Proverbs 12

¹Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but whoever hates correction is stupid.

² Good people obtain favor from the Lord,
    but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.

³ No one can be established through wickedness,
    but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

⁴ A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown,
    but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

⁵ The plans of the righteous are just,
    but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

⁶ The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
    but the speech of the upright rescues them.

⁷ The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
    but the house of the righteous stands firm.

⁸ A person is praised according to their prudence,
    and one with a warped mind is despised.

⁹ Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
    than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

¹⁰ The righteous care for the needs of their animals,
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

¹¹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies have no sense.

¹² The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous endures.

¹³ Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,
    and so the innocent escape trouble.

¹⁴ From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.

¹⁵ The way of fools seems right to them,
    but the wise listen to advice.

¹⁶ Fools show their annoyance at once,
    but the prudent overlook an insult.

¹⁷ An honest witness tells the truth,
    but a false witness tells lies.

¹⁸ The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

¹⁹ Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

²⁰ Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but those who promote peace have joy.

²¹ No harm overtakes the righteous,
    but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

²² The Lord detests lying lips,
    but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

²³ The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,
    but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.

²⁴ Diligent hands will rule,
    but laziness ends in forced labor.

²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the heart,
    but a kind word cheers it up.

²⁶ The righteous choose their friends carefully,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

²⁷ The lazy do not roast^[a] any game,
    but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.

²⁸ In the way of righteousness there is life;
    along that path is immortality.