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The Collected Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon.

Introduction to Wisdom and Righteousness

A wise son brings joy to his father,
but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
Treasures gained by wickedness produce no profit,
but righteousness saves from death.
The Lord will not allow the righteous to starve,
but he frustrates the greed of the wicked.
Lazy hands produce poverty,
but hardworking hands bring riches.
Whoever gathers crops in summer is a sensible[a] son.
Whoever sleeps at harvest time is a disgraceful[b] son.

Wise Words and Wise Ways

Blessings crown the head of a righteous person,
but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.[c]
To remember a righteous person is a blessing,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
A wise heart accepts commands,
but a babbling fool will be ruined.
Whoever walks with integrity walks safely,
but whoever follows crooked ways will be found out.
10 Whoever winks at evil causes trouble,
and a babbling fool will be ruined.
11 The mouth of a righteous person is a fountain of life,
but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.[d]
12 Hatred stirs up a quarrel,
but love covers all sins.
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of a discerning person,
but a rod is appropriate for the back of one who lacks sense.
14 Wise people store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a stubborn fool brings ruin.
15 A rich person’s wealth is his strong city.
Poverty is the ruin of poor people.
16 The work of a righteous person leads to life.
The income of a wicked person leads to sin.
17 Whoever practices discipline is on the path to life,
but whoever rejects a warning goes astray.
18 Whoever conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads gossip is a fool.
19 When there are many words, sin never stops,[e]
but a person who restrains his lips acts wisely.
20 The tongue of a righteous person is fine silver.
The heart of a wicked person has little value.
21 The lips of a righteous person shepherd many,
but stubborn fools die for lack of sense.
22 The blessing of the Lord makes a person wealthy,
and he adds no sorrow to it.[f]
23 Carrying out a wicked scheme is a game for the fool,
but wisdom gives pleasure to a person with understanding.

Contrasts Between the Righteous and the Wicked

24 What the wicked person dreads will come upon him,
but the Lord will grant what the righteous desire.
25 When the storm has passed, the wicked person is no more,
but the righteous person has an everlasting foundation.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and like smoke to the eyes,
so is a lazy person to those who send him.
27 The fear of the Lord will add days to a person’s life,
but the years of wicked people will be cut short.
28 The confident hope of the righteous is joy,
but the ambitions of the wicked will perish.
29 The way of the Lord is a fortress for a person who has integrity,
but it brings destruction for evildoers.
30 A righteous person will never be toppled,[g]
but wicked people will not dwell on earth.
31 The mouth of a righteous person produces the fruit of wisdom,
but a perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,[h]
but the mouth of the wicked produces depraved words.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:5 Or far-sighted
  2. Proverbs 10:5 Or an embarrassing
  3. Proverbs 10:6 Or the mouth of the wicked conceals violence
  4. Proverbs 10:11 Or the mouth of the wicked conceals violence
  5. Proverbs 10:19 Or cannot be avoided
  6. Proverbs 10:22 Or hard work adds nothing to it or worry adds nothing to it
  7. Proverbs 10:30 Or knocked off his foundation
  8. Proverbs 10:32 Or know what finds favor

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.

Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,(D)
    but righteousness delivers from death.(E)

The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,(F)
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.(G)

Lazy hands make for poverty,(H)
    but diligent hands bring wealth.(I)

He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,
    but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.(J)

Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.[a](K)

The name of the righteous(L) is used in blessings,[b]
    but the name of the wicked(M) will rot.(N)

The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.(O)

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)

14 The wise store up knowledge,(Y)
    but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.(Z)

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,(AA)
    but poverty is the ruin of the poor.(AB)

16 The wages of the righteous is life,(AC)
    but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.(AD)

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)

22 The blessing of the Lord(AI) brings wealth,(AJ)
    without painful toil for it.(AK)

23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,(AL)
    but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.

24 What the wicked dread(AM) will overtake them;(AN)
    what the righteous desire will be granted.(AO)

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
    but the righteous stand firm(AP) forever.(AQ)

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke(AR) to the eyes,
    so are sluggards to those who send them.(AS)

27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life,(AT)
    but the years of the wicked are cut short.(AU)

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)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:6 Or righteous, / but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence
  2. Proverbs 10:7 See Gen. 48:20.