Proverbs - The Old Testament

¹ The proverbs of Solomon. A wise child is a father's joy, a foolish child a mother's grief.

² Treasures wickedly come by give no benefit, but uprightness brings delivery from death.

³ Yahweh does not let the upright go hungry, but he thwarts the greed of the wicked.

⁴ A slack hand brings poverty, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

⁵ Reaping at harvest-time is the mark of the prudent, sleeping at harvest-time is the sign of the worthless.

⁶ Blessings are on the head of the upright, but the mouth of the godless is a cover for violence.

⁷ The upright is remembered with blessings, the name of the wicked rots away.

⁸ The wise of heart takes orders, but a gabbling fool heads for ruin.

⁹ Anyone whose ways are honourable walks secure, but whoever follows crooked ways is soon unmasked.

¹⁰ A wink of the eye brings trouble, a bold rebuke brings peace.

¹¹ The mouth of the upright is a life-giving fountain, but the mouth of the godless is a cover for violence.

¹² Hatred provokes disputes, but love excuses all offences.

¹³ On the lips of the discerning is found wisdom, on the back of a fool, the stick.

¹⁴ Wise people store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool makes ruin imminent.

¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is their stronghold, poverty is the undoing of the weak.

¹⁶ The wage of the upright affords life, but sin is all the wicked earns.

¹⁷ Whoever abides by discipline, walks towards life, whoever ignores correction goes astray.

¹⁸ Liars' lips are a cover for hatred, whoever utters slander is a fool.

¹⁹ A flood of words is never without fault; whoever controls the lips is wise.

²⁰ The tongue of the upright is purest silver, the heart of the wicked is of trumpery value.

²¹ The lips of the upright nourish many peoples, but fools die for want of sense.

²² The blessing of Yahweh is what brings riches, to this, hard toil has nothing to add.

²³ A fool takes pleasure in doing wrong, the intelligent in cultivating wisdom.

²⁴ What the wicked fears overtakes him, what the upright desires comes to him as a present.

²⁵ When the storm is over, the wicked is no more, but the upright stands firm for ever.

²⁶ As vinegar to the teeth, smoke to the eyes, so the sluggard to the one who sends him.

²⁷ The fear of Yahweh adds length to life, the years of the wicked will be cut short.

²⁸ The hope of the upright is joy, the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.

²⁹ The way of Yahweh is a rampart for the honest, for evil-doers nothing but ruin.

³⁰ The upright will never have to give way, but the land will offer no home for the wicked.

³¹ The mouth of the upright utters wisdom, the tongue that deceives will be cut off.

³² The lips of the upright know about kindness, the mouth of the wicked about deceit.