Proverbs 10
1 Proverbs of Solomon. A wise son causes a father to rejoice, And a foolish son [is] an affliction to his mother.
These [are more] proverbs/wise sayings from Solomon: If children are wise, they cause their parents to be happy; but if children are foolish, they cause their parents to be very sad.
2 Treasures of wickedness do not profit, And righteousness delivers from death.
Money that you get by doing dishonest/wicked things will really not benefit you; but by living righteously you will live for (a long time/many years).
3 YHWH does not cause the soul of the righteous to hunger, And He thrusts away the desire of the wicked.
Yahweh does not allow righteous [people] to starve, but he will prevent wicked [people] from getting what they want.
4 Poor [is] he who is working [with] a slothful hand, And the hand of the diligent makes rich.
Lazy people [soon] become poor; it is those who work hard who become rich.
5 Whoever is gathering in summer [is] a wise son, Whoever is sleeping in harvest [is] a son causing shame.
Those who are wise, harvest the crops when they are ripe; it is shameful/disgraceful to sleep [and not work] during harvest time.
6 Blessings [are] for the head of the righteous, And the mouth of the wicked covers violence.
Righteous [people will] be blessed [by God]; [the nice things] that wicked [people] say [MTY] [sometimes] conceal the fact that they [are planning to] act violently.
7 The remembrance of the righteous [is] for a blessing, And the name of the wicked rots.
After righteous [people die], other people are blessed as they remember [what those people did before they died]; but we will soon forget wicked people [MTY] after they die.
8 The wise in heart accepts commands, And a talkative fool kicks.
Wise people heed good instruction/advice, but people who talk foolishly will ruin themselves.
9 Whoever is walking in integrity walks confidently, And whoever is perverting his ways is known.
Honest people will be safe, but [others] (OR, God) will find out those who are dishonest.
10 Whoever is winking the eye gives grief, And a talkative fool kicks.
Those who signal with their eyes [that they are about to do something that is wrong] cause trouble, but those who rebuke others truthfully cause them to be peaceful.
11 A fountain of life [is] the mouth of the righteous, And the mouth of the wicked covers violence.
What righteous [people] say [MTY] is [like] a fountain that (gives life/enables people to live many years) [MET], but what wicked [people] say [MTY] hides [the fact] that they intend to act violently.
12 Hatred awakens contentions, And love covers over all transgressions.
When we hate others, it causes quarrels, but if we love others, we forgive them [for the wrong things that they do].
13 Wisdom is found in the lips of the intelligent, And a rod [is] for the back of him who is lacking understanding.
Those who have good sense say [MTY] what is wise, but people who do not have good sense must be punished.
14 The wise lay up knowledge, and the mouth of a fool [is] near ruin.
Wise people continue to learn all that they can, but when foolish people speak, they soon cause trouble.
15 The wealth of the rich [is] his strong city, The ruin of the poor [is] their poverty.
The wealth that rich people have [protects them like a city is protected by a] strong wall around it [MET], but people who are poor suffer much [because they have no one to help them].
16 The wage of the righteous [is] for life, The increase of the wicked for sin.
If you are righteous, your reward will be a good life, [but] all that sinful people gain is to sin more.
17 A traveler to life [is] he who is keeping instruction, And whoever is forsaking rebuke is erring.
Those who pay attention when others try to (correct them/teach them what they are doing that is wrong) will live (happily/for many years); but those who reject being rebuked will not find the road to life (OR, cause others to go astray).
18 Whoever is covering hatred with lying lips, And whoever is bringing out an evil report is a fool.
Those who will not admit that they hate [others] are liars, and those who slander [others] are foolish.
19 In the abundance of words transgression does not cease, And whoever is restraining his lips [is] wise.
When people talk a lot, that will lead them to sin a lot [by what they say]; if you are wise, you will refuse to say very much.
20 The tongue of the righteous [is] chosen silver, The heart of the wicked—as a little thing.
What righteous/good [people] say [MTY] is [as valuable as] pure silver [MET]; what wicked [people] think is worthless.
21 The lips of the righteous delight many, And fools die for lack of heart.
What righteous [people] say [MTY] benefits many [people], but foolish people die because of the stupid [things that they do].
22 The blessing of YHWH—it makes rich, And He adds no grief with it.
Yahweh blesses [some people] by enabling them to become rich, and working hard will not make them to become richer (OR, and he will not also cause them to become sad).
23 To execute inventions [is] as play to a fool, And wisdom to a man of understanding.
Foolish people (have fun/enjoy) doing what is wrong, but wise/sensible people enjoy doing what is wise.
24 The feared thing of the wicked meets him, And the desire of the righteous is given.
Righteous [people] will get the good things that they want/desire, but what wicked [people] are afraid of is what will happen to them.
25 As the passing by of a windstorm, So the wicked is not, And the righteous is a perpetual foundation.
When storms come, the wicked will (be blown away/never be safe), but righteous [people will] be safe forever.
26 As vinegar to the teeth, And as smoke to the eyes, So [is] the slothful to those sending him.
We do not like a lazy person who refuses to do the job that he is given to do, [just] like we do not like vinegar in our mouths or smoke in our eyes.
27 The fear of YHWH adds days, And the years of the wicked are shortened.
If you revere Yahweh, you will live for a long time; but wicked [people] die before they become old.
28 The hope of the righteous [is] joyful, And the expectation of the wicked perishes.
Righteous [people] confidently expect [that good things will happen to them], and that causes them to be happy/joyful; but when wicked [people] confidently expect something good to happen, it does not happen.
29 The way of YHWH [is] strength to the perfect, And ruin to workers of iniquity.
Yahweh protects [MET] those who live righteously, but he destroys those who do what is evil.
30 The righteous is not moved for all time, And the wicked do not inhabit the earth.
Righteous [people] will always be secure [LIT], but wicked people will be removed from their land (OR, from this earth).
31 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, And the tongue of contrariness is cut out.
Righteous people [MTY] say things that are wise, but [God] will shut the mouths of people [MTY] who say what is not true.
32 The lips of the righteous know a pleasing thing, And the mouth of the wicked perverseness!
Righteous people [MTY] know what to say that is acceptable, but wicked [people] [MTY] are [constantly] saying things that are not true.
