The First Collection of Solomonic Proverbs

1The Proverbs of Solomon:

A wise child makes a father rejoice,

but a foolish child is a grief to his mother.

2Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,

but righteousness delivers from mortal danger.

3The Lord satisfies the appetite of the righteous,

but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

4The one who is lazy becomes poor,

but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy.

5The one who gathers crops in the summer is a wise son,

but the one who sleeps during the harvest

is a son who brings shame to himself.

6Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

but the speech of the wicked conceals violence.

7The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but the reputation of the wicked will rot.

8The wise person accepts instructions,

but the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin.

9The one who conducts himself in integrity will live securely,

but the one who behaves perversely will be found out.

10The one who winks his eye causes trouble,

and the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin.

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

but the speech of the wicked conceals violence.

12Hatred stirs up dissension,

but love covers all transgressions.

13Wisdom is found in the words of the discerning person,

but the one who lacks wisdom will be disciplined.

14Those who are wise store up knowledge,

but foolish speech leads to imminent destruction.

15The wealth of a rich person is like a fortified city,

but the poor are brought to ruin by their poverty.

16The reward which the righteous receive is life;

the recompense which the wicked receive is judgment.

17The one who heeds instruction is on the way to life,

but the one who rejects rebuke goes astray.

18The one who conceals hatred utters lies,

and the one who spreads slander is certainly a fool.

19When words abound, transgression is inevitable,

but the one who restrains his words is wise.

20What the righteous say is like the best silver,

but what the wicked think is of little value.

21The teaching of the righteous feeds many,

but fools die for lack of wisdom.

22The blessing from the Lord makes a person rich,

and he adds no sorrow to it.

23Carrying out a wicked scheme is enjoyable to a fool,

and so is wisdom for the one who has discernment.

24What the wicked fears will come on him;

what the righteous desire will be granted.

25When the storm passes through, the wicked are swept away,

but the righteous are an everlasting foundation.

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

so is the sluggard to those who send him.

27Fearing the Lord prolongs life,

but the life span of the wicked will be shortened.

28The hope of the righteous is joy,

but the expectation of the wicked will remain unfulfilled.

29The way of the Lord is like a stronghold for the upright,

but it is destruction to evildoers.

30The righteous will never be moved,

but the wicked will not inhabit the land.

31The speech of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom,

but the one who speaks perversion will be destroyed.

32The lips of the righteous know what is pleasing,

but the speech of the wicked is perverse.