The Upright and the Wicked Contrasted

101 The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother.

2 Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life. 3 The Lord will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.

4 Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich.

5 A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.

6 The godly are showered with blessings; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.

7 We have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away.

8 The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.

9 People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.

10 People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace.

11 The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.

12 Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses.

13 Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding, but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod.

14 Wise people treasure knowledge, but the babbling of a fool invites disaster.

15 The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

16 The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin.

17 People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray.

18 Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool.

19 Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

20 The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless. 21 The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.

22 The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

23 Doing wrong is fun for a fool, but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible.

24 The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the godly will be granted. 25 When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.

26 Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.

27 Fear of the Lord lengthens one's life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. 28 The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.

29 The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked. 30 The godly will never be disturbed, but the wicked will be removed from the land.

31 The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. 32 The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.

111 The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales, but he delights in accurate weights.

2 Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

3 Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.

4 Riches won't help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.

5 The godly are directed by honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin. 6 The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them.

7 When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength.

8 The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.

9 With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous.

10 The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die. 11 Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.

12 It is foolish to belittle one's neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet. 13 A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.

14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

15 There's danger in putting up security for a stranger's debt; it's safer not to guarantee another person's debt.

16 A gracious woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.

17 Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.

18 Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.

19 Godly people find life; evil people find death.

20 The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity.

21 Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free.

22 A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.

23 The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment.

24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.

25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

26 People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need.

27 If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!

28 Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.

29 Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise.

30 The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.

31 If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?

121 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.

2 The Lord approves of those who are good, but he condemns those who plan wickedness.

3 Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.

4 A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.

5 The plans of the godly are just; the advice of the wicked is treacherous.

6 The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save lives.

7 The wicked die and disappear, but the family of the godly stands firm.

8 A sensible person wins admiration, but a warped mind is despised.

9 Better to be an ordinary person with a servant than to be self-important but have no food.

10 The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.

11 A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.

12 Thieves are jealous of each other's loot, but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit.

13 The wicked are trapped by their own words, but the godly escape such trouble.

14 Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards.

15 Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

16 A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.

17 An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies.

18 Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.

19 Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.

20 Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace!

21 No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

22 The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.

23 The wise don't make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness.

24 Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.

25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

26 The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.

27 Lazy people don't even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find.

28 The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death.

41 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don't try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this. 3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 5 You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Living by Faith

7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. 11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you. 13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, so I spoke." 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.