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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