Proverbs 12

The Proverbs of Solomon

1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who z hates reproof is a stupid.
 2 A good man b obtains favor from the Lord,
but a man of evil devices he condemns.
 3 No one is established by wickedness,
but the root of c the righteous will never be moved.
 4 d An excellent wife is e the crown of her husband,
but she who f brings shame is like g rottenness in his bones.
 5 h The thoughts of the righteous are just;
the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
 6 The words of the wicked i lie in wait for blood,
but j the mouth of the upright delivers them.
 7 k The wicked are l overthrown and are no more,
m but the house of the righteous will stand.
 8 A man is commended according to his good sense,
but one of twisted mind is n despised.
 9 Better to be lowly and have a servant
than to play the great man and lack bread.
 10 o Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
 11 p Whoever works his land q will have plenty of bread,
r but he who follows s worthless pursuits lacks sense.
 12 Whoever is wicked covets t the spoil of evildoers,
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
 13 An evil man is ensnared u by the transgression of his lips,
v but the righteous escapes from trouble.
 14 From the fruit of his mouth w a man is satisfied with good,
x and the work of a man's hand comes back to him.
 15 y The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice.
 16 z The vexation of a fool is known at once,
but the prudent ignores an insult.
 17 a Whoever speaks 1 the truth gives honest evidence,
but b a false witness utters deceit.
 18 c There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings d healing.
 19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but e a lying tongue is but for a moment.
 20 Deceit is in the heart of f those who devise evil,
but those who plan peace have joy.
 21 g No ill befalls the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
 22 h Lying lips are i an abomination to the Lord,
j but those who act faithfully are his delight.
 23 k A prudent man conceals knowledge,
k but the heart of fools proclaims folly.
 24 l The hand of the diligent will rule,
while the slothful will be m put to forced labor.
 25 n Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
 26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, 2
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
 27 o Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,
but the diligent man will get precious wealth. 3
28 p In the path of righteousness is life,
and in its pathway there is no death.

  1. Cross References
    Proverbs 5:12
    And you say, "How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!
    Proverbs 15:10
    There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; whoever hates reproof will die.
  2. Cross References
    Psalms 49:10
    For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.
  3. Cross References
    Proverbs 8:35
    For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.
  4. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:25
    When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.
  5. Cross References
    Proverbs 31:10
    An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
  6. Cross References
    Song of Solomon 3:11
    Go out, O daughters of Zion, and look upon King Solomon, with the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of the gladness of his heart.
  7. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:5
    He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
  8. Cross References
    Proverbs 14:30
    A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.
  9. Cross References
    Matthew 12:35
    The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
  10. Cross References
    Proverbs 1:11
    If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason.
  11. Cross References
    Proverbs 14:3
    By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
  12. Cross References
    Proverbs 11:21
    Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
  13. Cross References
    Job 34:25
    Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
  14. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:25
    When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.
    Proverbs 10:30
    The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
  15. Cross References
    1 Samuel 20:30
    Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?
  16. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 25:4
    You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.
  17. Cross References
    Proverbs 28:19
    Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
  18. Cross References
    Proverbs 20:13
    Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
  19. Cross References
    Proverbs 28:19
    Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
  20. Cross References
    Judges 9:4
    And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him.
  21. Cross References
    Psalms 10:9
    He lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
  22. Cross References
    Proverbs 18:7
    A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
    Psalms 64:8
    They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; all who see them will wag their heads.
    Matthew 12:37
    For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
  23. Cross References
    Proverbs 21:23
    Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
  24. Cross References
    Proverbs 13:2
    From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.
    Proverbs 14:14
    The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
    Proverbs 18:20
    From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
  25. Cross References
    Proverbs 19:17
    Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
    Isaiah 3:10 - 11
    Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
    Judges 9:16
    Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved -
    Judges 9:56
    Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers.
  26. Cross References
    Proverbs 3:7
    Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, an...
    Proverbs 16:2
    All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,...
    Proverbs 21:2
    Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, bu...
    Proverbs 26:12
    Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? T...
    Proverbs 14:12
    There is a way that seems right to a man, but i...
    Proverbs 16:25
    There is a way that seems right to a man, but i...
  27. Cross References
    Proverbs 14:33
    Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.
    Proverbs 29:11
    A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
  28. Cross References
    Proverbs 14:5
    A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
  29. Cross References
    Proverbs 6:19
    A false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
  30. Cross References
    Psalms 57:4
    My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts - the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
  31. Cross References
    Proverbs 4:22
    For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
  32. Cross References
    Proverbs 19:9
    A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.
    Psalms 52:4 - 5
    You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.
  33. Cross References
    Proverbs 3:29
    Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.
  34. Cross References
    Psalms 91:10
    No evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.
    1 Peter 3:13
    Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?
    2 Peter 2:9
    Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.
  35. Cross References
    Revelation 22:15
    Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
    Proverbs 6:17
    Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.
  36. Cross References
    Proverbs 11:20
    Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight.
  37. Cross References
    Proverbs 11:1
    A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.
  38. Cross References
    Proverbs 13:16
    In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.
    Proverbs 15:2
    The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
  39. Cross References
    Proverbs 13:16
    In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly.
    Proverbs 15:2
    The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
  40. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:4
    A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
    Proverbs 13:4
    The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
  41. Cross References
    Genesis 49:15
    He saw that a resting place was good, and that the land was pleasant, so he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant at forced labor.
    1 Kings 9:21
    Their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel were unable to devote to destruction - these Solomon drafted to be slaves, and so they are to this day.
  42. Cross References
    Proverbs 15:13
    A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.
    Proverbs 17:22
    A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
  43. Cross References
    Proverbs 12:24
    The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
  44. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:2
    Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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