12 He who loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates rebuke is stupid.
2 The good obtains favor from Yahweh,
but anyone who schemes, he condemns.
3 A person will not be established by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will not be moved.
4 A woman of strength[a] is the crown of her master,[b]
but like rot in his bones is she who brings shame.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are[c] just;
the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
6 The words of the wicked are an ambush of blood,
but the mouth of the upright delivers them.
7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more,[d]
but the house of the righteous shall stand.
8 For his mouth of good sense, a man will be recommended,
but he who is of perverse mind[e] will be despised.
9 It is better to be lowly and a servant to someone[f]
than self-glorifying and lacking food.
10 The righteous knows the life[g] of his animal,
but the compassion[h] of the wicked is cruel.
11 He who works his land will have plenty of food,
but he who follows worthless things lacks sense.[i]
12 The wicked covets the proceeds of evil,
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.[j]
13 By the transgression of lips, evil is ensnared,
but the righteous escapes from trouble.
14 From the fruit of the mouth of a man, he is filled with good,
and the reward of a man’s labor[k] will return to him.
15 The way of a fool is upright in his own eyes,
but he who listens to advice is wise.
16 As for a fool, on that very day[l] he makes his anger known,
but he who ignores an insult is prudent.
17 He who will speak truth will reveal righteousness,
but the witness of falsehood, deceit.
18 There is one who speaks rashly, like the thrust of a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 A lip of truth endures forever,
but a tongue of deception lasts only a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart[m] of those who plan[n] evil,
but to those who plan[o] peace, there is joy.
21 No evil will happen[p] to the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
22 An abomination of Yahweh are lips of deceit,
but they who act faithfully are his delight.
23 A clever person conceals knowledge,
but the heart[q] of a fool[r] announces folly.
24 The hand of the diligent ones will rule,
but the lazy will belong to forced labor.
25 Anxiety in the heart[s] of a man will weigh him down,
but a good word will cheer him.
26 A righteous person will seek out his neighbor,
but the way of the wicked will lead them astray.
27 The lazy will not roast his game,
but diligence is the precious wealth of a man.
28 On the road of righteousness is life,
and on the way of the path, may there be no death.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 12:4 Or “honor”
- Proverbs 12:4 Or “lord, owner”
- Proverbs 12:5 Hebrew “is”
- Proverbs 12:7 Literally “there is no them”
- Proverbs 12:8 Literally “heart”
- Proverbs 12:9 Literally “for him,” “belonging to him”
- Proverbs 12:10 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 12:10 Hebrew “compassions”
- Proverbs 12:11 Literally “heart”
- Proverbs 12:12 Literally “gives, sets up”
- Proverbs 12:14 Literally “the hands of a man”
- Proverbs 12:16 Literally “on the day”
- Proverbs 12:20 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 12:20 Literally “the planners of”
- Proverbs 12:20 Literally “the planners of”
- Proverbs 12:21 Literally “All evil will not happen”
- Proverbs 12:23 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 12:23 Hebrew “fools”
- Proverbs 12:25 Or “mind”