Contrast of the Righteous and the Wicked
The aproverbs of Solomon.
bA wise son makes a father glad,
But ca foolish son is a grief to his mother.
2 aTreasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
But righteousness delivers from death.
3 Yahweh awill not allow the soul of the righteous to hunger,
But He bwill push away the craving of the wicked.
4 Poor is he who works with a slack hand,
But the ahand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who gathers in summer is a son who acts insightfully,
But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.
6 aBlessings are on the head of the righteous,
But bthe mouth of the wicked covers up violence.
7 The aremembrance of the righteous is blessed,
But bthe name of the wicked will rot.
8 The awise of heart will receive commandments,
But an ignorant fool of loose lips will be ruined.
9 He awho walks in integrity walks securely,
But bhe who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
10 He awho winks the eye causes pain,
And ban ignorant fool of loose lips will be ruined.
11 The amouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But bthe mouth of the wicked covers up violence.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But alove covers all transgressions.
13 On athe lips of the one who has understanding, wisdom is found,
But ba rod is for the back of him who lacks a heart of wisdom.
14 Wise men astore up knowledge,
But bthe mouth of the ignorant fool draws ruin near.
15 The arich man’s wealth is his strong city,
The bruin of the poor is their poverty.
16 The awages of the righteous is life,
The income of the wicked, punishment.
17 He ais on the path of life who keeps discipline,
But he who forsakes reproof makes himself wander about.
18 He awho covers up hatred has lying lips,
And he who spreads a bad report is a fool.
19 When there are amany words, transgression is unavoidable,
But bhe who holds back his lips has insight.
20 The tongue of the righteous is as achoice silver,
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
21 The alips of the righteous feed many,
But ignorant fools bdie for lack of a heart of wisdom.
22 It is the ablessing of Yahweh that makes rich,
And He adds no pain with it.
23 Doing wickedness is like alaughing to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a man of discernment.
24 What athe wicked dreads will come upon him,
But the bdesire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the awhirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the brighteous has an everlasting foundation.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and like smoke to the eyes,
So is the asluggard to those who send him.
27 The afear of Yahweh prolongs life,
But the byears of the wicked will be shortened.
28 The aexpectation of the righteous is gladness,
But the bhope of the wicked will perish.
29 The away of Yahweh is a stronghold to the one with integrity,
But bruin to the workers of iniquity.
30 The arighteous will never be shaken,
But bthe wicked will not dwell in the land.
31 The amouth of the righteous bears wisdom,
But the tongue of bperversions will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know awhat is acceptable,
But the bmouth of the wicked what is perverse.
A adeceptive balance is an abomination to Yahweh,
But a bjust weight is His delight.
2 When aarrogance comes, then comes disgrace,
But with the meek is wisdom.
3 The aintegrity of the upright will lead them,
But the bcrookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.
4 aWealth will not profit in the day of wrath,
But brighteousness will deliver from death.
5 The arighteousness of the blameless will make his way straight,
But bthe wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the treacherous will abe captured by their own desire.
7 When a wicked man dies, his ahope will perish,
And the bexpectation of vigorous men perishes.
8 The righteous is rescued from distress,
But the wicked takes his place.
9 With his amouth the godless man corrupts his neighbor,
But through knowledge the brighteous will be rescued.
10 When it agoes well with the righteous, the city exults,
And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is raised up,
But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
12 He who despises his neighbor lacks a heart of wisdom,
But a man of discernment keeps silent.
13 He awho goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
But he who is faithful in spirit bconceals a matter.
14 Where there is no aguidance the people fall,
But in abundance of counselors there is salvation.
15 If one becomes a aguarantor for a stranger, he will surely suffer,
But he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
16 A agracious woman holds fast to glory,
But ruthless men hold fast to riches.
17 The man of alovingkindness deals bountifully with his soul,
But the cruel man brings trouble on his flesh.
18 The wicked earns deceptive wages,
But he who asows righteousness gets a true reward.
19 He who is steadfast in arighteousness will attain to life,
And bhe who pursues evil will bring about his own death.
20 Those with a crooked heart are an abomination to Yahweh,
But those of a ablameless way are His bdelight.
21 Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished,
But the seed of the righteous will escape.
22 As a aring of gold in a swine’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who turns away from discretion.
23 The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the ahope of the wicked is wrath.
24 There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more,
And there is one who holds back what is rightly due, and yet results only in want.
25 The soul that ablesses will be enriched,
And he who bwaters will himself be watered.
26 He who withholds grain, the apeople will curse him,
But bblessing will be on the head of him who csells it.
27 He who earnestly seeks good seeks favor,
But ahe who searches for evil, evil will come to him.
28 He who atrusts in his riches will fall,
But bthe righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
29 He who atroubles his own house will binherit wind,
And cthe ignorant fool will be a slave to the wise of heart.
30 The fruit of the righteous is aa tree of life,
And bhe who is wise wins souls.
31 If athe righteous will be repaid in the earth,
How much more the wicked and the sinner!
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
But he who hates reproof is senseless.
2 A agood man will obtain favor from Yahweh,
But a man of evil schemes He will condemn.
3 A man will anot be established by wickedness,
But the root of the brighteous will not be shaken.
4 An aexcellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who causes shame is like brottenness in his bones.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are just,
But the guidance of the wicked is deceitful.
6 The awords of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
But the bmouth of the upright will deliver them.
7 The awicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the bhouse of the righteous will stand.
8 A man will be praised according to his insight,
But one of perverse heart will be despised.
9 Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant
Than he who honors himself and lacks bread.
10 A arighteous man knows the value of the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
11 He awho cultivates his land will be satisfied with bread,
But he who pursues empty things lacks a heart of wisdom.
12 The awicked man desires a stronghold of evil men,
But the root of the righteous bgives fruit.
13 The snare of an evil man is in the transgression of his lips,
But the arighteous man will come out from distress.
14 A man will be asatisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth,
And the good bdeed of a man’s hands will return to him.
15 The away of an ignorant fool is right in his own eyes,
But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
16 An aignorant fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent man conceals disgrace.
17 He who breathes out truth declares what is right,
But a false witness, deceit.
18 There is one who aspeaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword,
But the btongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips will be established forever,
But a alying tongue is only for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have gladness.
21 aNo misfortune befalls the righteous,
But the wicked are filled with calamity.
22 aLying lips are an abomination to Yahweh,
But doers of faithfulness are His delight.
23 A aprudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims folly.
24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the slack hand will be aput to forced labor.
25 aAnxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
But a bgood word makes it glad.
26 The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked makes them wander about.
27 A slack handed man does not roast his prey,
But the wealth of a man is aprecious for the diligent.
28 aIn the path of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.
A awise son accepts his father’s discipline,
But a bscoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of a man’s mouth he aeats what is good,
But the soul of the treacherous desires bviolence.
3 The one who aguards his mouth keeps his soul;
The one who bopens wide his lips comes to ruin.
4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is enriched.
5 A righteous man ahates a lying word,
But a wicked man bacts odiously and is humiliated.
6 Righteousness aguards the one whose way is blameless,
But wickedness subverts the sinner.
7 There is one who apretends to be rich, but has nothing;
Another pretends to be bpoor, but has great wealth.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
But the poor hears no rebuke.
9 The alight of the righteous is glad,
But the blamp of the wicked goes out.
10 With arrogance comes only quarreling,
But with those who receive counsel is wisdom.
11 Wealth obtained from empty effort dwindles,
But the one who gathers with his hand abounds.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 The one who adespises the word will be in debt to it,
But the one who fears the commandment will be brewarded.
14 The instruction of the wise is a afountain of life,
To turn aside from the bsnares of death.
15 aGood insight gives grace,
But the way of the treacherous is unrelenting.
16 Every aprudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool spreads out folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into evil,
But aa faithful envoy brings healing.
18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who aneglects discipline,
But he who keeps reproof will be honored.
19 Desire realized is pleasant to the soul,
But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.
20 aHe who walks with the wise will be wise,
But the friend of fools will suffer harm.
21 aEvil pursues sinners,
But the brighteous are repaid with good.
22 A good man aleaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
And the bwealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
23 aAbundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,
But it is swept away by injustice.
24 He who aholds back his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him bdisciplines him diligently.
25 The arighteous eats to the satisfaction of his soul,
But the stomach of the bwicked lacks.
The awise woman builds her house,
But the woman of folly tears it down with her own hands.
2 He who awalks in his uprightness fears Yahweh,
But he who is bdevious in his ways despises Him.
3 In the mouth of the ignorant fool is a rod of lofty pride,
But athe lips of the wise will keep them.
4 Where no oxen are, the manger is clean,
But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.
5 A afaithful witness will not lie,
But a bfalse witness cbreathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.
7 Leave the apresence of a fool,
As you have not known lips of knowledge there.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way,
But athe folly of fools is deceit.
9 Ignorant fools scoff at guilt,
But aamong the upright there is favor.
10 The heart knows its own abitterness,
And a stranger does not share its gladness.
11 The ahouse of the wicked will be destroyed,
But the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There ais a way which seems right to a man,
But its bend is the way of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the aend of joy may be grief.
14 The one who turns back in his heart will be satisfied with his aways,
But a good man will bbe satisfied with his.
15 The simple believes everything,
But the prudent one discerns his steps.
16 A wise man fears and aturns away from evil,
But a fool gets angry and feels secure.
17 A quick‑tempered man acts in folly,
And a man of evil schemes is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
But the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The aevil will bow down before the good,
And the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The apoor is hated even by his neighbor,
But those who love the rich are many.
21 He who adespises his neighbor sins,
But how bblessed is he who is gracious to the poor.
22 Will they not wander in error who adevise evil?
But lovingkindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
23 In all painful labor there is profit,
But mere words from the lips lead only to want.
24 The acrown of the wise is their riches,
But the folly of fools is folly.
25 A truthful witness delivers souls,
But he who abreathes out lies is deceitful.
26 In the afear of Yahweh there is strong security,
And his children will have refuge.
27 The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life,
To turn aside from the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is a king’s splendor,
But in the dearth of people is a prince’s ruin.
29 He who is aslow to anger has great discernment,
But he who is quick‑tempered raises up folly.
30 A atranquil heart is life to the body,
But jealousy is brottenness to the bones.
31 He awho oppresses the poor reproaches bhis Maker,
But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
32 The wicked is athrust down by his own evil,
But the brighteous takes refuge even in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But in the midst of fools it is merely made known.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 The king’s favor is toward a aservant who acts insightfully,
But his fury is toward him who acts shamefully.
A agentle answer turns away wrath,
But a bharsh word stirs up anger.
2 The atongue of the wise makes knowledge look good,
But the bmouth of fools pours forth folly.
3 The aeyes of Yahweh are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
4 A tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,
But perversion in it breaks the spirit.
5 An ignorant fool spurns his father’s discipline,
But he who keeps reproof is prudent.
6 The house of the arighteous has much treasure,
But in the income of the wicked there is trouble.
7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge,
But the hearts of fools are not so.
8 The asacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh,
But bthe prayer of the upright is His delight.
9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh,
But He loves one who apursues righteousness.
10 Grievous discipline is for him who forsakes the way;
He who hates reproof will die.
11 aSheol and Abaddon lie open before Yahweh,
How much more the bhearts of the sons of men!
12 A ascoffer does not love one who reproves him,
He will not go to the wise.
13 A aglad heart makes a face look good,
But when the heart is bpained, the cspirit is broken.
14 The aheart of the one who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on folly.
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,
But a good heart has a continual feast.
16 aBetter is a little with the fear of Yahweh
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.
17 aBetter is a dish of vegetables where there is love
Than a bfattened ox and hatred in it.
18 A ahot‑tempered man stirs up strife,
But the bslow to anger cquiets a dispute.
19 The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.
20 A awise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish man bdespises his mother.
21 Folly is gladness to him who lacks a heart of wisdom,
But a man of discernment awalks straight.
22 Without consultation, plans are frustrated,
But with many counselors they succeed.
23 A aman has gladness in an apt answer,
And how good is a timely bword!
24 The apath of life leads upward for the one who has insight
That he may turn away from Sheol below.
25 Yahweh will atear down the house of the proud,
But He will bcause the boundary of the cwidow to stand.
26 Evil thoughts are an abomination to Yahweh,
But pleasant words are pure.
27 He who is agreedy for gain troubles his own house,
But he who bhates gifts of bribery will live.
28 The heart of the righteous aponders how to answer,
But the bmouth of the wicked pours forth evil things.
29 Yahweh is afar from the wicked,
But He bhears the prayer of the righteous.
30 Bright eyes gladden the heart;
A good report puts fat on the bones.
31 He whose ear listens to the life‑giving reproof
Will lodge among the wise.
32 He who aneglects discipline bdespises his soul,
But he who clistens to reproof acquires a heart of wisdom.
33 The fear of Yahweh is the discipline leading to wisdom,
And before glory comes humility.