Proverbs 13:12-22

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, ¹but a desire fulfilled is ²a tree of life.

13 Whoever ³despises ⁴the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be ⁵rewarded.

14 The teaching of the wise is ⁶a fountain of life, that one may ⁷turn away from the snares of death.

15 ⁸Good sense wins ⁹favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.^[a]

16 ¹⁰In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, ¹¹but a fool flaunts his folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but ¹²a faithful envoy brings healing.

18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ¹³ignores instruction, ¹⁴but whoever ¹⁵heeds reproof is honored.

19 ¹⁶A 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 ¹⁷Disaster^[b] pursues sinners, ¹⁸but the righteous are rewarded with good.

22 ¹⁹A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but ²⁰the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.

Cross References

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

Footnotes

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