Proverbs 12:8-28

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Proverbs 12:8-28 The Message (MSG)

A person who talks sense is honored; airheads are held in contempt. Better to be ordinary and work for a living than act important and starve in the process. Good people are good to their animals; the “good-hearted” bad people kick and abuse them. The one who stays on the job has food on the table; the witless chase whims and fancies. What the wicked construct finally falls into ruin, while the roots of the righteous give life, and more life. The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble; the conversation of good people keeps them out of it. Well-spoken words bring satisfaction; well-done work has its own reward. Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice. Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly; the prudent quietly shrug off insults. Truthful witness by a good person clears the air, but liars lay down a smoke screen of deceit. Rash language cuts and maims, but there is healing in the words of the wise. Truth lasts; lies are here today, gone tomorrow. Evil scheming distorts the schemer; peace-planning brings joy to the planner. No evil can overwhelm a good person, but the wicked have their hands full of it. God can’t stomach liars; he loves the company of those who keep their word. Prudent people don’t flaunt their knowledge; talkative fools broadcast their silliness. The diligent find freedom in their work; the lazy are oppressed by work. Worry weighs us down; a cheerful word picks us up. A good person survives misfortune, but a wicked life invites disaster. A lazy life is an empty life, but “early to rise” gets the job done. Good men and women travel right into life; sin’s detours take you straight to hell.

Proverbs 12:8-28 King James Version (KJV)

A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: But he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised. He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better Than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: But he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding. The wicked desireth the net of evil men: But the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit. The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: But the just shall come out of trouble. A 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. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: But he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. A fool's wrath is presently known: But a prudent man covereth shame. He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: But a false witness deceit. There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: But the tongue of the wise is health. The lip of truth shall be established for ever: But a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: But to the counsellors of peace is joy. There shall no evil happen to the just: But the wicked shall be filled with mischief. Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: But they that deal truly are his delight. A prudent man concealeth knowledge: But the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: But the slothful shall be under tribute. Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: But a good word maketh it glad. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: But the way of the wicked seduceth them. The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: But the substance of a diligent man is precious. In the way of righteousness is life; And in the pathway thereof there is no death.

Proverbs 12:8-28 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)

A man will be praised according to his insight, But one of perverse mind will be despised. Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant Than he who honors himself and lacks bread. A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel. He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense. The wicked man desires the booty of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit. An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble. A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. A fool’s anger is known at once, But a prudent man conceals dishonor. He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit. There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is only for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. No harm befalls the righteous, But the wicked are filled with trouble. Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal faithfully are His delight. A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims folly. The hand of the diligent will rule, But the slack hand will be put to forced labor. Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad. The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray. A lazy man does not roast his prey, But the precious possession of a man is diligence. In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.

Proverbs 12:8-28 New Century Version (NCV)

The wisdom of the wise wins praise, but there is no respect for the stupid. A person who is not important but has a servant is better off than someone who acts important but has no food. Good people take care of their animals, but even the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. Those who work their land will have plenty of food, but the one who chases empty dreams is not wise. The wicked want what other evil people have stolen, but good people want to give what they have to others. Evil people are trapped by their evil talk, but good people stay out of trouble. People will be rewarded for what they say, and they will also be rewarded for what they do. Fools think they are doing right, but the wise listen to advice. Fools quickly show that they are upset, but the wise ignore insults. An honest witness tells the truth, but a dishonest witness tells lies. Careless words stab like a sword, but wise words bring healing. Truth will continue forever, but lies are only for a moment. Those who plan evil are full of lies, but those who plan peace are happy. No harm comes to a good person, but an evil person’s life is full of trouble. The LORD hates those who tell lies but is pleased with those who keep their promises. Wise people keep what they know to themselves, but fools can’t keep from showing how foolish they are. Hard workers will become leaders, but those who are lazy will be slaves. Worry is a heavy load, but a kind word cheers you up. Good people take advice from their friends, but an evil person is easily led to do wrong. The lazy catch no food to cook, but a hard worker will have great wealth. Doing what is right is the way to life, but there is another way that leads to death.

Proverbs 12:8-28 American Standard Version (ASV)

A man shall be commended according to his wisdom; But he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised. Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant, Than he that honoreth himself, and lacketh bread. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast; But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread; But he that followeth after vain persons is void of understanding. The wicked desireth the net of evil men; But the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit. In the transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil man; But the righteous shall come out of trouble. A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth; And the doings of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; But he that is wise hearkeneth unto counsel. A fool’s vexation is presently known; But a prudent man concealeth shame. He that uttereth truth showeth forth righteousness; But a false witness, deceit. There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health. The lip of truth shall be established for ever; But a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of them that devise evil; But to the counsellors of peace is joy. There shall no mischief happen to the righteous; But the wicked shall be filled with evil. Lying lips are an abomination to Jehovah; But they that deal truly are his delight. A prudent man concealeth knowledge; But the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule; But the slothful shall be put under taskwork. Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop; But a good word maketh it glad. The righteous is a guide to his neighbor; But the way of the wicked causeth them to err. The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting; But the precious substance of men is to the diligent. In the way of righteousness is life; And in the pathway thereof there is no death.

Proverbs 12:8-28 New International Version (NIV)

A person is praised according to their prudence, and one with a warped mind is despised. Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food. The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense. The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers, but the root of the righteous endures. Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, and so the innocent escape trouble. From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward. The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult. An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies. The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy. No harm overtakes the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble. The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves, but a fool’s heart blurts out folly. Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor. Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt. In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.

Proverbs 12:8-28 New King James Version (NKJV)

A man will be commended according to his wisdom, But he who is of a perverse heart will be despised. Better is the one who is slighted but has a servant, Than he who honors himself but lacks bread. A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread, But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding. The wicked covet the catch of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit. The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will come through trouble. A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise. A fool’s wrath is known at once, But a prudent man covers shame. He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit. There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health. The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. No grave trouble will overtake the righteous, But the wicked shall be filled with evil. Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight. A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness. The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor. Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad. The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray. The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, But diligence is man’s precious possession. In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.

Proverbs 12:8-28 Amplified Bible (AMP)

A man will be commended according to his insight and sound judgment, But the one who is of a perverse mind will be despised. Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant, Than he who [boastfully] honors himself [pretending to be what he is not] and lacks bread. A righteous man has kind regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel. [Deut 25:4] He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who follows worthless things lacks common sense and good judgment. The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields richer fruit. An evil man is [dangerously] ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble. A man will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him [as a harvest]. The way of the [arrogant] fool [who rejects God’s wisdom] is right in his own eyes, But a wise and prudent man is he who listens to counsel. [Prov 3:7; 9:9; 21:2] The [arrogant] fool’s anger is quickly known [because he lacks self-control and common sense], But a prudent man ignores an insult. He who speaks truth [when he testifies] tells what is right, But a false witness utters deceit [in court]. There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is [credited] only for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. No harm befalls the righteous, But the wicked are filled with trouble. [Job 5:19; Ps 91:3; Prov 12:13; Is 46:4; Jer 1:8; Dan 6:27; 2 Tim 4:18] Lying lips are extremely disgusting to the LORD, But those who deal faithfully are His delight. [Prov 6:17; 11:20; Rev 22:15] A shrewd man is reluctant to display his knowledge [until the proper time], But the heart of [over-confident] fools proclaims foolishness. [Is 32:6] The hand of the diligent will rule, But the negligent and lazy will be put to forced labor. Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, But a good (encouraging) word makes it glad. [Ps 50:4; Prov 15:13] The righteous man is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray. The lazy man does not catch and roast his prey, But the precious possession of a [wise] man is diligence [because he recognizes opportunities and seizes them]. In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death [but immortality—eternal life]. [John 3:36; 4:36; 8:51; 11:26; 1 Cor 15:54; Gal 6:8]

Proverbs 12:8-28 New Living Translation (NLT)

A sensible person wins admiration, but a warped mind is despised. Better to be an ordinary person with a servant than to be self-important but have no food. The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel. A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense. Thieves are jealous of each other’s loot, but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit. The wicked are trapped by their own words, but the godly escape such trouble. Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards. Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted. An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies. Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed. Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! No harm comes to the godly, but the wicked have their fill of trouble. The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness. Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave. Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find. The way of the godly leads to life; that path does not lead to death.

Proverbs 12:8-28 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Everyone admires a man of principles, but the one with a corrupt heart is despised. Just be who you are and work hard for a living, for that’s better than pretending to be important and starving to death. A good man takes care of the needs of his pets, while even the kindest acts of a wicked man are still cruel. Work hard at your job and you’ll have what you need. Following a get-rich-quick scheme is nothing but a fantasy. The cravings of the wicked are only for what is evil, but righteousness is the core motivation for the lovers of God, and it keeps them content and flourishing. The wicked will get trapped by their words of gossip, slander, and lies. But for the righteous, honesty is its own defense. For there is great satisfaction in speaking the truth, and hard work brings blessings back to you. A fool is in love with his own opinion, but wisdom means being teachable. If you shrug off an insult and refuse to take offense, you demonstrate discretion indeed. But the fool has a short fuse and will immediately let you know when he’s offended. Truthfulness marks the righteous, but the habitual liar can never be trusted. Reckless words are like the thrusts of a sword, cutting remarks meant to stab and to hurt. But the words of the wise soothe and heal. Truthful words will stand the test of time, but one day every lie will be seen for what it is. Deception fills the hearts of those who plot harm, but those who plan for peace are filled with joy. Calamity is not allowed to overwhelm the righteous, but there’s nothing but trouble waiting for the wicked. Live in the truth and keep your promises, and the Lord will keep delighting in you, but he detests a liar. Those who possess wisdom don’t feel the need to impress others with what they know, but foolish ones make sure their ignorance is on display. If you want to reign in life, don’t sit on your hands. Instead, work hard at doing what’s right, for the slacker will end up working to make someone else succeed. Anxious fear brings depression, but a life-giving word of encouragement can do wonders to restore joy to the heart. Lovers of God give good advice to their friends, but the counsel of the wicked will lead them astray. A passive person won’t even complete a project, but a passionate person makes good use of his time, wealth, and energy. Abundant life is discovered by walking in righteousness, but holding on to your anger leads to death.

Proverbs 12:8-28 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

A man is commended according to his good sense, but one of twisted mind is despised. Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread. Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit. An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble. From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult. Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit. There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy. No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble. Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight. A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly. The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor. Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth. In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.