BOOK 20 OF 66 · WISDOM & POETRY · KING JAMES BIBLE

Proverbs 10

Proverbs book home•Chapter 10 of 31•32 verses

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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Proverbs 10 Overview

Short sayings compare wise and foolish children, diligent and lazy work, truthful and destructive speech, righteous and wicked outcomes, generosity, correction, and the fear of the LORD.

ProverbsBook

10Chapter

32Verses

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Before you read Proverbs 10

Coming from

Proverbs 9 emphasized two rival invitations: wisdom and folly. Because many proverbs are individual sayings rather than a continuous argument, the chapter-to-chapter connection is thematic rather than narrative.

In this chapter

Short sayings compare wise and foolish children, diligent and lazy work, truthful and destructive speech, righteous and wicked outcomes, generosity, correction, and the fear of the LORD.

Leads into

Proverbs 11 turns to integrity, generosity, and righteousness outweigh wealth, expanding wisdom into another set of choices, contrasts, and observations.

Key understandingExplore deeper

From this chapter onward, many proverbs are stand-alone observations. Do not assume every adjacent verse forms one continuous argument. Proverbs uses compact wisdom sayings to train judgment. Its normal patterns describe how God’s moral order ordinarily works; they are not mechanical guarantees that remove human freedom, suffering, or providence.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Central truth

The first major collection contrasts righteous and wicked lives.

Wisdom truth

In Proverbs 10, wisdom is moral skill under the fear of the LORD, not merely intelligence or practical cleverness.

Contrast truth

In Proverbs 10, the paired sayings train discernment by setting wise and foolish paths beside one another.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Wisdom connection

James 1:5 says those who lack wisdom should ask God, who gives generously. This connection helps frame Proverbs 10.

Contrast connection

Galatians 6:7-8 also stresses that different sowing produces different harvests. This connection helps frame Proverbs 10.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep wisdom in context

Do not read Proverbs 10 as a set of magic formulas. Proverbs trains wise judgment in the ordinary moral order God established.

Keep contrast in context

Adjacent sayings in Proverbs 10 may be independent contrasts; do not force every verse into one continuous argument.

Read Proverbs 10 watching for…

wise son.

slack hand.

love covers sins.

mouth righteous.

fear prolongs days.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-8Collected contrasts about wise children, honest work, righteousness, and blessing 9-16Sayings about integrity, speech, love, knowledge, labor, and the wages of sin 17-24Instruction contrasts wise correction with lying, excessive words, and foolish pleasure 25-32The righteous are established and hopeful, while the wicked are cut off

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.

He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

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Proverbs 10:2

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