The big picture
A new group of short sayings is introduced under Solomon, the king named at the book's opening. Contrasts now follow one another more quickly than in the earlier speeches. Wise and foolish children, honest and crooked work, careful and harmful speech, wealth, correction, and lasting hope all appear. The sayings describe the moral direction of a life. They do not recount one person's day. Their repeated concern is what a chosen habit produces for the person and for others.
In this chapter
- Learning and Timely Work Bring Honour Proverbs 10:1-8
A wise child brings parental joy, while foolishness weighs on the household.
- Integrity Gives Safety and Speech Gives Life Proverbs 10:9-16
A straight path brings security, while crooked conduct is exposed.
- Few Wise Words Can Feed Many Proverbs 10:17-24
Keeping instruction stays on the way of life, while rejecting rebuke leads astray.
- Storms Reveal What Has a Firm Base Proverbs 10:25-32
The wicked pass like a storm, while the upright have a lasting base.
Central truth
Teachability, honest work, and guarded speech lead towards life, while greed, harmful words, and refused correction bring shame and ruin.
Scripture beside the summary
Proverbs · King James Version · 32Proverbs 10:1-8
Learning and Timely Work Bring Honour
A wise child brings parental joy, while foolishness weighs on the household. Wealth gained through wrong cannot save, but right living delivers from death. The Lord cares for the upright and rejects wicked gain. Careless hands bring lack; diligent work produces wealth. Harvest is the time to gather, not sleep. Blessing and a good name remain with the upright, while wicked memory decays. The wise receive commands, but the endlessly talking fool falls. Across these sayings, gain is measured by honest effort and a teachable life, not possessions alone.
In everyday life
A farm daughter gets up for the short harvest window and listens when her father explains which rows need picking first. Her brother keeps talking about future profits while leaving his baskets empty. By evening their choices have become visible in the shed. The work brings both food and trust. Proverbs also places lasting honour under the Lord's judgement.
Notice
Proverbs 10:5 Sleeping during harvest misses a time that cannot be moved to suit the sleeper. The contrast concerns timely responsibility as well as effort.
Proverbs 10:1-8
King James Version1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
2Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
3The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
4He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
5He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
6Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
7The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
8The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
Proverbs 10:9-16
Integrity Gives Safety and Speech Gives Life
A straight path brings security, while crooked conduct is exposed. Deceitful gestures cause grief, and foolish talk leads to a fall. Upright speech is a life-giving spring; hatred stirs conflict, while love covers offences instead of feeding them. Wisdom stores knowledge, but folly speaks near ruin and faces correction. The sayings also recognise that wealth protects and poverty exposes people to danger. Yet the use of resources still matters. The upright person's work tends towards life, while wicked gain becomes fuel for further wrong.
In everyday life
A block caretaker hears a minor complaint and checks it privately with the neighbour instead of repeating it through the flats. He repairs the fault and keeps the confidence. No rumour is left to grow in the hallway. His words have helped the shared life rather than inflamed it. Proverbs sets life-giving speech within a wider contrast of righteous and wicked conduct.
Notice
Proverbs 10:12 Love covers offences while hatred keeps stirring quarrels. The contrast concerns whether a wrong is fed into continuing conflict, not whether truth should be falsified.
Proverbs 10:9-16
King James Version9He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
10He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.
11The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
12Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
13In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
14Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
15The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
Proverbs 10:17-24
Few Wise Words Can Feed Many
Keeping instruction stays on the way of life, while rejecting rebuke leads astray. Concealed hatred and slander are both foolish. Many words create more room for sin, so restraint matters. Upright speech is compared to fine silver and food for many people. Folly lacks the wisdom that sustains life. Wealth from the Lord's blessing is distinguished from gain bound up with sorrow. A fool enjoys harm; understanding finds its pleasure in wisdom. The closing contrast gives the wicked what they fear and the upright the good they seek.
In everyday life
A ward nurse listens to a confused handover, then gives one clear account of the patient's needs. She leaves out a rumour and checks the uncertain detail before passing it on. The next shift can act because the words are few and reliable. Care reaches several people through that restraint. Proverbs also traces blessing and desire to the Lord.
Notice
Proverbs 10:21 Upright lips feed many people. The image treats good speech as something others live on, giving words a practical responsibility beyond self-expression.
Proverbs 10:17-24
King James Version17He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.
18He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
19In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
20The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
21The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
22The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
23It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.
24The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
Proverbs 10:25-32
Storms Reveal What Has a Firm Base
The wicked pass like a storm, while the upright have a lasting base. A lazy messenger irritates those relying on him like smoke in the eyes. Reverence for the Lord brings length of days and glad hope; wicked expectation fails. The Lord's way strengthens the upright but destroys wrongdoers. The contrast then returns to speech. Wisdom grows from a good mouth, while the twisted tongue faces being cut out. Acceptable words and crooked speech point towards different ends. The sayings do not separate lasting hope from the habits that fill ordinary days.
In everyday life
A courier leaves a time-sensitive parcel uncollected while the sender waits at the loading bay. Another driver checks the instructions, takes the package, and reports delivery clearly. The difference is felt by everyone whose work depends on the message arriving. Reliability gives the day a firmer base. Proverbs extends the contrast to lasting hope and severe divine judgement.
Notice
Proverbs 10:26 The lazy worker's effect is described from the sender's side. Neglect does not stay private; it causes distress to people who trusted the task to be done.
Proverbs 10:25-32
King James Version25As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.
27The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
28The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
29The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
30The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
31The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Proverbs 10:1 begins with “The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.”
Where the chapter turns
Proverbs 10:16 forms a natural hinge: “The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.”
The final note
Proverbs 10:32 leaves the reader with “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words wicked, righteous, mouth, lips, wise, fool help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- prating
- Talking foolishly and at length without listening.
- slack
- Careless or slow in doing the work that is needed.
Music and video connected to the passage
Related media appears when its Scripture reference overlaps this study. Music and video can illuminate a theme while the biblical text remains the foundation.
