Proverbs of Solomon

A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
² Ill-gotten gains do not profit,
But righteousness delivers from death.
³ The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger,
But He will reject the craving of the wicked.
⁴ Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
⁵ He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,
But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.
⁶ Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
⁷ The memory of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.
⁸ The wise of heart will receive commands,
But a babbling fool will be ruined.
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 trouble,
And a babbling fool will be ruined.
¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
¹² Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all transgressions.
¹³ On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,
But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding.
¹⁴ Wise men store up knowledge,
But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.
¹⁵ The rich man’s wealth is his fortress,
The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
¹⁶ The wages of the righteous is life,
The income of the wicked, punishment.
¹⁷ He is on the path of life who heeds instruction,
But he who ignores reproof goes astray.
¹⁸ He who conceals hatred has lying lips,
And he who spreads slander is a fool.
¹⁹ When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable,
But he who restrains his lips is wise.
²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver,
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of understanding.
²² It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich,
And He adds no sorrow to it.
²³ Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a man of understanding.
²⁴ What the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the desire of the righteous will be granted.
²⁵ When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
²⁶ Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy one to those who send him.
²⁷ The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
²⁸ The hope of the righteous is gladness,
But the expectation of the wicked perishes.
²⁹ The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright,
But ruin to the workers of iniquity.
³⁰ The righteous will never be shaken,
But the wicked will not dwell in the land.
³¹ The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,
But the perverted tongue will be cut out.
³² The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted.

11 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight.
² When pride comes, then comes dishonor,
But with the humble is wisdom.
³ The integrity of the upright will guide them,
But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.
⁴ Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But righteousness delivers from death.
⁵ The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way,
But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
⁶ The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.
⁷ When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish,
And the hope of strong men perishes.
⁸ The righteous is delivered from trouble,
But the wicked takes his place.
⁹ With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,
But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
¹⁰ When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,
And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.
¹¹ By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
¹² He who despises his neighbor lacks sense,
But a man of understanding keeps silent.
¹³ He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets,
But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.