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Proverbs of Solomon

10 The proverbs of Solomon:
A wise child makes a father glad,
    but a foolish child grieves his mother.
Treasures of wickedness do not profit,
    but righteousness delivers from death.
Yahweh will not cause a righteous person[a] to go hungry,
    but the craving of the wicked he will thwart.
A slack hand causes poverty,
    but the hand of the diligent enriches.
He who gathers in the summer is a child who is prudent;
    he who sleeps at the harvest is a child who brings shame.
Blessings belong to the head of the righteous,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
The memory of righteousness is like a blessing,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.
A heart of wisdom will heed commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
Whoever walks in integrity[b] will walk securely,
    but whoever follows perversity, his ways will be made known.
10 The winking of an eye causes[c] trouble,
    and the foolishness of lips comes to ruin.
11 A fountain of life is a mouth of righteousness,
    and a mouth of wickedness conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but love covers over all offenses.
13 On the lips of one who has understanding, wisdom is found,
    but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.[d]
14 Those who are wise lay up knowledge,
    but to the mouth of the fool, ruin draws near.
15 The wealth of the rich is the city of his strength;
    the ruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The wage of the righteous leads to life;
    the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 On the path to life is he who guards instruction,
    but he who rejects rebuke goes astray.
18 He who conceals hatred has lips of deceit,
    and he who utters slander—he is a fool.
19 In many words, transgression is not lacking,
    but he who restrains his lips is prudent.
20 Choice silver is a tongue of righteousness,
    a heart[e] of wickedness is of little worth.[f]
21 Lips of righteousness feed many,
    but fools die for lack of sense.[g]
22 The blessing of Yahweh makes one rich,
    and he does not increase sorrow with it.
23 It is like a sport for a fool to do wrong,
    wisdom for a person of understanding.
24 The dread of the wicked will come upon him,
    but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 With the passing of the tempest, there is no wickedness,
    but the righteous have a foundation forever.
26 Like vinegar to the tooth and like smoke to the eyes,
    thus is the lazy to one who employs[h] him.
27 The fear of Yahweh adds life,
    but the years of the wicked are shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous is gladness,
    but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.
29 A stronghold for the upright is the way of Yahweh,
    but ruin belongs to evildoers.[i]
30 The righteous one is forever; he will not be removed.
    But the wicked will not remain in the land.[j]
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but a tongue of perversity will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous know the acceptable,
    but the mouth of the wicked, the perverse.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:3 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  2. Proverbs 10:9 Hebrew “in the integrity”
  3. Proverbs 10:10 Or “gives, sets up”
  4. Proverbs 10:13 Literally “heart”
  5. Proverbs 10:20 Or “mind”
  6. Proverbs 10:20 Literally “like a little”
  7. Proverbs 10:21 Literally “in the lack of heart, they die”
  8. Proverbs 10:26 Or “sends”
  9. Proverbs 10:29 Literally “them who do evil”
  10. Proverbs 10:30 Or “earth”

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.