Every Man's Bible - Proverbs - Flipbook - Page 22
Proverbs 13 | page 848
24
Work hard and become a leader;
be lazy and become a slave.
8
The rich can pay a ransom for their lives,
but the poor won’t even get threatened.
25
Worry weighs a person down;
an encouraging word cheers a person up.
9
26
The godly give good advice to their
friends;*
the wicked lead them astray.
The life of the godly is full of light
and joy,
but the light of the wicked will be
snuffed out.
27
Lazy people don’t even cook the game
they catch,
but the diligent make use of everything
they find.
10
Pride leads to conflict;
those who take advice are wise.
11
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes
quickly disappears;
wealth from hard work grows over time.
12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.
A wise child accepts a parent’s
discipline;*
a mocker refuses to listen to
correction.
13
People who despise advice are asking
for trouble;
those who respect a command will
succeed.
2
Wise words will win you a good meal,
but treacherous people have an
appetite for violence.
14
3
Those who control their tongue will
have a long life;
opening your mouth can ruin
everything.
The instruction of the wise is like a
life-giving fountain;
those who accept it avoid the snares
of death.
15
A person with good sense is respected;
a treacherous person is headed for
destruction.*
16
Wise people think before they act;
fools don’t—and even brag about
their foolishness.
17
An unreliable messenger stumbles into
trouble,
but a reliable messenger brings healing.
18
If you ignore criticism, you will end in
poverty and disgrace;
28
The way of the godly leads to life;
that path does not lead to death.
13
1
4
Lazy people want much but get little,
but those who work hard will prosper.
5
The godly hate lies;
the wicked cause shame and disgrace.
6
Godliness guards the path of the blameless,
but the evil are misled by sin.
7
Some who are poor pretend to be rich;
others who are rich pretend to be poor.
12:26 Or The godly are cautious in friendship; or The godly are freed from evil. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
13:1 Hebrew A wise son accepts his father’s discipline. 13:15 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads the way of the treacherous
is lasting.
12:25 This verse reminds us of the value of encouragement. When people are feeling troubled or
burdened, we can let them know we are there for them and that we love them.
13:6 It should not surprise us that evil deeds destroy people. Painful effects are often a direct consequence of a sinful cause. Drug or alcohol abuse will destroy the body; lying will ruin a person’s reputation;
gambling will put one in the poorhouse. To avoid the inevitable results of sinful behavior, we need to
obediently follow God.
13:9 Leaving a sinful past and entering God’s Kingdom is like walking out of the darkness and into the light.
Those of us who enter the light see our need for help and the reality of a loving God who wants to help us.
When we come into the light of God’s Kingdom, we can no longer hide our deeds in the darkness. The light of
God’s truth will cause us to see the truth. Then we can honestly deal with the sins the light has exposed.
13:11 This verse emphasizes the importance of hard work. And just as hard work can produce material
riches, so too can it produce spiritual riches. There are spiritual disciplines that strengthen our spiritual lives.
Physical discipline and exercise strengthen our bodies and preserve our physical lives. Likewise, spiritual
disciplines such as prayer and meditation on God’s Word serve to strengthen us and help us grow spiritually.
13:16 As we see in this verse, it is wise to process our thoughts and feelings before we act (see also 14:8).
Acting purely on impulse can get us into trouble. We may give in to impulses that make us feel good at the
moment but that undermine our long-term health and well-being.
