Proverbs 10:1

The First Collection of Solomonic Proverbs

10:1 The Proverbs of Solomon:

A wise child makes a father rejoice,

but a foolish child is a grief to his mother.

Proverbs 15:20

15:20 A wise child brings joy to his father,

but a foolish person despises his mother.

Proverbs 17:21

17:21 Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief,

and the father of a fool has no joy.

Proverbs 17:25

17:25 A foolish child is a grief to his father,

and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

Proverbs 17:2

17:2 A servant who acts wisely will rule

over an heir who behaves shamefully,

and will share the inheritance along with the relatives.

Proverbs 13:1--18:1

13:1 A wise son accepts his father’s discipline,

but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

13:2 From the fruit of his speech a person eats good things,

but the faithless desire the fruit of violence.

13:3 The one who guards his words guards his life,

but whoever is talkative will come to ruin.

13:4 The appetite of the sluggard craves but gets nothing,

but the desire of the diligent will be abundantly satisfied.

13:5 The righteous person hates anything false,

but the wicked person acts in shameful disgrace.

13:6 Righteousness guards the one who lives with integrity,

but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

13:7 There is one who pretends to be rich and yet has nothing;

another pretends to be poor and yet possesses great wealth.

13:8 The ransom of a person’s life is his wealth,

but the poor person hears no threat.

13:9 The light of the righteous shines brightly,

but the lamp of the wicked goes out.

13:10 With pride comes only contention,

but wisdom is with the well-advised.

13:11 Wealth gained quickly will dwindle away,

but the one who gathers it little by little will become rich.

13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but a longing fulfilled is like a tree of life.

13:13 The one who despises instruction will pay the penalty,

but whoever esteems instruction will be rewarded.

13:14 Instruction from the wise is like a life-giving fountain,

to turn a person from deadly snares.

13:15 Keen insight wins favor,

but the conduct of the unfaithful is harsh.

13:16 Every shrewd person acts with knowledge,

but a fool displays his folly.

13:17 An unreliable messenger falls into trouble,

but a faithful envoy brings healing.

13:18 The one who neglects discipline ends up in poverty and shame,

but the one who accepts reproof is honored.

13:19 A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

but fools abhor turning away from evil.

13:20 The one who associates with the wise grows wise,

but a companion of fools suffers harm.

13:21 Calamity pursues sinners,

but prosperity rewards the righteous.

13:22 A benevolent person leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren,

but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.

13:23 There is abundant food in the field of the poor,

but it is swept away by injustice.

13:24 The one who spares his rod hates his child,

but the one who loves his child is diligent in disciplining him.

13:25 The righteous has enough food to satisfy his appetite,

but the belly of the wicked lacks food.

14:1 Every wise woman builds her household,

but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.

14:2 The one who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,

but the one who is perverted in his ways despises him.

14:3 In the speech of a fool is a rod for his back,

but the words of the wise protect them.

14:4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean,

but an abundant harvest is produced by strong oxen.

14:5 A truthful witness does not lie,

but a false witness breathes out lies.

14:6 The scorner seeks wisdom but finds none,

but understanding is easy for a discerning person.

14:7 Leave the presence of a foolish person,

or you will not understand wise counsel.

14:8 The wisdom of the shrewd person is to discern his way,

but the folly of fools is deception.

14:9 Fools mock at reparation,

but among the upright there is favor.

14:10 The heart knows its own bitterness,

and with its joy no one else can share.

14:11 The household of the wicked will be destroyed,

but the tent of the upright will flourish.

14:12 There is a way that seems right to a person,

but its end is the way that leads to death.

14:13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,

and the end of joy may be grief.

14:14 The backslider will be paid back from his own ways,

but a good person will be rewarded for his.

14:15 A naive person believes everything,

but the shrewd person discerns his steps.

14:16 A wise person is cautious and turns from evil,

but a fool throws off restraint and is overconfident.

14:17 A person who has a quick temper does foolish things,

and a person with crafty schemes is hated.

14:18 The naive inherit folly,

but the shrewd are crowned with knowledge.

14:19 Those who are evil will bow before those who are good,

and the wicked will bow at the gates of the righteous.

14:20 A poor person is disliked even by his neighbors,

but those who love the rich are many.

14:21 The one who despises his neighbor sins,

but whoever is kind to the needy is blessed.

14:22 Do not those who devise evil go astray?

But those who plan good exhibit faithful covenant love.

14:23 In all hard work there is profit,

but merely talking about it only brings poverty.

14:24 The crown of the wise is their riches,

but the folly of fools is folly.

14:25 A truthful witness rescues lives,

but the one who breathes lies brings deception.

14:26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,

and it will be a refuge for his children.

14:27 The fear of the Lord is like a life-giving fountain,

to turn people from deadly snares.

14:28 A king’s glory is the abundance of people,

but the lack of subjects is the ruin of a ruler.

14:29 The one who is slow to anger has great understanding,

but the one who has a quick temper exalts folly.

14:30 A tranquil spirit revives the body,

but envy is rottenness to the bones.

14:31 The one who oppresses the poor insults his Creator,

but whoever shows favor to the needy honors him.

14:32 The wicked will be thrown down in his trouble,

but the righteous have refuge even in the threat of death.

14:33 Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning;

it is known even in the heart of fools.

14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation,

but sin is a disgrace to any people.

14:35 The king shows favor to a wise servant,

but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

15:1 A gentle response turns away anger,

but a harsh word stirs up wrath.

15:2 The tongue of the wise treats knowledge correctly,

but the mouth of the fool spouts out folly.

15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place,

keeping watch on those who are evil and those who are good.

15:4 Speech that heals is like a life-giving tree,

but a perverse tongue breaks the spirit.

15:5 A fool rejects his father’s discipline,

but whoever heeds reproof shows good sense.

15:6 In the house of the righteous is abundant wealth,

but the income of the wicked brings trouble.

15:7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge,

but not so the heart of fools.

15:8 The Lord abhors the sacrifices of the wicked,

but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

15:9 The Lord abhors the way of the wicked,

but he loves those who pursue righteousness.

15:10 Severe discipline is for the one who abandons the way;

the one who hates reproof will die.

15:11 Death and Destruction are before the Lord –

how much more the hearts of humans!

15:12 The scorner does not love one who corrects him;

he will not go to the wise.

15:13 A joyful heart makes the face cheerful,

but by a painful heart the spirit is broken.

15:14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of fools feeds on folly.

15:15 All the days of the afflicted are bad,

but one with a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

15:16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord

than great wealth and turmoil with it.

15:17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love

than a fattened ox where there is hatred.

15:18 A quick-tempered person stirs up dissension,

but one who is slow to anger calms a quarrel.

15:19 The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,

but the path of the upright is like a highway.

15:20 A wise child brings joy to his father,

but a foolish person despises his mother.

15:21 Folly is a joy to one who lacks sense,

but one who has understanding follows an upright course.

15:22 Plans fail when there is no counsel,

but with abundant advisers they are established.

15:23 A person has joy in giving an appropriate answer,

and a word at the right time – how good it is!

15:24 The path of life is upward for the wise person,

to keep him from going downward to Sheol.

15:25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,

but he maintains the boundaries of the widow.

15:26 The Lord abhors the plans of the wicked,

but pleasant words are pure.

15:27 The one who is greedy for gain troubles his household,

but whoever hates bribes will live.

15:28 The heart of the righteous considers how to answer,

but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

15:29 The Lord is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

15:30 A bright look brings joy to the heart,

and good news gives health to the body.

15:31 The person who hears the reproof that leads to life

is at home among the wise.

15:32 The one who refuses correction despises himself,

but whoever hears reproof acquires understanding.

15:33 The fear of the Lord provides wise instruction,

and before honor comes humility.

16:1 The intentions of the heart belong to a man,

but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.

16:2 All a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion,

but the Lord evaluates the motives.

16:3 Commit your works to the Lord,

and your plans will be established.

16:4 The Lord works everything for its own ends –

even the wicked for the day of disaster.

16:5 The Lord abhors every arrogant person;

rest assured that they will not go unpunished.

16:6 Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased;

through fearing the Lord one avoids evil.

16:7 When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,

he even reconciles his enemies to himself.

16:8 Better to have a little with righteousness

than to have abundant income without justice.

16:9 A person plans his course,

but the Lord directs his steps.

16:10 The divine verdict is in the words of the king,

his pronouncements must not act treacherously against justice.

16:11 Honest scales and balances are from the Lord;

all the weights in the bag are his handiwork.

16:12 Doing wickedness is an abomination to kings,

because a throne is established in righteousness.

16:13 The delight of kings is righteous counsel,

and they love the one who speaks uprightly.

16:14 A king’s wrath is like a messenger of death,

but a wise person appeases it.

16:15 In the light of the king’s face there is life,

and his favor is like the clouds of the spring rain.

16:16 How much better it is to acquire wisdom than gold;

to acquire understanding is more desirable than silver.

16:17 The highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;

the one who guards his way safeguards his life.

16:18 Pride goes before destruction,

and a haughty spirit before a fall.

16:19 It is better to be lowly in spirit with the afflicted

than to share the spoils with the proud.

16:20 The one who deals wisely in a matter will find success,

and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

16:21 The one who is wise in heart is called discerning,

and kind speech increases persuasiveness.

16:22 Insight is like a life-giving fountain to the one who possesses it,

but folly leads to the discipline of fools.

16:23 A wise person’s heart makes his speech wise

and it adds persuasiveness to his words.

16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

16:25 There is a way that seems right to a person,

but its end is the way that leads to death.

16:26 A laborer’s appetite works on his behalf,

for his hunger urges him to work.

16:27 A wicked scoundrel digs up evil,

and his slander is like a scorching fire.

16:28 A perverse person spreads dissension,

and a gossip separates the closest friends.

16:29 A violent person entices his neighbor,

and leads him down a path that is terrible.

16:30 The one who winks his eyes devises perverse things,

and one who compresses his lips brings about evil.

16:31 Gray hair is like a crown of glory;

it is attained in the path of righteousness.

16:32 Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior,

and one who controls his temper is better than one who captures a city.

16:33 The dice are thrown into the lap,

but their every decision is from the Lord.

17:1 Better is a dry crust of bread where there is quietness

than a house full of feasting with strife.

17:2 A servant who acts wisely will rule

over an heir who behaves shamefully,

and will share the inheritance along with the relatives.

17:3 The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold,

likewise the Lord tests hearts.

17:4 One who acts wickedly pays attention to evil counsel;

a liar listens to a malicious tongue.

17:5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Creator;

whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished.

17:6 Grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly,

and the glory of children is their parents.

17:7 Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool;

how much less are lies for a ruler!

17:8 A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it;

in whatever he does he succeeds.

17:9 The one who forgives an offense seeks love,

but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.

17:10 A rebuke makes a greater impression on a discerning person

than a hundred blows on a fool.

17:11 An evil person seeks only rebellion,

and so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

17:12 It is better for a person to meet a mother bear being robbed of her cubs,

than to encounter a fool in his folly.

17:13 As for the one who repays evil for good,

evil will not leave his house.

17:14 Starting a quarrel is like letting out water;

stop it before strife breaks out!

17:15 The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent –

both of them are an abomination to the Lord.

17:16 Of what use is money in the hand of a fool,

since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom?

17:17 A friend loves at all times,

and a relative is born to help in adversity.

17:18 The one who lacks wisdom strikes hands in pledge,

and puts up financial security for his neighbor.

17:19 The one who loves a quarrel loves transgression;

whoever builds his gate high seeks destruction.

17:20 The one who has a perverse heart does not find good,

and the one who is deceitful in speech falls into trouble.

17:21 Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief,

and the father of a fool has no joy.

17:22 A cheerful heart brings good healing,

but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

17:23 A wicked person receives a bribe secretly

to pervert the ways of justice.

17:24 Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person,

but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth.

17:25 A foolish child is a grief to his father,

and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

17:26 It is terrible to punish a righteous person,

and to flog honorable men is wrong.

17:27 The truly wise person restrains his words,

and the one who stays calm is discerning.

17:28 Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise,

and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.

18:1 One who has isolated himself seeks his own desires;

he rejects all sound judgment.

Ecclesiastes 2:18-19

Futility of Being a Workaholic

2:18 So I loathed all the fruit of my effort,

for which I worked so hard on earth,

because I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor.

2:19 Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool?

Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor

for which I worked so wisely on earth!

This also is futile!