If You Love Learning

12 If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it—
    how shortsighted to refuse correction!

A good person basks in the delight of God,
    and he wants nothing to do with devious schemers.

You can’t find firm footing in a swamp,
    but life rooted in God stands firm.

A hearty wife invigorates her husband,
    but a frigid woman is cancer in the bones.

The thinking of principled people makes for justice;
    the plots of degenerates corrupt.

The words of the wicked kill;
    the speech of the upright saves.

Wicked people fall to pieces—there’s nothing to them;
    the homes of good people hold together.

A person who talks sense is honored;
    airheads are held in contempt.

Better to be ordinary and work for a living
    than act important and starve in the process.

10 Good people are good to their animals;
    the “good-hearted” bad people kick and abuse them.

11 The one who stays on the job has food on the table;
    the witless chase whims and fancies.

12 What the wicked construct finally falls into ruin,
    while the roots of the righteous give life, and more life.

Wise People Take Advice

13 The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble;
    the conversation of good people keeps them out of it.

14 Well-spoken words bring satisfaction;
    well-done work has its own reward.

15 Fools are headstrong and do what they like;
    wise people take advice.

16 Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly;
    the prudent quietly shrug off insults.

17 Truthful witness by a good person clears the air,
    but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit.

18 Rash language cuts and maims,
    but there is healing in the words of the wise.

19 Truth lasts;
    lies are here today, gone tomorrow.

20 Evil scheming distorts the schemer;
    peace-planning brings joy to the planner.

21 No evil can overwhelm a good person,
    but the wicked have their hands full of it.

22 God can’t stomach liars;
    he loves the company of those who keep their word.

23 Prudent people don’t flaunt their knowledge;
    talkative fools broadcast their silliness.

24 The diligent find freedom in their work;
    the lazy are oppressed by work.

25 Worry weighs us down;
    a cheerful word picks us up.

26 A good person survives misfortune,
    but a wicked life invites disaster.

27 A lazy life is an empty life,
    but “early to rise” gets the job done.

28 Good men and women travel right into life;
    sin’s detours take you straight to hell.

12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but whoever hates correction is stupid.(A)

Good people obtain favor from the Lord,(B)
    but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.(C)

No one can be established through wickedness,
    but the righteous cannot be uprooted.(D)

A wife of noble character(E) is her husband’s crown,
    but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.(F)

The plans of the righteous are just,
    but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
    but the speech of the upright rescues them.(G)

The wicked are overthrown and are no more,(H)
    but the house of the righteous stands firm.(I)

A person is praised according to their prudence,
    and one with a warped(J) mind is despised.

Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
    than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,(K)
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies have no sense.(L)

12 The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous endures.

13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,(M)
    and so the innocent escape trouble.(N)

14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,(O)
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.(P)

15 The way of fools seems right to them,(Q)
    but the wise listen to advice.(R)

16 Fools(S) show their annoyance at once,(T)
    but the prudent overlook an insult.(U)

17 An honest witness tells the truth,
    but a false witness tells lies.(V)

18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,(W)
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.(X)

19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but those who promote peace have joy.(Y)

21 No harm overtakes the righteous,(Z)
    but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

22 The Lord detests lying lips,(AA)
    but he delights(AB) in people who are trustworthy.(AC)

23 The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,(AD)
    but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.(AE)

24 Diligent hands will rule,
    but laziness ends in forced labor.(AF)

25 Anxiety weighs down the heart,(AG)
    but a kind word cheers it up.

26 The righteous choose their friends carefully,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.(AH)

27 The lazy do not roast[a] any game,
    but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.

28 In the way of righteousness there is life;(AI)
    along that path is immortality.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:27 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.