Proverbs 10:12-22

12 Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.^[a]

13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.^[b]

14 The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool hastens destruction.^[c]

15 A rich man's wealth is his fortified city;^[d] the poverty of the poor is their destruction.

16 The labor of the righteous leads to life; the activity of the wicked leads to sin.

17 The one who follows instruction is on the path to life, but the one who rejects correction goes astray.^[e]

18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.^[f]

19 When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is wise.^[g]

20 The tongue of the righteous is pure silver; the heart of the wicked is of little value.^[h]

21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.

22 The Lord's blessing enriches,^[i] and struggle adds nothing to it.^[j]

Proverbs 10:12-22 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

• [a] Pr 17:9; Jms 5:20; 1 Pt 4:8
• [b] Pr 19:29; 26:3
• [c] Pr 12:13; 13:3; 18:7
• [d] Pr 18:11
• [e] Pr 5:12-13,22-23; 13:13-14
• [f] Pr 11:13
• [g] Pr 17:27-28; Jms 1:19; 3:2
• [h] Pr 10:32
• [i] Jms 1:17
• [j] Or and He adds no trouble to it