Old Testament

Proverbs 10

Contrasting Fates of the Righteous and Wicked

8 passages

Overview

Solomon's opening collection of proverbs sets righteousness and wickedness in sharp antithesis across every domain of life — diligent labor, honest gain, guarded speech, and reverent trust in God — showing that those who walk in integrity dwell under divine protection and tend toward flourishing, while folly, concealed hatred, and dishonest wealth carry within themselves the seeds of ruin.

Passages

1–5The Wise Son: Diligence, Righteousness, and the Wealth That Endures 6–10The Crowned Righteous and the Crooked Heart 11–14The Mouth as Spring or Snare: Wisdom, Love, and the Discipline of Speech 15–17Wealth, Labor, and the Path of Life 18–21The Tongue as a Vessel of Life or Death 22–25The Whirlwind and the Blessing: Providence, Folly, and the Fate of the Wicked 26–28Smoke, Sweet Fear, and the Joy of the Righteous 29–32Yahweh as Stronghold: The Enduring Righteousness of the Upright

Study Resources

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Proverbs 10

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 who winks 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.

Proverbs 9 Proverbs 11