Proverbs 13:11-21

11 ¹Wealth gained hastily^[a] will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, ²but a desire fulfilled is ³a tree of life.

13 Whoever ⁴despises ⁵the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be ⁶rewarded.

14 The teaching of the wise is ⁷a fountain of life, that one may ⁸turn away from the snares of death.

15 ⁹Good sense wins ¹⁰favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.^[b]

16 ¹¹In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, ¹²but a fool flaunts his folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but ¹³a faithful envoy brings healing.

18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ¹⁴ignores instruction, ¹⁵but whoever ¹⁶heeds reproof is honored.

19 ¹⁷A 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 ¹⁸Disaster^[c] pursues sinners, ¹⁹but the righteous are rewarded with good.

Cross References

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

Footnotes

• [a]. Or by fraud
• [b]. Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate); Hebrew is rugged, or is an enduring rut
• [c]. Or Evil