13 A wise son heeds [and is the fruit of] his father’s instruction and correction, but a scoffer listens not to rebuke.

² A good man eats good from the fruit of his mouth, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.

³ He who guards his mouth keeps his life, but he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

⁴ The appetite of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the appetite of the diligent is abundantly supplied.^(A)

⁵ A [consistently] righteous man hates lying and deceit, but a wicked man is loathsome [his very breath spreads pollution] and he comes [surely] to shame.

⁶ Righteousness (rightness and justice in every area and relation) guards him who is upright in the way, but wickedness plunges into sin and overthrows the sinner.

⁷ One man considers himself rich, yet has nothing [to keep permanently]; another man considers himself poor, yet has great [and indestructible] riches.^(B)

⁸ A rich man can buy his way out of threatened death by paying a ransom, but the poor man does not even have to listen to threats [from the envious].

⁹ The light of the [uncompromisingly] righteous [is within him—it grows brighter and] rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked [furnishes only a derived, temporary light and] shall be put out shortly.

¹⁰ By pride and insolence comes only contention, but with the well-advised is skillful and godly Wisdom.

¹¹ Wealth [not earned but] won in haste or unjustly or from the production of things for vain or detrimental use [such riches] will dwindle away, but he who gathers little by little will increase [his riches].

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

¹³ Whoever despises the word and counsel [of God] brings destruction upon himself, but he who [reverently] fears and respects the commandment [of God] is rewarded.

¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.

¹⁵ Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the transgressor is hard [like the barren, dry soil or the impassable swamp].

¹⁶ Every prudent man deals with knowledge, but a [self-confident] fool exposes and flaunts his folly.

¹⁷ A wicked messenger falls into evil, but a faithful ambassador brings healing.

¹⁸ Poverty and shame come to him who refuses instruction and correction, but he who heeds reproof is honored.

¹⁹ Satisfied desire is sweet to a person; therefore it is hateful and exceedingly offensive to [self-confident] fools to give up evil [upon which they have set their hearts].

²⁰ He who walks [as a companion] with wise men is wise, but he who associates with [self-confident] fools is [a fool himself and] shall smart for it.^(C)

²¹ Evil pursues sinners, but the consistently upright and in right standing with God is recompensed with good.

²² A good man leaves an inheritance [of moral stability and goodness] to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner [finds its way eventually] into the hands of the righteous, for whom it was laid up.

²³ Much food is in the tilled land of the poor, but there are those who are destroyed because of injustice.

²⁴ He who spares his rod [of discipline] hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines diligently and punishes him early.^(D)

²⁵ The [uncompromisingly] righteous eats to his own satisfaction, but the stomach of the wicked is in want.