Proverbs 12

¹Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.

²A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

³A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

⁴A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

⁵The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.

Recompensed - Punished for his sins.

⁶The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

Lie in wait - Are designed to entrap others, and to destroy them. Deliver them - From those that lie in wait for them.

⁷The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

Are not - Both they and their families suddenly perish.

⁹He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

Despised - That lives in a mean condition. Honoureth - That glories in his high birth or gay attire.

¹⁰A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

Regardeth - He will not destroy it either by labour beyond its strength, or by denying it necessary food or rest. Cruel - There is cruelty mixed even with their most merciful actions.

¹¹He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

Tilleth - That employs his time in an honest calling. Vain persons - In an idle course of living.

¹²The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.

Desireth - He approves those arts, which wicked men use like nets to ensnare other men. The root - That piety, which is the root of his actions, yields him sufficient fruit both for his own need, and to do good to others.

¹⁴A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.

Mouth - By his pious and profitable discourses. Hands - Of his actions.

¹⁵The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

Hearkeneth - That distrusts his own judgments, and seeks counsel from others.

¹⁶A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.

Covereth - The shame, or injury done to him, which he conceals and bears with patience.

¹⁷He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.

Deceit - He who uses himself to lying in his common talk, will use falsehood and deceit in judgment.

¹⁸There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

Health - Tends to the comfort and benefit of others.

¹⁹The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

A moment - Liars, though they may make a fair shew for a season, yet are quickly convicted.

²⁰Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

Deceit - They whose hearts devise mischief shall be deceived in their hopes, and bring trouble upon themselves: but they who by good counsels labour to promote peace, shall reap the comfort of it themselves.

²³A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

Concealeth - He does not unseasonably utter what he knows. Foolishness - Betrays his ignorance and folly.

²⁵Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

A good word - A compassionate or encouraging word.

²⁶The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

Neighbour - Than any other men. Seduceth - Heb. maketh them to err, to lose that excellency or happiness which they had promised themselves.

²⁷The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

Resteth not - Does not enjoy the fruit of his labours. Precious - Yields him comfort and blessing with it.