Old Testament

Proverbs 12

Wisdom's Shape in Daily Life

11 passages

Overview

Through a series of contrasting aphorisms on speech, labor, marriage, friendship, and moral disposition, Proverbs 12 portrays the righteous person as one who welcomes correction, earns God's favor, governs tongue and hand with prudence, and walks a path whose final horizon is life itself.

Passages

1–3The Foundation: Loving Correction, Divine Favor, and Moral Stability 4The Worthy Wife as Crown of Her Husband 5–7Roots and Ruins: The Inner Life of the Just and the Wicked 8–10Wisdom, Humility, and Compassion in Daily Life 11–12Bread by the Sweat of the Brow: Honest Labor and the Snare of Ill-Gotten Gain 13–14The Fruit of the Mouth: Snare for the Wicked, Blessing for the Good 15–16The Fool's Self-Deception and Rashness 17–22Truth's Lips Established Forever: Speech, the Heart, and God's Judgment 23–25Prudence, Diligence, and the Healing Power of a Good Word 26–27Caution in Friendship and the Laziness of the Slothful 28The Way of Righteousness: Life Without End

Study Resources

No study guides, devotionals, or teaching outlines have been created for this chapter yet.

Proverbs 12

¹Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

²A good man shall obtain favor from Yahweh, but he will condemn a man of wicked plans.

³A man shall not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

⁴A worthy woman is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful wife is as rottenness in his bones.

⁵The thoughts of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

⁶The words of the wicked are about lying in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

⁷The wicked are overthrown, and are no more, but the house of the righteous shall stand.

⁸A man shall be commended according to his wisdom, but he who has a warped mind shall be despised.

⁹Better is he who is little known, and has a servant, than he who honors himself and lacks bread.

¹⁰A righteous man respects the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

¹¹He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

¹²The wicked desires the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.

¹³An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips, but the righteous shall come out of trouble.

¹⁴A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth. The work of a man’s hands shall be rewarded to him.

¹⁵The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel.

¹⁶A fool shows his annoyance the same day, but one who overlooks an insult is prudent.

¹⁷He who is truthful testifies honestly, but a false witness lies.

¹⁸There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.

¹⁹Truth’s lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only momentary.

²⁰Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but joy comes to the promoters of peace.

²¹No mischief shall happen to the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil.

²²Lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh, but those who do the truth are his delight.

²³A prudent man keeps his knowledge, but the hearts of fools proclaim foolishness.

²⁴The hands of the diligent ones shall rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

²⁵Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad.

²⁶A righteous person is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

²⁷The slothful man doesn’t roast his game, but the possessions of diligent men are prized.

²⁸In the way of righteousness is life; in its path there is no death.

Proverbs 11 Proverbs 13