Proverbs 10

1 These are Solomon's proverbs: Wise children make their fathers proud of them; foolish ones bring their mothers grief.

2 Wealth you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life.

3 The Lord will not let good people go hungry, but he will keep the wicked from getting what they want.

4 Being lazy will make you poor, but hard work will make you rich.

5 A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest.

6 Good people will receive blessings. The words of the wicked hide a violent nature.

7 Good people will be remembered as a blessing, but the wicked will soon be forgotten.

8 Sensible people accept good advice. People who talk foolishly will come to ruin.

9 Honest people are safe and secure, but the dishonest will be caught.

10 Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble, but one who openly criticizes works for peace.

11 A good person's words are a fountain of life, but a wicked person's words hide a violent nature.

12 Hate stirs up trouble, but love forgives all offenses. ¹

13 Intelligent people talk sense, but stupid people need to be punished.

14 The wise get all the knowledge they can, but when fools speak, trouble is not far off.

15 Wealth protects the rich; poverty destroys the poor.

16 The reward for doing good is life, but sin leads only to more sin.

17 People who listen when they are corrected will live, but those who will not admit that they are wrong are in danger.

18 Anyone who hides hatred is a liar. Anyone who spreads gossip is a fool.

19 The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin. If you are wise, you will keep quiet.

20 A good person's words are like pure silver; a wicked person's ideas are worthless.

21 A good person's words will benefit many people, but you can kill yourself with stupidity.

22 It is the Lord's blessing that makes you wealthy. Hard work can make you no richer.

23 It is foolish to enjoy doing wrong. Intelligent people take pleasure in wisdom.

24 The righteous get what they want, but the wicked will get what they fear most.

25 Storms come, and the wicked are blown away, but honest people are always safe.

26 Never get a lazy person to do something for you; he will be as irritating as vinegar on your teeth or smoke in your eyes.

27 Obey the Lord, and you will live longer. The wicked die before their time.

28 The hopes of good people lead to joy, but wicked people can look forward to nothing.

29 The Lord protects honest people, but destroys those who do wrong.

30 Righteous people will always have security, but the wicked will not survive in the land.

31 Righteous people speak wisdom, but the tongue that speaks evil will be stopped.

32 Righteous people know the kind thing to say, but the wicked are always saying things that hurt.

Proverbs 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

Through the whole of the Proverbs, we are to look for somewhat beyond the first sense the passage may imply, and this we shall find to be Christ. He is the Wisdom so often spoken of in this book.

Verse 1 The comfort of parents much depends on their children; and ( proverbs 10:2-3 ) the righteous may be poor, the Lord will not suffer him to want what is needful for spiritual life. Verse 4 . Those who are fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, are likely to be rich in faith, and rich in good works. Verse 5 . Here is just blame of those who trifle away opportunities, both for here and for hereafter. Verse 6 . Abundance of blessings shall abide on good men; real blessings. Verse 7 . Both the just and the wicked must die; but between their souls there is a vast difference. Verse 8 . The wise in heart puts his knowledge in practice. Verse 9 . Dissemblers, after all their shuffling, will be exposed. Verse 10 . Trick and artifice will be no excuse for iniquity. Verse 11 . The good man's mouth is always open to teach, comfort, and correct others. Verse 12 . Where there is hatred, every thing stirs up strife. By bearing with each other, peace and harmony are preserved. Verse 13 . Those that foolishly go on in wicked ways, prepare rods for themselves. Verse 14 . Whatever knowledge may be useful, we must lay it up, that it may not be to seek when we want it. The wise gain this wisdom by reading, by hearing the word, by meditation, by prayer, by faith in Christ, who is made of God unto us wisdom. Verse 15 . This refers to the common mistakes both of rich and poor, as to their outward condition. Rich people's wealth exposes them to many dangers; while a poor man may live comfortably, if he is content, keeps a good conscience, and lives by faith. Verse 16 . Perhaps a righteous man has no more than what he works hard for, but that labour tends to life. Verse 17 . The traveller that has missed his way, and cannot bear to be told of it, and to be shown the right way, must err still. Verse 18 . He is especially a fool who thinks to hide anything from God; and malice is no better. Verse 19 . Those that speak much, speak much amiss. He that checks himself is a wise ( proverbs 10:20-21 ) the just is sincere, freed from the dross of guile and evil design. Pious discourse is spiritual food to the needy. Fools die for want of a heart, so the word is; for want of thought. Verse 22 . That wealth which is truly desirable, has no vexation of spirit in the enjoyment; no grief for the loss; no guilt by the abuse of it. What comes from the love of God, has the grace of God for its companion. Verse 23 . Only foolish and wicked men divert themselves with doing harm to others, or tempting to sin. Verse 24 . The largest desire of eternal blessings the righteous can form, will be granted. Verse 25 . The course of prosperous sinners is like a whirlwind, which soon spends itself, and is gone. Verse 26 . As vinegar sets the teeth on edge, and as the smoke causes the eyes ( proverbs 10:27-28 ) is he that loves life? Let him fear God, and that will secure to him life enough in this world, and eternal life in the other. Verse 29 . The believer grows stronger in faith, and obeys with increased delight. Verse 30 . The wicked would be glad to have this earth their home for ever, but it cannot be so. They must die ( proverbs 10:31-32 ) wisely for the benefit of others. But it is the sin, and will be the ruin of a wicked man, that he speaks what is displeasing to God, and provoking to those he converses with. The righteous is kept by the power of God; and nothing shall be able to separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

Cross References

• 1. 10.12James 5.20; 1 P 4.8.

Footnotes

• [a]. [One ancient translation] but one . . . peace; [Hebrew repeats verse 8b.]
• [b]. Hard work . . . richer; [or] And the Lord does not add sorrow to your wealth.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 10

From this chapter to the "twenty fifth" are various proverbial sentences, without any very apparent connection or coherence with each other; describing righteous and wicked men; setting forth their different temper, conduct, and actions, and the fruits and effects of them. It should be observed, that frequently in the preceding chapters two persons are represented as women; one goes by the name of "Wisdom", the other is called the "foolish" woman and a "harlot"; the former is clearly to be understood of Christ; and the latter, being opposed to him, must be antichrist, the whore of Rome, and mother of harlots: now in the following part of this book two sorts of persons are spoken of; the one as wise, righteous, good and the other as foolish, wicked, &c. who are no other than the followers of Christ and antichrist; which observation is a key to the whole book.