Proverbs 10 Summary & Meaning

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Summary

Proverbs 10:1–5 – Diligence and Integrity

What happens: A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son brings sorrow. Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry. Lazy hands lead to poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.

What it means: God ties joy and stability to wisdom and honest work. Sin cannot secure lasting gain because God is just. Diligence honors the Creator’s design for stewardship. Righteousness brings real safety under God’s care.

Proverbs 10:6–12 – Blessings, Memory, and Words

What happens: Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence covers the wicked. The memory of the righteous is a blessing, while the name of the wicked rots. Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

What it means: Character leaves a legacy because God values justice and faithful love. Love aims at peace and restoration, reflecting God’s mercy. Words reveal the heart and either heal or harm. Wisdom chooses speech that builds up.

Proverbs 10:13–21 – The Tongue and Its Fruit

What happens: Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense. The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin. The lips of the righteous feed many, while fools die for lack of heart.

What it means: God designed speech to serve life, truth, and teaching. Discipline meets stubborn folly because God is just. Wise people prepare and speak with care, reflecting God’s order. Communities flourish when words nourish.

Proverbs 10:22–27 – God’s Blessing and the Shortness of Wickedness

What happens: The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no heavy sorrow with it. Doing wrong is like sport to a fool, but the wise delight in wisdom. The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.

What it means: Real prosperity comes from God’s favor, not scheming. Joy in wisdom reflects trust in God’s goodness. Reverence for the Lord brings longevity under His care. God’s justice limits the reach of evil.

Proverbs 10:28–32 – Hopes, Storms, and Steady Speech

What happens: The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked perishes. The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the blameless. The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land. The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, while perverse tongues will be cut off.

What it means: God anchors the righteous through trouble, proving His faithfulness. Wicked hopes collapse because they rest on sand. Stability belongs to those who walk with God. Speech that aligns with wisdom endures, because God loves truth.

Application

Practice honest work and steady discipline; resist shortcuts.
Use words to heal and teach; refuse gossip, lies, and stirring strife.
Build hope on the Lord’s blessing, not on luck or schemes.

Bible

¹The 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.

⁹He 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.

¹⁷He 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.

²⁵As 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.

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