Proverbs 10
English Standard Version
The Proverbs of Solomon
10 (A)The proverbs of Solomon.
(B)A wise son makes a glad father,
(C)but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
2 (D)Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
(E)but righteousness delivers from death.
3 (F)The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
(G)but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4 A slack hand (H)causes poverty,
(I)but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who (J)gathers in summer is a prudent son,
but he who sleeps in harvest is (K)a son who brings shame.
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but (L)the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.[a]
7 (M)The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
but (N)the name of the wicked will rot.
8 (O)The wise of heart will receive commandments,
but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
9 (P)Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but he who makes his ways crooked (Q)will be found out.
10 Whoever (R)winks the eye causes trouble,
and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
11 (S)The mouth of the righteous is (T)a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked (U)conceals violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
but (V)love covers all offenses.
13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,
but (W)a rod is for the back of him who (X)lacks sense.
14 The wise (Y)lay up knowledge,
but (Z)the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
15 (AA)A rich man's wealth is his strong city;
the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
16 The wage of the righteous leads (AB)to life,
the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 Whoever heeds instruction is on (AC)the path to life,
but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever utters slander is a fool.
19 (AD)When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
(AE)but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
20 The tongue of the righteous is (AF)choice silver;
the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for (AG)lack of sense.
22 (AH)The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.[b]
23 Doing wrong is (AI)like a joke to a fool,
but (AJ)wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
24 (AK)What the wicked dreads (AL)will come upon him,
but (AM)the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When (AN)the tempest passes, the wicked is no more,
but (AO)the righteous is established forever.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27 (AP)The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
(AQ)but the years of the wicked will be short.
28 (AR)The hope of the righteous brings joy,
(AS)but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
29 (AT)The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless,
but destruction to evildoers.
30 (AU)The righteous will never be removed,
but (AV)the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 (AW)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous (AX)know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked, (AY)what is perverse.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 10:6 Or but violence covers the mouth of the wicked; also verse 11
- Proverbs 10:22 Or and toil adds nothing to it
Proverbs 10
The Message
The Wise Sayings of Solomon
An Honest Life Is Immortal
10 Wise son, glad father;
stupid son, sad mother.
2 Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere;
an honest life is immortal.
3 God won’t starve an honest soul,
but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked.
4 Sloth makes you poor;
diligence brings wealth.
5 Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart;
go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid.
6 Blessings accrue on a good and honest life,
but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.
7 A good and honest life is a blessed memorial;
a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.
8 A wise heart takes orders;
an empty head will come unglued.
9 Honesty lives confident and carefree,
but Shifty is sure to be exposed.
10 An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead,
but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace.
11 The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well,
but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.
12 Hatred starts fights,
but love pulls a quilt over the bickering.
13 You’ll find wisdom on the lips of a person of insight,
but the shortsighted needs a slap in the face.
14 The wise accumulate knowledge—a true treasure;
know-it-alls talk too much—a sheer waste.
The Road to Life Is a Disciplined Life
15 The wealth of the rich is their security;
the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.
16 The wage of a good person is exuberant life;
an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.
17 The road to life is a disciplined life;
ignore correction and you’re lost for good.
18 Liars secretly hoard hatred;
fools openly spread slander.
19 The more talk, the less truth;
the wise measure their words.
20 The speech of a good person is worth waiting for;
the blabber of the wicked is worthless.
21 The talk of a good person is rich fare for many,
but chatterboxes die of an empty heart.
Fear-of-God Expands Your Life
22 God’s blessing makes life rich;
nothing we do can improve on God.
23 An empty-head thinks mischief is fun,
but a mindful person relishes wisdom.
24 The nightmares of the wicked come true;
what the good people desire, they get.
25 When the storm is over, there’s nothing left of the wicked;
good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren’t even fazed.
26 A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble;
it’s vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.
27 The Fear-of-God expands your life;
a wicked life is a puny life.
28 The aspirations of good people end in celebration;
the ambitions of bad people crash.
29 God is solid backing to a well-lived life,
but he calls into question a shabby performance.
30 Good people last—they can’t be moved;
the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow.
31 A good person’s mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom;
a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.
32 The speech of a good person clears the air;
the words of the wicked pollute it.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson