Proverbs 13:13-23

13 Whoever ¹despises ²the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be ³rewarded.

14 The teaching of the wise is ⁴a fountain of life, that one may ⁵turn away from the snares of death.

15 ⁶Good sense wins ⁷favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.^[a]

16 ⁸In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, ⁹but a fool flaunts his folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but ¹⁰a faithful envoy brings healing.

18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who ¹¹ignores instruction, ¹²but whoever ¹³heeds reproof is honored.

19 ¹⁴A 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 ¹⁵Disaster^[b] pursues sinners, ¹⁶but the righteous are rewarded with good.

22 ¹⁷A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but ¹⁸the 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 ¹⁹injustice.

Cross References

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

Footnotes

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