The chapter begins with a family-centered contrast: a wise son brings joy to his father, while a foolish son brings grief to his mother. Wisdom and folly are not private abstractions; they affect the household and those who love the learner.
Proverbs 10:1
1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
The proverbs contrast ill-gotten treasures with righteousness, wicked cravings with the LORD's provision for the righteous, lazy hands with diligent hands, and seasonal wisdom with shameful neglect. The unit establishes that money, labor, hunger, and timing are moral arenas.
2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 10:3
3 Yahweh will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry, but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.
Proverbs 10:4
4 He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.
Proverbs 10:5
5 He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.
Blessings crown the righteous, while violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked rots. The wise receive commands, while the chattering fool comes to ruin. Integrity brings security, but crookedness is exposed. Harmful signals and foolish speech bring grief and collapse.
Proverbs 10:6
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
Proverbs 10:7
7 The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.
8 The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall.
9 He who walks blamelessly walks surely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.
Proverbs 10:10
10 One winking with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, while violence overwhelms the wicked. Hatred stirs conflict, but love covers wrongs. Wisdom is found on discerning lips, while the rod is for the back of the one lacking sense. The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool invites ruin. Wealth and poverty are observed in their social effects, but the wages of righteousness lead to life, while the earnings of the wicked lead to sin. Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
Proverbs 10:12
12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs.
Proverbs 10:13
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment, but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.
Proverbs 10:14
14 Wise men lay up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near ruin.
Proverbs 10:15
15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16 The labor of the righteous leads to life. The increase of the wicked leads to sin.
Proverbs 10:17
17 He is in the way of life who heeds correction, but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.
The chapter continues its speech emphasis by condemning concealed hatred and slander. Many words increase the likelihood of sin, while restraint is prudent. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked has little value. The lips of the righteous nourish many, while fools die for lack of sense.
Proverbs 10:18
18 He who hides hatred has lying lips. He who utters a slander is a fool.
Proverbs 10:19
19 In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.
Proverbs 10:20
20 The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver. The heart of the wicked is of little worth.
Proverbs 10:21
21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.
The blessing of the LORD brings wealth without painful toil added to it. Fools enjoy wicked schemes, while people of understanding delight in wisdom. What the wicked dread overtakes them, but the righteous receive what they desire. The storm passes and the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm. The sluggard irritates those who send him. The fear of the LORD adds length to life, while the years of the wicked are cut short. The prospect of the righteous is joy, while the hopes of the wicked fail. The way of the LORD is refuge for the blameless but ruin for evildoers. The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land.
Proverbs 10:22
22 Yahweh’s blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.
23 It is a fool’s pleasure to do wickedness, but wisdom is a man of understanding’s pleasure.
Proverbs 10:24
24 What the wicked fear, will overtake them, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
Proverbs 10:25
25 When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more; but the righteous stand firm forever.
Proverbs 10:26
26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.
Proverbs 10:27
27 The fear of Yahweh prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
Proverbs 10:28
28 The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hope of the wicked will perish.
Proverbs 10:29
29 The way of Yahweh is a stronghold to the upright, but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
Proverbs 10:30
30 The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
The chapter closes where it has repeatedly focused: the mouth. The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be silenced. The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.
Proverbs 10:31
31 The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
Proverbs 10:32
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.