| 1 | 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 25 | The [uncompromisingly] righteous eats to his own satisfaction, but the stomach of the wicked is in want. |
Cross references:
-
Proverbs 13:4 : Prov. 10:4.
-
Proverbs 13:7 : Prov. 12:9; Luke 12:20, 21.
-
Proverbs 13:20 : Isa. 32:6.
-
Proverbs 13:24 : Prov. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13; 29:15, 17.
|