Proverbs 10:1-22

Contrast of the Righteous and the Wicked

¹The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a father glad,

But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.

2Ill-gotten gains do not benefit,

But righteousness rescues from death.

3The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger,

But He will reject the craving of the wicked.

4Poor is one who works with a lazy hand,

But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

5He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,

But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.

6Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

7The mentioning of the righteous is a blessing,

But the name of the wicked will rot.

8The wise of heart will receive commands,

But a babbling fool will come to ruin.

9One who walks in integrity walks securely,

But one who perverts his ways will be found out.

10He who winks the eye causes trouble,

And a babbling fool will come to ruin.

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

But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

12Hatred stirs up strife,

But love covers all offenses.

13On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,

But a rod is for the back of him who has no sense.

14Wise people store up knowledge,

But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

15The rich person’s wealth is his fortress,

The ruin of the poor is their poverty.

16The wages of the righteous is life,

The income of the wicked, punishment.

17One who is on the path of life follows instruction,

But one who ignores a rebuke goes astray.

18One who conceals hatred has lying lips,

And one who spreads slander is a fool.

19When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable,

But one who restrains his lips is wise.

20The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver,

The heart of the wicked is worth little.

21The lips of the righteous feed many,

But fools die for lack of understanding.

22It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich,

And He adds no sorrow to it.