Proverbs 13:1-8

1 Intelligent children listen to their parents; foolish children do their own thing.
2 The good acquire a taste for helpful conversation; bullies push and shove their way through life.
3 Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything.
4 Indolence wants it all and gets nothing; the energetic have something to show for their lives.
5 A good person hates false talk; a bad person wallows in gibberish.
6 A God-loyal life keeps you on track; sin dumps the wicked in the ditch.
7 A pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life.
8 The rich can be sued for everything they have, but the poor are free of such threats.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.