Proverbs 13

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

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

2 From the fruit of the mouth a man eateth good, And the soul of the treacherous — violence.

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

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

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

4 The soul of the slothful is desiring, and hath not. And the soul of the diligent is made fat.

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

5 A false word the righteous hateth, And the wicked causeth abhorrence, and is confounded.

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

6 Righteousness keepeth him who is perfect in the way, And wickedness overthroweth a sin offering.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 A vain man through pride causeth debate, And with the counselled [is] wisdom.

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

11 Wealth from vanity becometh little, And whoso is gathering by the hand becometh great.

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

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

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

13 Whoso is despising the Word is destroyed for it, And whoso is fearing the Command is repayed.

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

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

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

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

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

16 Every prudent one dealeth with knowledge, And a fool spreadeth out folly.

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

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

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

18 Whoso is refusing instruction — poverty and shame, And whoso is observing reproof is honoured.

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

19 A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, And an abomination to fools [is]: Turn from evil.

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

20 Whoso is walking with wise men is wise, And a companion of fools suffereth evil.

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

21 Evil pursueth sinners, And good recompenseth the righteous.

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

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

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

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

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

24 Whoso is sparing his rod is hating his son, And whoso is loving him hath hastened him chastisement.

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

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

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