A Collection of Solomon’s Proverbs

1Solomon’s proverbs:a

A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.b

2Ill-gotten gains do not profit anyone,

but righteousness rescues from death.a

3The Lord will not let the righteous go hungry,a

but he denies the wicked what they crave.b

4Idle hands make one poor,

but diligent hands bring riches.a

5The son who gathers during summer is prudent;

the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.a

6Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.a

7The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.a

8A wise heart accepts commands,a

but foolish lips will be destroyed.

9The one who lives with integrity lives securely,a

but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.b

10A sly wink of the eyea causes grief,

and foolish lips will be destroyed.

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

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.b

12Hatred stirs up conflicts,

but love covers all offenses.a

13Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,

but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.a

14The wise store up knowledge,

but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.a

15The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;a

the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

16The reward of the righteous is life;

the wages of the wicked is punishment.a

17The one who follows instruction is on the path to life,

but the one who rejects correction goes astray.a

18The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,

and whoever spreads slander is a fool.a

19When there are many words, sin is unavoidable,

but the one who controls his lips is prudent.a

20The tongue of the righteous is pure silver;

the heart of the wicked is of little value.a

21The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for lack of sense.a

22The Lord’s blessing enriches,a

and he adds no painful effort to it.a b

23As shameful conduct is pleasure for a fool,a

so wisdom is for a person of understanding.

24What the wicked dreads will come to him,a

but what the righteous desire will be given to them.b

25When the whirlwind passes,

the wicked are no more,a

but the righteous are secure forever.b

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

so the slacker is to the one who sends him on an errand.

27The fear of the Lord prolongs life,a a

but the years of the wicked are cut short.b

28The hope of the righteous is joy,a

but the expectation of the wicked will perish.b

29The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the honorable,

but destruction awaits evildoers.a

30The righteous will never be shaken,

but the wicked will not remain on the earth.a

31The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom,a

but a perverse tongue will be cut out.b

32The lips of the righteous know what is appropriate,a

but the mouth of the wicked, only what is perverse.b