THE WORD Proverbs 10:1–32 (The Living Bible) Happy is the man with a level-headed son; sad the mother of a rebel. 2Ill-gotten gain brings no lasting happiness; right living does. 3The Lord will not let a good man starve to death, nor will he let the wicked man’s riches continue forever. 4Lazy men are soon poor; hard workers get rich. 5A wise youth makes hay while the sun shines, but what a shame to see a lad who sleeps away his hour of opportunity. 6The good man is covered with blessings from head to foot, but an evil man inwardly curses his luck. 7We all have happy memories of good men gone to their reward, but the names of wicked men stink after them. 8The wise man is glad to be instructed, but a self-sufficient fool falls flat on his face. 9A good man has firm footing, but a crook will slip and fall. 10Winking at sin leads to sorrow; bold reproof leads to peace. 11There is living truth in what a good man says, but the mouth of the evil man is filled with curses. 12Hatred stirs old quarrels, but love overlooks insults. 13Men with common sense are admired as counselors; those without it are beaten as servants. 14A wise man holds his tongue. Only a fool blurts out everything he knows; that only leads to sorrow and trouble. 15The rich man’s wealth is his only strength. The poor man’s poverty is his only curse. 16The good man’s earnings advance the cause of righteousness. The evil man squanders his on sin. 17Anyone willing to be corrected is on the pathway to life. Anyone refusing has lost his chance. 18To hide hatred is to be a liar; to slander is to be a fool. 19Don’t talk so much. You keep putting your foot in your mouth. Be sensible and turn off the flow! 20When a good man speaks, he is worth listening to, but the words of fools are a dime a dozen. 21A godly man gives good advice, but a rebel is destroyed by lack of common sense. 22The Lord’s blessing is our greatest wealth. All our work adds nothing to it! 23A fool’s fun is being bad; a wise man’s fun is being wise! 24The wicked man’s fears will all come true and so will the good man’s hopes. 25Disaster strikes like a cyclone and the wicked are whirled away. But the good man has a strong anchor. 26A lazy fellow is a pain to his employers—like smoke in their eyes or vinegar that sets the teeth on edge. 27Reverence for God adds hours to each day; so how can the wicked expect a long, good life? 28The hope of good men is eternal happiness; the hopes of evil men are all in vain. 29God protects the upright but destroys the wicked. 30The good shall never lose God’s blessings, but the wicked shall lose everything. 31The good man gives wise advice, but the liar’s counsel is shunned. 32The upright speak what is helpful; the wicked speak rebellion. LOVE.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 19:12:45 +0000