Proverbs Chapter 10

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry 32 Verses

What is Proverbs 10 about?

Practical wisdom for daily life, family, work, and worship, all rooted in the fear of the LORD. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
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.
3Jehovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish; But he thrusteth away the desire of the wicked.
4He becometh poor that worketh 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 righteous; But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
7The memory of the righteous 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 the righteous is a fountain of life; But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
12Hatred stirreth up strifes; But love covereth all transgressions.
13In the lips of him that hath discernment 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 a present destruction.
15The rich man`s wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16The labor of the righteous [tendeth] to life; The increase of the wicked, to sin.
17He is in the way of life that heedeth correction; But he that forsaketh reproof erreth.
18He that hideth hatred is of lying lips; And he that uttereth a slander is a fool.
19In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.
20The tongue of the righteous is [as] choice silver: The heart of the wicked is little worth.
21The lips of the righteous feed many; But the foolish die for lack of understanding.
22The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich; And he addeth no sorrow therewith.
23It is as sport to a fool to do wickedness; And [so is] wisdom to a man of understanding.
24The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him; And the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
25When the whirlwind passeth, the wicked is 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 Jehovah 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 Jehovah is a stronghold to the upright; But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
30The righteous shall never be removed; But the wicked shall not dwell in the land.
31The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom; But the perverse tongue shall be cut off.
32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable; But the mouth of the wicked [speaketh] perverseness.

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“The proverbs of Solomon, etc.] This title is repeated from (<200101>Proverbs 1:1); and very properly stands here; since here begin those pithy sentences of Solomon, which bear the name of proverbs; the preceding chapters being a sort of preface or introduction to them; in which Solomon recommends the study of wisdom, shows the profit and advantage of it, gives directions about it, and prepares for the reception of those wise sayings that follow; which are for the most part independent of each other, and consist generally of clauses set in a contrast to one another, and often expressed by similes and metaphors; a…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“Here begins the second part of the book, Pro. 10:1-22:16, which, with the third, Pro. 22:16-25:28, contains series of proverbs whose sense is complete in one or two verses, and which, having no logical connection, admit of no analysis. The parallelisms of Pro. 10:1-15:33 are mostly antithetic; and those of Pro. 16:1-22:16, synthetic. The evidences of art in the structure are very clear, and indicate, probably, a purpose of facilitating the labor of memorizing. (Pro. 10:1-32) wise [and] foolish--as they follow or reject the precepts of wisdom. maketh . . . father--or, "gladdens a father." heaviness--or, "grief."”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“See the Introduction. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 2
“Of wickedness - Such as are got by any sort of wicked practices. Death - Often from temporal, and always from eternal death. Proverbs 10:5”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“10:1–22:16 This long section is called The proverbs of Solomon. It consists mostly of brief bits of advice and observation. These sayings make heavy use of antithetical parallelism to contrast wisdom and righteousness with folly and wickedness. The arrangement of these proverbs appears to be essentially random, as in Egyptian and Mesopotamian wisdom literature. Some proverbs are repeated (see 6:10-11 and 24:33-34; 14:12 and 16:25; 18:8 and 26:22; 19:24 and 26:15; 20:16 and 27:13; 21:9 and 25:24; 22:3 and 27:12). Sometimes a group of proverbs shares a similar theme (e.g., 16:1-11). 10:1 The joy or grief of godly…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“proverbs: Pro 1:1, Pro 25:1; Kg1 4:32; Ecc 12:9 A wise: Pro 15:20, Pro 17:21, Pro 17:25, Pro 19:13, Pro 23:15, Pro 23:16, Pro 23:24, Pro 23:25, Pro 29:3, Pro 29:15; Ecc 2:19 Proverbs 10:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“In the introduction, chap. 1-9, there are larger sections of interconnected thoughts having one common aim. Even in Prov 6:1-19 there are manifestly three proverbial discourses distinguished from one another, shorter indeed, yet containing one fundamental thought. Such proverbs as are primarily designed to form one completed little whole of themselves, are not here to be met with. On the contrary, the Solomonic collection which now follows consists of pure distichs, for the most part antithetical, but at the same time going over all the forms of the technical proverb, as we have already shown; vid., p. 16.…”
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