Proverbs 13:4-24

4 1The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent 2is richly supplied.
5 The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame[a] and disgrace.
6 3Righteousness guards him whose 4way is blameless, but sin overthrows the wicked.
7 5One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; 6another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
8 The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, but a poor man 7hears no threat.
9 8The light of the righteous rejoices, but 9the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
10 10By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.
11 11Wealth gained hastily[b] will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, 12but a desire fulfilled is 13a tree of life.
13 Whoever 14despises 15the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be 16rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is 17a fountain of life, that one may 18turn away from the snares of death.
15 19Good sense wins 20favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.[c]
16 21In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, 22but a fool flaunts his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but 23a faithful envoy brings healing.
18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who 24ignores instruction, 25but whoever 26heeds reproof is honored.
19 27A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 28Disaster[d] pursues sinners, 29but the righteous are rewarded with good.
22 30A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but 31the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through 32injustice.
24 33Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.[e]

Cross References 33

  • 1. See Proverbs 6:9-11
  • 2. Proverbs 11:25
  • 3. Proverbs 11:3, 5, 6
  • 4. Proverbs 11:20
  • 5. Proverbs 11:24; [Luke 12:21; Revelation 3:17]
  • 6. [Luke 12:33; 2 Corinthians 6:10; James 2:5]
  • 7. [ver. 1]
  • 8. [Job 29:3]
  • 9. See Job 18:5
  • 10. [Proverbs 28:25]
  • 11. [Proverbs 10:2; Proverbs 20:21; Proverbs 21:6; Proverbs 28:20, 22]
  • 12. [ver. 19]
  • 13. See Proverbs 3:18
  • 14. [Proverbs 19:16; Numbers 15:31; 2 Chronicles 36:16]
  • 15. Proverbs 16:20; Deuteronomy 30:14
  • 16. [ver. 21]
  • 17. See Proverbs 10:11
  • 18. Proverbs 14:27; [Psalms 18:5; 2 Timothy 2:26]
  • 19. [Luke 2:52]; See Psalms 111:10
  • 20. Proverbs 3:4; Proverbs 22:1
  • 21. [Proverbs 12:23; Proverbs 15:2]
  • 22. [Proverbs 18:2; Ecclesiastes 10:3]
  • 23. Proverbs 25:13; [Proverbs 14:5]
  • 24. [Proverbs 15:5, 31, 32]
  • 25. [Proverbs 15:5]
  • 26. [Proverbs 15:31]
  • 27. [ver. 12]
  • 28. [Psalms 11:6; Psalms 32:10]
  • 29. [ver. 13; Luke 6:38]
  • 30. [Ezra 9:12; Psalms 37:25]
  • 31. Proverbs 28:8; See Job 27:16, 17
  • 32. [Proverbs 16:8]
  • 33. [Proverbs 19:18; Proverbs 22:15; Proverbs 23:13, 14; Proverbs 29:15, 17]

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Or stench
  • [b]. Or by fraud
  • [c]. Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate); Hebrew is rugged, or is an enduring rut
  • [d]. Or Evil
  • [e]. Or who loves him disciplines him early
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.