Proverbs 10:16-26

16 The wage of the righteous [leads] to life; the gain of the wicked to sin.
17 [On] the path to life is he who guards instruction, but he who rejects rebuke goes astray.
18 He who conceals hatred [has] lips of deceit, and he who utters slander--he is a fool.
19 In many words, transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent.
20 Choice silver is a tongue of righteousness, a heart of wickedness is {of little worth}.
21 Lips of righteousness feed many, but fools {die for lack of sense}.
22 The blessing of Yahweh makes [one] rich, and he does not increase sorrow with it.
23 [It is] like a sport for a fool to do wrong, wisdom for a person of understanding.
24 The dread of the wicked will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 With the passing of the tempest, there is no wickedness, but [the] righteous have a foundation forever.
26 Like vinegar to the tooth and like smoke to the eyes, thus [is] the lazy to one who employs him.

Proverbs 10:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes 4

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.