Proverbs 13:1-25
1 A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.
3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
6 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.a
7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
8 The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.
9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lampb of the wicked shall be put out.
10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labourc shall increase.
12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.d
14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithfule ambassador is health.
18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.
19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.f
21 Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
23 Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.
24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.
Proverbs 13. This chapter has little that is fresh and no new groups of proverbs. We have a well-known reference to the weariness of waiting for a hope that comes not (Proverbs 13:12 and Proverbs 13:19 a). There is a new proverb relating to the faithfulness of messengers, perhaps with reference to diplomatic missions.
Proverbs 13:5. is loathsome: render behaves vilely.
Proverbs 13:7. Both AV and RV obscure the point of the aphorism, which contrasts two equally obnoxious social shams. Translate, There are poor people who pretend to be rich, and there are rich people who feign they are poor.
Proverbs 13:8. The last words appear to have come in by dittography from Proverbs 13:1. The real point of the contrast intended appears in Proverbs 10:15 the social disadvantage of poverty and the last words should express a similar thought.
Proverbs 13:9. rejoiceth is hardly appropriate; read with a slight emendation ariseth (cf. Psalms 112:4). LXX reads is for ever. The earlier meaning of light and lamp is the preservation of the family name and honour (cf. the promise to David to give him a lamp in Jerusalem, 1 Kings 11:36; Psalms 132:17). Later it acquires a more ethical meaning, the path of the just is as a shining light.
Proverbs 13:10. The text is very uncertain. The first three letters of MT are probably repeated by scribal error from Proverbs 13:9. Omitting them we read presumption causes strife. But the proverb is probably a corrupt form of Proverbs 11:2, as comparison with it suggests.
Proverbs 13:11. The Heb. reads lit. Wealth from nothingness grows less, but he who gathers by hand increases. Some change is clearly needed. The LXX gives a better sense and a suitable contrast, wealth got in haste (cf. Proverbs 20:21; Proverbs 28:22). The force of by hand (cf. mg.) is gradually, not by labour as the RV.
Proverbs 13:13 a is the converse of Proverbs 16:20 a. the word: the moral law, the law of Yahweh.
Proverbs 13:15 b gives no intelligible sense, and cannot be related to Proverbs 13:15 a. Lit. it reads the way of the treacherous is enduring; RV rugged has no justification. LXX reads, with slight change, is in destruction. But the two clauses are still unrelated, and probably belong to different couplets (cf. Sir_41:10).
Proverbs 13:17. The contrast is apparently between the mischief caused by a bad or incompetent messenger and the prosperous issue of affairs conducted by a reliable envoy or ambassador. The word used for ambassador or envoy suggests rather a political sense, and the LXX has the interesting though probably erroneous rendering a rash king gets into trouble, but a wise ambassador will deliver him. Read A false (or untrustworthy) messenger causes (his sender) to fall into trouble (cf. Proverbs 25:13).
Proverbs 13:19. Another case of two unrelated lines. For Proverbs 13:19 a cf. Proverbs 13:12, and for Proverbs 13:19 b cf. Pro. 29:37.
Proverbs 13:23. The Heb. gives no satisfactory sense or intelligible contrast. It reads lit. The fallow ground (as Hosea 10:12; Jeremiah 4:3) of the poor is abundance of food, and there is that is swept away by injustice. The VSS show similar confusion. No satisfactory emendation has been proposed.