Through the Bible – Day 242

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,

but being good

can save you 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 clever 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,

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.

₁₂Hatred 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 lose their 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.