The Upright and the Wicked Contrasted

10¹ The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father;
but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

² Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
but righteousness delivers from death. ³ Yahweh will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry,
but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.

⁴ He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand,
but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

⁵ He who gathers in summer is a wise son,
but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.

⁶ Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

⁷ The memory of the righteous is blessed,
but the name of the wicked will rot.

⁸ The wise in heart accept commandments,
but a chattering fool will fall.

⁹ He who walks blamelessly walks surely,
but he who perverts his ways will be found out.

¹⁰ One winking with the eye causes sorrow,
but a chattering fool will fall.

¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life,
but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

¹² Hatred stirs up strife,
but love covers all wrongs.

¹³ Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment,
but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.

¹⁴ Wise men lay up knowledge,
but the mouth of the foolish is near ruin.

¹⁵ The rich man’s wealth is his strong city.
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

¹⁶ The labor of the righteous leads to life.
The increase of the wicked leads to sin.

¹⁷ He is in the way of life who heeds correction,
but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.

¹⁸ He who hides hatred has lying lips.
He who utters a slander is a fool.

¹⁹ In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience,
but he who restrains his lips does wisely.

²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver.
The heart of the wicked is of little worth. ²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,
but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

²² Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth,
and he adds no trouble to it.

²³ It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness,
but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.

²⁴ What the wicked fear, will overtake them,
but the desire of the righteous will be granted. ²⁵ When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more;
but the righteous stand firm forever.

²⁶ As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.

²⁷ The fear of Yahweh prolongs days,
but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. ²⁸ The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but the hope of the wicked will perish.

²⁹ The way of Yahweh is a stronghold to the upright,
but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity. ³⁰ The righteous will never be removed,
but the wicked will not dwell in the land.

³¹ The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off. ³² The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.

Exhortations to Obedience

3¹ My son, don’t forget my teaching;
but let your heart keep my commandments: ² for length of days, and years of life,
and peace, will they add to you. ³ Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you.
Bind them around your neck.
Write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴ So you will find favor,
and good understanding in the sight of God and man. ⁵ Trust in Yahweh with all your heart,
and don’t lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

⁷ Don’t be wise in your own eyes.
Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil. ⁸ It will be health to your body,
and nourishment to your bones. ⁹ Honor Yahweh with your substance,
with the first fruits of all your increase: ¹⁰ so your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will overflow with new wine. ¹¹ My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline,
neither be weary of his reproof: ¹² for whom Yahweh loves, he reproves;
even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

¹³ Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gets understanding. ¹⁴ For her good profit is better than getting silver,
and her return is better than fine gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies.
None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her. ¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand.
In her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness.
All her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.
Happy is everyone who retains her. ¹⁹ By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth.
By understanding, he established the heavens. ²⁰ By his knowledge, the depths were broken up,
and the skies drop down the dew.

²¹ My son, let them not depart from your eyes.
Keep sound wisdom and discretion: ²² so they will be life to your soul,
and grace for your neck. ²³ Then you shall walk in your way securely.
Your foot won’t stumble. ²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid.
Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵ Don’t be afraid of sudden fear,
neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes: ²⁶ for Yahweh will be your confidence,
and will keep your foot from being taken.

²⁷ Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in the power of your hand to do it. ²⁸ Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again;
tomorrow I will give it to you,”
when you have it by you. ²⁹ Don’t devise evil against your neighbor,
seeing he dwells securely by you. ³⁰ Don’t strive with a man without cause,
if he has done you no harm. ³¹ Don’t envy the man of violence.
Choose none of his ways. ³² For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh,
but his friendship is with the upright. ³³ Yahweh’s curse is in the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the habitation of the righteous. ³⁴ Surely he mocks the mockers,
but he gives grace to the humble. ³⁵ The wise will inherit glory,
but shame will be the promotion of fools.