Proverbs13
New King James Version
1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.
4 The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
5 A righteous man hates lying, But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.
6 Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, But wickedness overthrows the sinner.
7 There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, But the poor does not hear rebuke.
9 The light of the righteous rejoices, But the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
10 By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.
11 Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
13 He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.
15 Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
16 Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool lays open his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, But a faithful ambassador brings health.
18 Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, But he who regards a rebuke will be honored.
19 A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.
21 Evil pursues sinners, But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.
22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
23 Much food is in the fallow ground of the poor, And for lack of justice there is waste.
24 He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
25 The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.
Study
Proverbs 13Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Proverbs 13. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
v1
There is great hope of those that reverence their parents. There is little hope of any who will not hear those that deal faithfully with them.
v2
By our words we must be justified or condemned, Mt 12:37.
v3
He that thinks before he speaks, that suppresses evil if he have thought it, keeps his soul from a great deal both of guilt and grief. Many a one is ruined by an ungoverned tongue.
Key Words
חָכָם: wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אָב: father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
מוּסָר: properly, chastisement; figuratively, reproof, warning or instruction; also restraint
לוּץ: properly, to make mouths at, i.e. to scoff; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign language) to interpret, or (generally) intercede
לֹא: not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
גְּעָרָה: a chiding
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
פְּרִי: fruit (literally or figuratively)
Cross References
Proverbs 13JFB explicitly correlates 'opening wide the lips' with destruction, linking directly to Proverbs 10:14.
Supported by JFB
JFB links eating good from the mouth with the parallel principle in Proverbs 12:14.
Supported by JFB
By our words we must be justified or condemned; directly echoing guarding one's mouth.
Supported by Matthew Henry
JFB links refusing instruction to the same moral warning given in Proverbs 10:17.
Supported by JFB
The specific providence where the wealth of sinners ultimately transfers to the hands of the just.
Supported by JFB
The divine pattern of loving discipline in parenting, connecting loving correction with parental responsibility.
Supported by JFB
JFB correlates the contrasting behavior of wise and foolish/scorning sons to Proverbs 10:1.
Supported by JFB
Verbal echo of the 'lamp of the wicked' being 'put out' (extinguished).
Parallels 'fountain of life' and 'departing from the snares of death' almost word-for-word.
JFB connects the refusal of instruction with the self-inflicted spiritual poverty of Proverbs 12:1.
Supported by JFB
The sinner gathers and heaps up, only to give to him who is good before God.
Contrasts the fool despising his father's instruction with the prudent son regarding reproof.
Identical theological theme: keeping mouth and tongue guards the soul from troubles.
Parallels the desire of the sluggard versus the material and spiritual fatness of the diligent.
Contrasts the incremental, honest accumulation of wealth with sudden vanity and destruction.