11:2 Disgrace is the very opposite of what the proud so ardently want. Those who do not demand their due receive wisdom.
- 11:4 Cf. note on 10:2. A day of wrath is an unforeseen disaster (even death). Only one’s relationship to God, which makes one righteous, is of any help on such a day.
- 11:5 In Hebrew as in English, “way” means the course of one’s life; similarly, “straight” and “crooked” are metaphors for morally straightforward and for bad, deviant, perverted.
- 11:7 An ancient scribe added “wicked” to person in colon A, for the statement that hope ends at death seemed to deny life after death. The saying, however, is not concerned with life after death but with the fact that in the face of death all hopes based on one’s own resources are vain. The aphorism is the climax of the preceding six verses; human resources cannot overcome mortality (cf. Ps 49:13).
- 11:9 What the wicked express harms others; what the righteous leave unsaid protects. Verses 9–14 are related in theme: the effect of good and bad people, especially their words, on their community.
- 11:15 Proverbs is opposed to providing surety for another’s loan (see note on 6:1–5) and expresses this view throughout the book.
- 11:16 Wealth and esteem are good things in Proverbs, but the means for acquiring them are flawed. As precious gifts, they must be granted, not taken. The esteem of others that depends on beauty is as fleeting as beauty itself (cf. 31:30) and the wealth acquired by aggressive behavior lasts only as long as one has physical strength.
- 11:20 The terminology of ritual (acceptable and unacceptable sacrifice, “abomination” and “delight”) is applied to human conduct as in v. 1. The whole of human life is under divine scrutiny, not just ritual.
- 11:22 Ear and nose rings were common jewelry for women. A humorous saying on the priority of wisdom over beauty in choosing a wife.
- 11:24 A paradox: spending leads to more wealth.
- 11:27 The saying is about seeking one thing and finding another. Striving for good leads to acceptance by God; seeking evil means only that trouble will come. The same Hebrew word means evil and trouble.
- 11:30 Most translations emend Hebrew “wise person” in colon B on the basis of the Greek and Syriac translations to “violence” (similar in spelling), because the verb “to take a life” is a Hebrew idiom for “to kill” (as also in English). The emendation is unnecessary, however, for the saying deliberately plays on the odd meaning: the one who takes lives is not the violent but the wise person, for the wise have a profound influence upon life. There is a similar wordplay in 29:10.
- 11:31 The saying is not about life after death; “on the earth” means life in the present world. The meaning is that divine judgment is exercised on all human action, even the best. The thought should strike terror into the hearts of habitual wrongdoers.
- 12:1 Discipline in Proverbs is both doctrine and training. The path to wisdom includes obedience to teachers and parents, acceptance of the community’s traditions.
- 12:2 The antithesis is between the good person who, by reason of that goodness, already has divine acceptance, and the wicked person who, despite great effort, gains only condemnation.
- 12:3 Human beings are described as “made secure” in Jb 21:8; Ps 101:7; 102:29. “Root” in the context means enduring to succeeding generations, as in Mal 3:19 and Jb 8:17.
- 12:4 In Proverbs a crown is the result and sign of wise conduct. A good wife is a public sign of the husband’s shrewd judgment and divine blessing (crown), whereas a bad wife brings him inner pain (rot in the bones).
- 12:5 The opposite of “just” is not injustice but “deceit.” The wicked will be deceived in their plans in the sense that their planning will not succeed.
- 12:6 Words are a favorite theme of Proverbs. The words of the wicked effect harm to others whereas the words of the righteous protect themselves.
- 12:8 The heart, the seat of intelligence, will eventually be revealed in the actions that people do, either for praise or for blame.
- 12:10 The righteous are sympathetically aware of the needs of their livestock and prosper from their herd’s good health. The wicked will pay the price for their self-centeredness and cruelty.
- 12:11 The second line clarifies the first: idleness will give one plenty of nothing. “Lacking sense” is a common phrase for fools.
- 12:12 A difficult, possibly corrupt saying, but there is no good alternative to the Hebrew text. The wicked desire what the malevolent have captured or killed, but their actions will go for naught because they invite punishment. The righteous, on the other hand, will bear fruit.
- 12:14 The saying contrasts words and deeds. “Fruit” here is not what one normally eats, as in 1:31; 8:19; 31:16, 31, but the consequences of one’s actions. In the second line the things that issue from one’s hands (one’s deeds) come back to one in recompense or punishment. Prv 13:2a and 18:20 are variants. Cf. Mt 7:17; Gal 6:8.
- 12:17 What is the rule of thumb for judging legal testimony? Look to the ordinary conduct and daily speech of a witness.
- 12:19 The saying has a double meaning: lies are quickly found out whereas truthful statements endure; truth-tellers, being favored by God, live long lives, whereas liars invite punishment.
- 12:23 “Knowledge” here is “what one knows, has in one’s heart,” not knowledge in general. Fools reveal all they have stored in their heart and it naturally turns out to be folly. Revealing and concealing are constant themes in Proverbs.
- 13:1 Another in the series on the household, this one on the relation of parents and children. See under 10:1. The scoffer in Proverbs condemns discipline and thus can never become wise. Wise adult children advertise to the community what they received from their parents, for children become wise through a dialectical process involving the parents. A foolish adult child witnesses to foolish parents.
- 13:2 One’s mouth normally eats food from outside, but in the moral life, things are reversed: one eats from the fruit of one’s mouth, i.e., one experiences the consequences of one’s own actions. Since the mouth of the treacherous is filled with violence, one must assume that they will some day endure violence.
- 13:3 Preserve themselves: in Hebrew, literally to preserve the throat area, the moist breathing center of one’s body, thus “life,” “soul,” or “self.” There is wordplay: if you guard your mouth (= words) you guard your “soul.” Fools, on the other hand, do not guard but open their lips and disaster strikes. A near duplicate is 21:23.
- 13:7 Appearances can be deceiving; possessions do not always reveal the true state of a person.
- 13:8 Related to v. 7. Possessions enable the wealthy to pay ransom but the poor are “protected” by lack of possessions: they never hear the threat of the pursuer. Cf. the use of the word “threat” in Is 30:17.
- 13:9 Light…lamp: symbols of life and prosperity; cf. 4:18–19.
- 13:12 “Tree of life” occurs in Gn 2–3, Prv 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4, and Rev 2:7; 22:2, 14, 19. It provides food and healing.
- 13:13 Must pay for it: lit., “is pledge to it,” i.e., just as one who has pledged or provided surety for another’s loan is obligated to that pledge, so one is not free of a command until one performs it.
- 13:15 As the behavior of the wise wins them favor that increases their prosperity, like Abigail with David in 1 Sm 25, so the way (= conduct) of the faithless ruins their lives.
- 13:16 Like 12:23 and 15:2, 3, the saying is about revealing and concealing. The wise reveal their wisdom in their actions whereas fools “parade,” spread out their folly for all to see. The verb is used of vendors spreading their wares and of birds spreading their wings.
- 13:18 The saying plays on letting go and holding on. Wisdom consists in not rejecting discipline and being open to the comments of others, even if they are reproving comments.
- 13:23 An observation on the poor. The lands of the poor are as fertile as anyone’s, for nature does not discriminate against them. Their problem is lack of justice, which puts their harvest at risk from unscrupulous human beings.
- 14:1 The relationship between Wisdom, personified as a woman, and building a house is a constant theme. As elsewhere, the book here warns against the wrong woman and praises the right woman.
- 14:4 If one has no animals, one does not have the burden of keeping the crib full, but without them one will have no crops to fill the barn. Colon B reverses the sense of colon A and also reverses the consonants of bar (“clean”) to rab (“abundant”).
- 14:5 On discerning the truthfulness of witnesses; see 12:17.
- 14:8 Wisdom enables the shrewd to know their path is right but folly leads fools on the wrong path (“deceit”), which calls down retribution.
- 14:10 The heart in Proverbs is where a person’s sense impressions are stored and reflected upon. It is thus one’s most personal and individual part. One’s sorrows and joys (= the full range of emotions) cannot be shared fully with another. Verse 13 expresses the same individuality of the human person.
- 14:11 The traditional fixed pair “house” and “tent” is used to express the paradox that a house can be less secure than a tent if there is no justice.
- 14:15 The naive gullibly rely on others’ words whereas the shrewd watch their own steps.
- 14:18 The inner quality of a person, simple or wise, will eventually be revealed.
- 14:21 The paradox is that anyone who spurns the hungry will lack something, but anyone who shows mercy (presumably by giving to the poor) will gain prosperity.
- 14:29 A series of puns on short and long; lit., “long of nostrils (idiom for “patient”), large in wisdom, / short in breath (idiom for “impatient”), makes folly tall.”
- 14:33 Wisdom can remain silent in a wise person as a welcome friend. But it must speak out among fools, for the dissonance is so strong.
- 14:34 The rare noun “disgrace” occurs elsewhere only in Lv 20:17. In measuring the greatness of a nation, one is tempted to consider territory, wealth, history, but the most important criterion is its relationship to God (“justice”).
Proverbs 10-14
New International Version
Proverbs 10-14
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.
13 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.(EC)
2 From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things,(ED)
but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.
3 Those who guard their lips(EE) preserve their lives,(EF)
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.(EG)
4 A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,(EH)
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
5 The righteous hate what is false,(EI)
but the wicked make themselves a stench
and bring shame on themselves.
6 Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.(EJ)
7 One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;(EK)
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.(EL)
8 A person’s riches may ransom their life,
but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes.(EM)
9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.(EN)
10 Where there is strife, there is pride,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.(EO)
11 Dishonest money dwindles away,(EP)
but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.(EQ)
13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it,(ER)
but whoever respects(ES) a command is rewarded.(ET)
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,(EU)
turning a person from the snares of death.(EV)
15 Good judgment wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.[e]
18 Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame,(FA)
but whoever heeds correction is honored.(FB)
19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,(FC)
but fools detest turning from evil.
20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.(FD)
22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,
but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.(FH)
23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
but injustice sweeps it away.
24 Whoever spares the rod(FI) hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline(FJ) them.(FK)
25 The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,
but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.(FL)
14 The wise woman builds her house,(FM)
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
2 Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly,
but those who despise him are devious in their ways.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,
but from the strength of an ox(FP) come abundant harvests.
5 An honest witness does not deceive,
but a false witness pours out lies.(FQ)
6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none,
but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.(FR)
7 Stay away from a fool,
for you will not find knowledge on their lips.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways,(FS)
but the folly of fools is deception.(FT)
9 Fools mock at making amends for sin,
but goodwill is found among the upright.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can share its joy.
13 Even in laughter(FY) the heart may ache,
and rejoicing may end in grief.
15 The simple believe anything,
but the prudent give thought to their steps.(GB)
17 A quick-tempered person(GE) does foolish things,(GF)
and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.(GG)
18 The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good,
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.(GH)
20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.(GI)
22 Do not those who plot evil go astray?(GL)
But those who plan what is good find[g] love and faithfulness.
23 All hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The wealth of the wise is their crown,
but the folly of fools yields folly.(GM)
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but a false witness is deceitful.(GN)
26 Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,(GO)
and for their children it will be a refuge.(GP)
28 A large population is a king’s glory,
but without subjects a prince is ruined.(GS)
29 Whoever is patient has great understanding,(GT)
but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.(GU)
30 A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.(GV)
31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,(GW)
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.(GX)
32 When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down,(GY)
but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.(GZ)
33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning(HA)
and even among fools she lets herself be known.[h]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,(HB)
but sin condemns any people.
35 A king delights in a wise servant,
but a shameful servant arouses his fury.(HC)
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.
- Proverbs 13:15 Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Proverbs 13:16 Or prudent protect themselves through
- Proverbs 14:22 Or show
- Proverbs 14:33 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac discerning / but in the heart of fools she is not known
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