Proverbs 10

¹ A wise son maketh his father glad:

but a foolish son is a grief to his mother.

² Treasures shall not profit the lawless:

but righteousness shall deliver from death.

³ The Lord will not famish a righteous soul:

but he will overthrow the life of the ungodly.

⁴ Poverty bringeth a man low:

but the hands of the vigorous make rich.

^4a A son who is instructed shall be wise,

and shall use the fool for a servant.

⁵ A wise son is saved from heat:

but a lawless son is blighted of the winds in harvest.

⁶ The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the just:

but untimely grief shall cover the mouth of the ungodly.

⁷ The memory of the just is praised;

but the name of the ungodly man is extinguished.

⁸ A wise man in heart will receive commandments;

but he that is unguarded in his lips shall be overthrown in his perverseness.

⁹ He that walketh simply, walketh confidently;

but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

¹⁰ He that winketh with his eyes deceitfully, procureth griefs for men;

but he that reproveth boldly is a peacemaker.

¹¹ There is a fountain of life in the hand of a righteous man;

but destruction shall cover the mouth of the ungodly.

¹² ^[1]Hatred stirreth up strife;

but affection covereth all that do not love strife.

¹³ He that bringeth forth wisdom from his lips

smiteth the ^[2]fool with a rod.

¹⁴ The wise will hide discretion;

but the mouth of the hasty draweth near to ruin.

¹⁵ The wealth of rich men is a strong city;

but poverty is the ruin of the ungodly.

¹⁶ The works of the righteous produce life;

but the fruits of the ungodly produce sins.

¹⁷ Instruction keepeth the right ways of life;

but instruction unchastened goeth astray.

¹⁸ Righteous lips cover enmity;

but they that utter railings are most foolish.

¹⁹ By a multitude of words thou shalt not escape sin;

but if thou refrain thy lips thou wilt be prudent.

²⁰ The tongue of the just is tried silver;

but the heart of the ungodly shall fail.

²¹ The lips of the righteous know sublime truths:

but the foolish die in want.

²² The blessing of the Lord is upon the head of the righteous;

it enricheth him, and grief of heart shall not be added to it.

²³ A fool doth mischief in ^[3]sport;

but wisdom bringeth forth prudence for a man.

²⁴ The ungodly is engulfed in destruction;

but the desire of the righteous is acceptable.

²⁵ When the storm passeth by, the ungodly vanisheth away;

but the righteous turneth aside and escapeth for ever.

²⁶ As a sour grape is hurtful to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes,

so iniquity hurteth those that practise it.

²⁷ The fear of the Lord addeth length of days:

but the years of the ungodly shall be shortened.

²⁸ Joy resteth long with the righteous:

but the hope of the ungodly shall perish.

²⁹ The fear of the Lord is a stronghold of the saints:

but ruin cometh to them that work wickedness.

³⁰ The righteous shall never fail:

but the ungodly shall not dwell in the earth.

³¹ The mouth of the righteous droppeth wisdom:

but the tongue of the unjust shall perish.

³² The lips of just men drop grace:

but the mouth of the ungodly is perverse.

Notes

10:12 James 5:20; 1 Pet. 4:8 ↩
10:13 fool: lit. heartless man, Hebraism ↩
10:23 sport: Gr. laughter ↩