Contrast of the Righteous and the Wicked

1The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a father glad,

But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.

2[a]Ill-gotten gains do not benefit,

But righteousness rescues from death.

3The LORD will not allow the [b]righteous to hunger,

But He will [c]reject the craving of the wicked.

4Poor is one who works with [d]a lazy hand,

But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

5He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,

But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.

6Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

7The mentioning of the righteous is a blessing,

But the name of the wicked will rot.

8The wise of heart will receive commands,

But [e]a babbling fool will come to ruin.

9One who walks in integrity walks securely,

But one who perverts his ways will be found out.

10He who winks the eye causes trouble,

And [f]a babbling fool will come to ruin.

11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,

But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

12Hatred stirs up strife,

But love covers all offenses.

13On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,

But a rod is for the back of him who has no [g]sense.

14Wise people store up knowledge,

But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

15The rich person’s wealth is his [h]fortress,

The ruin of the poor is their poverty.

16The [i]wages of the righteous is life,

The income of the wicked, punishment.

17One who is on the path of life follows instruction,

But one who ignores a rebuke goes astray.

18One who conceals hatred has lying lips,

And one who spreads slander is a fool.

19When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable,

But one who restrains his lips is wise.

20The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver,

The heart of the wicked is worth little.

21The lips of the righteous feed many,

But fools die for lack of [j]understanding.

22It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich,

And He adds no sorrow to it.

23Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool,

And so is wisdom to a person of understanding.

24What the wicked fears will come upon him,

But the desire of the righteous will be granted.

25When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,

But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

26Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,

So is the [k]lazy one to those who send him.

27The fear of the LORD prolongs [l]life,

But the years of the wicked will be shortened.

28The hope of the righteous is gladness,

But the expectation of the wicked perishes.

29The way of the LORD is a stronghold for the upright,

But ruin to the workers of injustice.

30The righteous will never be shaken,

But the wicked will not live in the land.

31The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,

But the perverted tongue will be cut out.

32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,

But the mouth of the wicked, what is perverted.