Solomon's Wise Sayings
1Here are some proverbs
of Solomon:
Children with good sense
make their parents happy,
but foolish children
make them sad.
2What you gain by doing evil
won't help you at all.
Obeying God is the only way
to be saved from death.
3If you obey the Lord,
you won't go hungry;
if you are wicked,
God won't let you have
what you want.
4Laziness leads to poverty;
hard work makes you rich.
5At harvest season
it's smart to work hard,
but stupid to sleep.
6Everyone praises good people,
but evil hides behind
the words of the wicked.
7Good people are remembered
long after they are gone,
but the wicked
are soon forgotten.
8If you have good sense,
you will listen and obey;
if all you do is talk foolishly,
you will destroy yourself.
9You will be safe,
if you always do right,
but you will get caught,
if you are dishonest.
10Deceit causes trouble,
and foolish talk
will bring you to ruin.
11The words of good people
are a source of life,
but evil hides behind
the words of the wicked.
12 Hatred stirs up trouble;
love overlooks the wrongs
that others do.
13If you have good sense,
it will show when you speak.
But if you are stupid,
you will be beaten
with a stick.
14If you have good sense,
you will learn all you can,
but foolish talk
will soon destroy you.
15Great wealth can be a fortress,
but poverty
is no protection at all.
16If you live right,
the reward is a good life;
if you are evil,
all you have is sin.
17Accept correction,
and you will find life;
reject correction,
and you will miss the road.
18You can hide your hatred
by telling lies,
but you are a fool
to spread lies.
19You will say the wrong thing
if you talk too much—
so be sensible and watch
what you say.
20The words of a good person
are like pure silver,
but the thoughts
of an evil person
are almost worthless.
21Many are helped
by useful instruction,
but fools are killed
by their own stupidity.
22When the Lord blesses you
with riches,
you have nothing to regret.
23Fools enjoy doing wrong,
but anyone with good sense
enjoys acting wisely.
24What evil people dread most
will happen to them,
but good people will get
what they want most.
25Those crooks will disappear
when a storm strikes,
but God will keep safe
all who obey him.
26Having a lazy person on the job
is like a mouth full of vinegar
or smoke in your eyes.
27If you respect the Lord,
you will live longer;
if you keep doing wrong,
your life will be cut short.
28If you obey the Lord,
you will be happy,
but there is no future
for the wicked.
29The Lord protects everyone
who lives right,
but he destroys anyone
who does wrong.
30Good people will stand firm,
but the wicked will disappear
from the land.
31Honest people speak sensibly,
but deceitful liars
will be silenced.
32If you obey the Lord,
you will always know
the right thing to say.
But no one will trust you
if you tell lies.