Proverbs of Solomon

¹ The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child makes a father glad, but a foolish child grieves his mother.

² Treasures of wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.

³ Yahweh will not cause a righteous person¹ to go hungry, but the craving of the wicked he will thwart.

1. Or “soul,” or “inner self”

⁴ A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent enriches.

⁵ He who gathers in the summer is a child who is prudent; he who sleeps at the harvest is a child who brings shame.

⁶ Blessings belong to the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

⁷ The memory of righteousness is like a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

⁸ A heart of wisdom will heed commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

⁹ Whoever walks in integrity¹ will walk securely, but whoever follows perversity, his ways will be made known.

1. Hebrew “in the integrity”

¹⁰ The winking of an eye causes¹ trouble, and the foolishness of lips comes to ruin.

1. Or “gives, sets up”

¹¹ A fountain of life is a mouth of righteousness, and a mouth of wickedness conceals violence.

¹² Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers over all offenses.

¹³ On the lips of one who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of one who lacks ⌞sense⌟.¹

1. Literally “heart”

¹⁴ Those who are wise lay up knowledge, but to the mouth of the fool, ruin draws near.

¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is the city of his strength; the ruin of the poor is their poverty.

¹⁶ The wage of the righteous leads to life; the gain of the wicked to sin.

¹⁷ On the path to life is he who guards instruction, but he who rejects rebuke goes astray.

¹⁸ He who conceals hatred has lips of deceit, and he who utters slander—he is a fool.

¹⁹ In many words, transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent.

²⁰ Choice silver is a tongue of righteousness, a heart¹ of wickedness is ⌞of little worth⌟.²

1. Or “mind”
2. Literally “like a little”

²¹ Lips of righteousness feed many, but fools ⌞die for lack of sense⌟.¹

1. Literally “in the lack of heart, they die”

²² The blessing of Yahweh makes one rich, and he does not increase sorrow with it.

²³ It is like a sport for a fool to do wrong, wisdom for a person of understanding.

²⁴ The dread of the wicked will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

²⁵ With the passing of the tempest, there is no wickedness, but the righteous have a foundation forever.

²⁶ Like vinegar to the tooth and like smoke to the eyes, thus is the lazy to one who employs¹ him.

1. Or “sends”

²⁷ The fear of Yahweh adds life, but the years of the wicked are shortened.

²⁸ The hope of the righteous is gladness, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.

²⁹ A stronghold for the upright is the way of Yahweh, but ruin belongs to ⌞evildoers⌟.¹

1. Literally “them who do evil”

³⁰ The righteous one is forever; he will not be removed. But the wicked will not remain in the land.¹

1. Or “earth”

³¹ The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a tongue of perversity will be cut off.

³² The lips of the righteous know the acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, the perverse.