< Proverbs 13 >

1 A wise son — the instruction of a father, And a scorner — he hath not heard rebuke.
A wise son is obedient to his father: but a disobedient son will be destroyed.
2 From the fruit of the mouth a man eateth good, And the soul of the treacherous — violence.
A good [man] shall eat of the fruits of righteousness: but the lives of transgressors shall perish before their time.
3 Whoso is keeping his mouth, is keeping his soul, Whoso is opening wide his lips — ruin to him!
He that keeps his own mouth keeps his own life: but he that is hasty with his lips shall bring terror upon himself.
4 The soul of the slothful is desiring, and hath not. And the soul of the diligent is made fat.
Every slothful man desires, but the hands of the active are diligent.
5 A false word the righteous hateth, And the wicked causeth abhorrence, and is confounded.
A righteous man hates an unjust word: but an ungodly man is ashamed, and will have no confidence.
6 Righteousness keepeth him who is perfect in the way, And wickedness overthroweth a sin offering.
7 There is who is making himself rich, and hath nothing, Who is making himself poor, and wealth [is] abundant.
There are [some] who, having nothing, enrich themselves: and there are [some] who bring themselves down in [the midst of] much wealth.
8 The ransom of a man's life [are] his riches, And the poor hath not heard rebuke.
A man's own wealth is the ransom of his life: but the poor endures not threatening.
9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth, And the lamp of the wicked is extinguished.
The righteous always have light: but the light of the ungodly is quenched. Crafty souls go astray in sins: but just men pity, and are merciful.
10 A vain man through pride causeth debate, And with the counselled [is] wisdom.
A bad man does evil with insolence: but they that are judges of themselves are wise.
11 Wealth from vanity becometh little, And whoso is gathering by the hand becometh great.
Wealth gotten hastily with iniquity is diminished: but he that gathers for himself with godliness shall be increased. The righteous is merciful, and lends.
12 Hope prolonged is making the heart sick, And a tree of life [is] the coming desire.
Better is he that begins to help heartily, than he that promises and leads [another] to hope: for a good desire is a tree of life.
13 Whoso is despising the Word is destroyed for it, And whoso is fearing the Command is repayed.
He that slights a matter shall be slighted of it: but he that fears the commandment has health [of soul]. To a crafty son there shall be nothing good: but a wise servant shall have prosperous doings, and his way shall be directed aright.
14 The law of the wise [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.
The law of the wise is fountain of life: but the man void of understanding shall die by a snare.
15 Good understanding giveth grace, And the way of the treacherous [is] hard.
Sound discretion gives favour, and to know the law is the part of a sound understanding: but the ways of scorners tend to destruction.
16 Every prudent one dealeth with knowledge, And a fool spreadeth out folly.
Every prudent man acts with knowledge: but the fool displays his own mischief.
17 A wicked messenger falleth into evil, And a faithful ambassador is healing.
A rash king shall fall into mischief: but a wise messenger shall deliver him.
18 Whoso is refusing instruction — poverty and shame, And whoso is observing reproof is honoured.
Instruction removes poverty and disgrace: but he that attends to reproofs shall be honoured.
19 A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, And an abomination to fools [is]: Turn from evil.
The desires of the godly gladden the soul, but the works of the ungodly are far from knowledge.
20 Whoso is walking with wise men is wise, And a companion of fools suffereth evil.
If you walk with wise men you shall be wise: but he that walks with fools shall be known.
21 Evil pursueth sinners, And good recompenseth the righteous.
Evil shall pursue sinners; but good shall overtake the righteous.
22 A good man causeth sons' sons to inherit, And laid up for the righteous [is] the sinner's wealth.
A good man shall inherit children's children; and the wealth of ungodly men is laid up for the just.
23 Abundance of food — the tillage of the poor, And substance is consumed without judgment.
The righteous shall spend many years in wealth: but the unrighteous shall perish suddenly.
24 Whoso is sparing his rod is hating his son, And whoso is loving him hath hastened him chastisement.
He that spares the rod hates his son: but he that loves, carefully chastens [him].
25 The righteous is eating to the satiety of his soul, And the belly of the wicked lacketh!
A just [man] eats and satisfies his soul: but the souls of the ungodly are in lack.

< Proverbs 13 >