Proverbs

¹ The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish son grief to his mother.

² Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing,

but righteousness brings deliverance from death.

³ The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry,

but He denies the craving of the wicked.

⁴ Idle hands make one poor,

but diligent hands bring wealth.

⁵ He who gathers in summer is a wise son,

but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

⁶ Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. ^[a]

⁷ The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.

⁸ A wise heart will receive commandments,

but foolish lips will come to ruin.

⁹ He who walks in integrity walks securely,

but he who perverts his ways will be found out.

¹⁰ He who winks the eye causes grief,

and foolish lips will come to ruin. ^[b]

¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

¹² Hatred stirs up dissension,

but love covers all transgressions. ^[c]

¹³ Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,

but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.

¹⁴ The wise store up knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool invites destruction.

¹⁵ The wealth of the rich man is his fortified city,

but poverty is the ruin of the poor.

¹⁶ The labor of the righteous leads to life,

but the gain of the wicked brings punishment.

¹⁷ Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,

but he who ignores reproof goes astray.

¹⁸ The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,

and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

¹⁹ When words are many, sin is unavoidable,

but he who restrains his lips is wise.

²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,

but the heart of the wicked has little worth.

²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for lack of judgment.

²² The blessing of the LORD enriches,

and He adds no sorrow to it.

²³ The fool delights in shameful conduct,

but a man of understanding has wisdom.

²⁴ What the wicked man dreads will overtake him,

but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

²⁵ When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more,

but the righteous are secure forever.

²⁶ Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,

so is the slacker to those who send him.

²⁷ The fear of the LORD prolongs life,

but the years of the wicked will be cut short.

²⁸ The hope of the righteous is joy,

but the expectations of the wicked will perish.

²⁹ The way of the LORD is a refuge to the upright,

but destruction awaits those who do evil.

³⁰ The righteous will never be shaken,

but the wicked will not inhabit the land.

³¹ The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,

but a perverse tongue will be cut out.

³² The lips of the righteous know what is fitting,

but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.