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Solomon’s Proverbs: The Wise Son

¹ The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.

² Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.³ The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but He denies the craving of the wicked.

⁴ Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

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

⁶ Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence^(a).

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

⁸ A wise heart will receive commandments, but foolish lips will come to ruin.

⁹ He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.

¹⁰ He who winks the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will come to ruin.

¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

¹² Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.

¹³ Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.

¹⁴ The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool invites destruction.

¹⁵ The wealth of the rich man is his fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.

¹⁶ The labor of the righteous leads to life, but the gain of the wicked brings punishment.

¹⁷ Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.

¹⁸ The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

¹⁹ When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked has little worth.²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of judgment.

²² The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it.

²³ The fool delights in shameful conduct, but a man of understanding has wisdom.

²⁴ What the wicked dreads will overtake him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.²⁵ When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever.

²⁶ Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the slacker to those who send him.

²⁷ The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.²⁸ The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectations of the wicked will perish.

²⁹ The way of the LORD is a refuge to the upright, but destruction awaits those who do evil.³⁰ The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not inhabit the land.

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