Proverbs Chapter 12

¹ Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge;

whoever hates to be corrected stays ignorant.

                  ²The LORD gives grace to the good,

            but condemns those who concoct evil.

³ Sinfulness brings instability,

but godliness grows deep roots.

                  ⁴A good wife is her husband’s crown,

            but one that embarrasses him is like cancer in his bones.

⁵ You can trust the thinking of the righteous,

but the advice of sinners is treacherous.

                  ⁶The words of sinners are like a murderous ambush,

            but the words of the godly rescue people.                 

Prov 12:1-6

⁷ The sinful are overthrown and disappear,

but the godly stand firm.

                  ⁸People are commended for using good sense;

            people with perverted minds are despised.

⁹ The humble who work as servants are better off

than those who honor themselves and go hungry.

                  ¹⁰Good people care about their animals’ life;

            sinful people are cruel to everything.

¹¹ Plow your ground and you’ll have plenty to eat;

chasing after fantasies shows poor judgment.

                  ¹²Sinners are jealous of each other’s plunder,

            but the goodly produce their own things.                  

Prov 12:7-12

¹³ Their own words trap sinful people;

good people avoid trouble like that.

                  ¹⁴Good people gain satisfaction

                  from the effects of their words;

            their actions also return to reward them.

¹⁵ Fools think their way is the right way;

but the wise are willing to listen.

                  ¹⁶Fools fly off the handle when insulted,

            but the prudent stay calm.

¹⁷ Honest witnesses tell the truth;

false ones just make up something.

                  ¹⁸Cutting remarks spoken rashly thrust like daggers,

            but wise words heal wounds.                                     

Prov 12:13-18

¹⁹ A truthful tongue lasts a lifetime,

but lying lips don’t endure.

                  ²⁰Deceit lies in hearts that lay plots,

            but advisors of peace have joy.

²¹ Harm tends not to fall on good people;

sinners are always in trouble.

                  ²²The LORD detests liars

            but delights in reliable people.

²³ Prudent people hold back telling how much they know;

foolish people talk too much.

                  ²⁴The diligent rule;

            the lazy end up enslaved.                                           

Prov 12:19-24

²⁵ Anxiety weighs people down;

an encouraging word raises them up.

                  ²⁶Godly people serve as guides for their friends;

            sinful ones get them lost.

²⁷ Lazy people don’t achieve their goals;

diligent ones gain precious possessions.

                  ²⁸Life lies along the road good people follow;

            there’s no death there.                                               

Prov 12:25-28