Proverbs 13

1 A wise son hears his father's instruction: but a scorner hears not rebuke.

A wise son—the instruction of a father, And a scorner—he has not heard rebuke.

2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.

A man eats good from the fruit of the mouth, And the soul of the treacherous—violence.

3 He that keeps his mouth keeps his life: but he that opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

Whoever is keeping his mouth, is keeping his soul, Whoever is opening wide his lips—ruin to him!

4 The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

The soul of the slothful is desiring, and does not have. And the soul of the diligent is made fat.

5 A righteous man hates lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and comes to shame.

The righteous hates a false word, And the wicked causes abhorrence, and is confounded.

6 Righteousness keeps him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

Righteousness keeps him who is perfect in the way, And wickedness overthrows a sin offering.

7 There is that makes himself rich, yet has nothing: there is that makes himself poor, yet has great riches.

There is [he] who is making himself rich, and has nothing, Who is making himself poor, and wealth [is] abundant.

8 The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor hears not rebuke.

The ransom of a man’s life [are] his riches, And the poor has not heard rebuke.

9 The light of the righteous rejoices: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

The light of the righteous rejoices, And the lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

10 Only by pride comes contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

A vain man causes debate through pride, And wisdom [is] with the counseled.

11 Wealth got by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathers by labour shall increase.

Wealth from vanity becomes little, And whoever is gathering by the hand becomes great.

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

Hope prolonged is making the heart sick, And a tree of life [is] the coming desire.

13 Whoso despises the word shall be destroyed: but he that fears the commandment shall be rewarded.

Whoever is despising the word is destroyed for it, And whoever is fearing the command is repaid.

14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

The law of the wise [is] a fountain of life, To turn aside from snares of death.

15 Good understanding gives favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.

Good understanding gives grace, And the way of the treacherous [is] hard.

16 Every prudent man deals with knowledge: but a fool lays open his folly.

Every prudent one deals with knowledge, And a fool spreads out folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.

A wicked messenger falls into evil, And a faithful ambassador is healing.

18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuses instruction: but he that regards reproof shall be honoured.

Whoever is refusing instruction—poverty and shame, And whoever is observing reproof is honored.

19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, And an abomination to fools [Is] to turn from evil.

20 He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Whoever is walking with wise men is wise, And a companion of fools suffers evil.

21 Evil pursues sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repaid.

Evil pursues sinners, And good repays the righteous.

22 A good man left an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

A good man causes sons’ sons to inherit, And the sinner’s wealth [is] laid up for the righteous.

23 Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for lack of judgment.

Abundance of food—the tillage of the poor, And substance is consumed without judgment.

24 He that spares his rod hates his son: but he that loves him chastens him early.

Whoever is sparing his rod is hating his son, And whoever is loving him has hurried his discipline.

25 The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall lack.

The righteous is eating to the satiety of his soul, And the belly of the wicked lacks!