Proverbs — Chapter 10
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1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
3The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
4He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
5He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
6Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
7The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
8The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
9He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
10He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.
11The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
12Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
13In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
14Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
15The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
17He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.
18He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
19In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
20The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
21The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
22The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
23It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.
24The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
25As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.
27The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
28The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
29The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
30The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
31The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.
1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; But righteousness delivereth from death.
3Jehovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish; But he thrusteth away the desire of the wicked.
4He becometh poor that worketh with a slack hand; But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
5He that gathereth in summer is a wise son; [But] he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
6Blessings are upon the head of the righteous; But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
7The memory of the righteous is blessed; But the name of the wicked shall rot.
8The wise in heart will receive commandments; But a prating fool shall fall.
9He that walketh uprightly walketh surely; But he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
10He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow; But a prating fool shall fall.
11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life; But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
12Hatred stirreth up strifes; But love covereth all transgressions.
13In the lips of him that hath discernment wisdom is found; But a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
14Wise men lay up knowledge; But the mouth of the foolish is a present destruction.
15The rich man`s wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16The labor of the righteous [tendeth] to life; The increase of the wicked, to sin.
17He is in the way of life that heedeth correction; But he that forsaketh reproof erreth.
18He that hideth hatred is of lying lips; And he that uttereth a slander is a fool.
19In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.
20The tongue of the righteous is [as] choice silver: The heart of the wicked is little worth.
21The lips of the righteous feed many; But the foolish die for lack of understanding.
22The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich; And he addeth no sorrow therewith.
23It is as sport to a fool to do wickedness; And [so is] wisdom to a man of understanding.
24The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him; And the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
25When the whirlwind passeth, the wicked is no more; But the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, So is the sluggard to them that send him.
27The fear of Jehovah prolongeth days; But the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
28The hope of the righteous [shall be] gladness; But the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
29The way of Jehovah is a stronghold to the upright; But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
30The righteous shall never be removed; But the wicked shall not dwell in the land.
31The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom; But the perverse tongue shall be cut off.
32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable; But the mouth of the wicked [speaketh] perverseness.
1The proverbs of Solomon:A wise child makes a father rejoice, but a foolish child is a grief to his mother.
2Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.
3The Lord satisfies the appetite of the righteous, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
4The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy.
5The one who gathers crops in the summer is a wise son, but the one who sleeps during harvest is a shameful son.
6Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the speech of the wicked conceals violence.
7The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the reputation of the wicked will rot.
8The wise person accepts instructions, but the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin.
9The one who conducts himself in integrity will live securely, but the one who behaves perversely will be found out.
10The one who winks his eye causes trouble, and the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin.
11The speech of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the speech of the wicked conceals violence.
12Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.
13Wisdom is found in the words of the discerning person, but the one who lacks sense will be disciplined.
14Those who are wise store up knowledge, but foolish speech leads to imminent destruction.
15The wealth of a rich person is like a fortified city, but the poor are brought to ruin by their poverty.
16The reward that the righteous receive is life; the recompense that the wicked receive is judgment.
17The one who heeds instruction is on the way to life, but the one who rejects rebuke goes astray.
18The one who conceals hatred utters lies, and the one who spreads slander is certainly a fool.
19When words abound, transgression is inevitable, but the one who restrains his words is wise.
20What the righteous say is like the best silver, but what the wicked think is of little value.
21The teaching of the righteous feeds many, but fools die for lack of sense.
22The blessing from the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow to it.
23Carrying out a wicked scheme is enjoyable to a fool, and so is wisdom for the one who has discernment.
24What the wicked fears will come on him; what the righteous desire will be granted.
25When the storm passes through, the wicked are swept away, but the righteous are an everlasting foundation.
26Like vinegar to the teeth and like smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27Fearing the Lord prolongs life, but the life span of the wicked will be shortened.
28The hope of the righteous is joy, but the expectation of the wicked perishes.
29The way of the Lord is like a stronghold for the upright, but it is destruction to evildoers.
30The righteous will never be moved, but the wicked will not inhabit the land.
31The speech of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom, but the one who speaks perversion will be destroyed.
32The lips of the righteous know what is pleasing, but the speech of the wicked is perverse.
1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.
3Yahweh will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry, but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.
4He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.
5He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.
6Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
7The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.
8The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall.
9He who walks blamelessly walks surely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.
10One winking with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.
11The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
12Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs.
13Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment, but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.
14Wise men lay up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near ruin.
15The rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16The labor of the righteous leads to life. The increase of the wicked leads to sin.
17He is in the way of life who heeds correction, but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.
18He who hides hatred has lying lips. He who utters a slander is a fool.
19In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.
20The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver. The heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.
22Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.
23It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness, but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.
24What the wicked fear, will overtake them, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more; but the righteous stand firm forever.
26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.
27The fear of Yahweh prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
28The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hope of the wicked will perish.
29The way of Yahweh is a stronghold to the upright, but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
30The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
31The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.
Summary
The beginning of Solomon's individual proverbs — primarily antithetical couplets contrasting the righteous and the wicked, with emphasis on the power of speech, diligence versus laziness, and the blessings of the upright.
Authorship & Background
- The Power of the Tongue (vv.6, 8, 10-14, 18-21, 31-32)
- Righteous vs. Wicked Outcomes (vv.2-3, 6-7, 16, 24-25, 27-30)
- Diligence vs. Laziness (vv.4-5, 26)
- The Blessing of the LORD (v.22)
Map & Geography
- No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik notes the dramatic shift from extended speeches to individual proverbs beginning at chapter 10. He emphasizes that these are general principles, not absolute promises — they describe how life normally works under God's moral order. On v.12, he states: "Love does not deny sin exists, but it does not broadcast or exploit others' failures." On v.22, Guzik distinguishes between wealth with sorrow (gotten by greed, dishonesty, or overwork) and wealth without sorrow (God's genuine blessing).
- Charles Spurgeon: "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin. The man who talks much will sin much. It is a mathematical certainty. If you fire a thousand arrows, some will go astray. If you speak a thousand words, some will be sinful. The wise man restrains his lips — not because he has nothing to say, but because he knows the danger of saying too much. Silence is often the highest wisdom, and brevity is always safer than verbosity."
Reflection
- 1. Control your tongue (v.19). "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin." Are you talking too much? Texting too quickly? Posting too freely? The wise person restrains speech. Practice saying less — you'll sin less.
- 2. Love covers; hatred exposes (v.12). When someone wrongs you, do you broadcast it or cover it? Love doesn't pretend sin doesn't exist — it chooses not to exploit it for personal advantage. Stop gossiping about others' failures. Cover with grace.
- 3. Diligence is the path to provision (v.4). "The hand of the diligent maketh rich." God generally blesses hard work. Are you being diligent in your calling? Laziness is not merely unproductive — it is ungodly. Work with your whole strength as unto the Lord.
- 4. God's blessing comes without sorrow (v.22). If your wealth or success is accompanied by constant anxiety, guilt, or relational damage — question whether you got it God's way. His genuine blessing produces peace, not turmoil. Pursue gain that comes with His approval.
- 5. You are either a foundation or a whirlwind (v.25). Which are you — something lasting or something passing? Are you building permanence through righteousness, or will your life blow through and leave nothing? Build on what endures.