“The proverbs of Solomon.
A wise son makes a father glad,
But a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
Ill-gotten gains do not benefit,
But righteousness rescues from death.
The Lord will not allow the righteous to hunger,
But He will reject the craving of the wicked.”

“Poor is one who works with a lazy hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
One who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,
But one who sleeps at harvest is a son who acts shamefully.”

“Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
The mention of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.
The wise of heart will receive commands,
But a babbling fool will come to ruin.”

“One who walks in integrity walks securely,
But one who perverts his ways will be found out.
One who winks the eye causes trouble,
And a babbling fool will come to ruin.”

“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all offenses.”

“On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,
But a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.
Wise people store up knowledge,
But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.”

“The rich person’s wealth is his fortress,
The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
The wages of the righteous is life,
The income of the wicked, punishment.”

“One who heeds instruction is on the path of life,
But one who ignores rebuke goes astray.”

“The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
And the one who spreads slander is a fool.
When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable,
But one who restrains his lips is wise.”

“The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver,
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of understanding.”

“It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich,
And He adds no sorrow to it.”

“Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool,
And so is wisdom to a person of understanding.
What the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the desire of the righteous will be granted.”

“When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.”

“Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy one to those who send him.
The fear of the Lord prolongs life,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.”

“The hope of the righteous is gladness,
But the expectation of the wicked perishes.
The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the upright,
But ruin to the workers of injustice.”

“The righteous will never be shaken,
But the wicked will not live in the land.
The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom,
But the perverted tongue will be cut out.
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked, what is perverted.”

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Context and Meaning

Proverbs 10 marks the beginning of Solomon’s collected sayings, shifting from instruction to application.
These are short, direct, and deeply practical contrasts between two ways of life:

• The way of wisdom and righteousness, rooted in the fear of the Lord.
• The way of foolishness and wickedness, driven by pride, greed, and deceit.

Here, Solomon begins to show how wisdom touches everything — work, speech, family, integrity, and relationships.

Key Themes:

1. Family Joy and Sorrow: Wisdom brings honor; folly brings grief (v. 1).
2. Integrity and Righteousness: God upholds the righteous and frustrates the wicked (v. 2–3).
3. Diligence vs. Laziness: Hard work leads to blessing; laziness leads to ruin (v. 4–5).
4. Speech and Character: The mouth reveals the heart — wisdom brings life; folly brings death (v. 6–11, 18–21, 31–32).
5. Love and Forgiveness: “Love covers all offenses” (v. 12) — a foretaste of Christlike mercy.
6. Wealth and Contentment: True riches come from God’s blessing, not from deceit (v. 22).
7. The Fear of the Lord: It sustains and lengthens life (v. 27).

Reflection and Impact

Proverbs 10 teaches that wisdom is seen most clearly in everyday life — how we work, speak, give, and treat others:

• Righteousness brings stability – “The righteous has an everlasting foundation” (v. 25) connects with Matthew 7:24: the wise man builds his house on the rock.
• Love overcomes strife – “Love covers all offenses” (v. 12) is echoed in 1 Peter 4:8: love covers a multitude of sins.
• Words reveal the heart – “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” (v. 11) mirrors Luke 6:45: out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
• God’s blessing brings peace – “It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich” (v. 22) parallels James 1:17: every good and perfect gift is from above.
• The fear of the Lord preserves life – “The fear of the Lord prolongs life” (v. 27) reflects Proverbs 14:27: the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.

Application

• Work Diligently: Treat your labor as stewardship before God.
• Speak Wisely: Choose words that heal, not harm.
• Love Deeply: Let love cover wrongs and restore relationships.
• Trust God’s Blessing: Don’t chase riches—receive them as His gift.
• Walk Uprightly: Live so that your name becomes a blessing, not a warning.
• Fear the Lord: Reverence Him in every decision—He is the anchor of life.

Closing Thought

The righteous walk securely because their lives are built on truth.
The wicked chase gain but lose their peace.
Proverbs 10 reminds us that wisdom isn’t theory—it’s how we live, love, and speak daily before God.

“The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
And He adds no sorrow to it.”