Various observations of moral virtues, and their contrary vices, 1-25.
1 A wise son hears his father's instruction,/
but a scorner does not hear rebuke.
2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth,/
but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.
3 He who keeps his mouth keeps his life,/
but he who opens his lips wide shall have destruction.
4 The soul of the sluggard desires, yet has nothing,/
but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
5 A righteous man hates lying,/
but a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.
6 Righteousness keeps him who is upright in the way,/
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.
7 There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing./
There is one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.
8 The ransom of a man's life is his riches,/
but the poor does not hear rebuke.
9 The light of the righteous rejoices,/
but the lamp of the wicked shall be extinguished.
10 Only by pride comes contention,/
but with the well-advised is wisdom.
11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished,/
but he who gathers by labor shall increase.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,/
but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
13 Whoever despises the word shall be destroyed,/
but he who fears the commandment shall be rewarded.
14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life,/
to depart from the snares of death.
15 Good understanding gives favor,/
but the way of transgressors is hard.
16 Every prudent man deals with knowledge,/
but a fool lays open his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into mischief,/
but a faithful ambassador is health.
18 Poverty and shame shall be to him who refuses instruction,/
but he who regards reproof shall be honored.
19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,/
but it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 He who walks with wise men shall be wise,/
but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
21 Evil pursues sinners,/
but to the righteous good shall be repaid.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children,/
and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
23 Much food is in the tillage of the poor,/
but there is one who is destroyed for lack of judgment.
24 He who spares his rod hates his son,/
but he who loves him chastens him diligently.
25 The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul,/
but the belly of the wicked shall be lacking.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Proverbs, Chapter 13[➚]
John Gill's Chapter Summary:
From the tenth chapter to the twenty-fifth are various proverbial sentences without any very apparent connection or coherence with each other, describing righteous and wicked men, setting forth their different temper, conduct, and actions, and the fruits and effects of them. It should be observed, that frequently in the preceding chapters two persons are represented as women: one goes by the name of "Wisdom," the other is called the "foolish" woman and a "harlot," the former is clearly to be understood of Christ, and the latter, being opposed to him, must be antichrist, the whore of Rome and mother of harlots. Now in the following part of this book two sorts of persons are spoken of, the one as wise, righteous, good, etc., and the other as foolish, wicked, etc., who are no other than the followers of Christ and antichrist, which observation is a key to the whole book.