Proverbs 13 is the thirteenth chapter of the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.[1] The book is a compilation of several wisdom literature collections, with the heading in 1:1 may be intended to regard Solomon as the traditional author of the whole book, but the dates of the individual collections are difficult to determine, and the book probably obtained its final shape in the post-exilic period. This chapter is a part of the second collection of the book.
The following table shows the Hebrew text[2] [3] of Proverbs 13 with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
| Verse | Hebrew | English translation (JPS 1917) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A wise son is instructed of his father; But a scorner heareth not rebuke. | ||
| 2 | A man shall eat good from the fruit of his mouth; But the desire of the faithless is violence. | ||
| 3 | He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life; But for him that openeth wide his lips there shall be ruin. | ||
| 4 | The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be abundantly gratified. | ||
| 5 | A righteous man hateth lying; But a wicked man behaveth vilely and shamefully. | ||
| 6 | Righteousness guardeth him that is upright in the way; But wickedness overthroweth the sinner. | ||
| 7 | There is that pretendeth himself rich, yet hath nothing; There is that pretendeth himself poor, yet hath great wealth. | ||
| 8 | The ransom of a man’s life are his riches; But the poor heareth no threatening. | ||
| 9 | The light of the righteous rejoiceth; But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. | ||
| 10 | By pride cometh only contention; But with the well-advised is wisdom. | ||
| 11 | Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished; But he that gathereth little by little shall increase. . | ||
| 12 | Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; But desire fulfilled is a tree of life. | ||
| 13 | Whoso despiseth the word shall suffer thereby; But he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. | ||
| 14 | The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, To depart from the snares of death. | ||
| 15 | Good understanding giveth grace; But the way of the faithless is harsh. | ||
| 16 | Every prudent man dealeth with forethought; But a fool unfoldeth folly. | ||
| 17 | A wicked messenger falleth into evil; But a faithful ambassador is health. | ||
| 18 | Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction; But he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured. | ||
| 19 | The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul; And it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil. | ||
| 20 | He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; But the companion of fools shall smart for it. | ||
| 21 | Evil pursueth sinners; But to the righteous good shall be repaid. | ||
| 22 | A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children; And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous. | ||
| 23 | Much food is in the tillage of the poor; But there is that is swept away by want of righteousness. | ||
| 24 | He that spareth his rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. | ||
| 25 | The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his desire; But the belly of the wicked shall want. |
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008). Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q103 (4QProv; 30 BCE – 30 CE) with extant verses 6–9.[4] [5]
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B;
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This chapter belongs to a section regarded as the second collection in the book of Proverbs (comprising Proverbs 10:1–22:16), also called "The First 'Solomonic' Collection" (the second one in Proverbs 25:1–29:27). The collection contains 375 sayings, each of which consists of two parallel phrases, except for which consists of three parts.
A wise son hears his father's instruction,
but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.[6]
This saying reinforces the parental appeals of chapters 1–9, with a warning that a refusal to heed correction ("rebuke") would place 'wisdom beyond reach' of the 'scoffer' (cf. Proverbs 9:7–8; 14:6; 15:12). verse 24 uses the word 'discipline' (Hebrew: mū-sār) in relation to physical chastisement.
He who spares his rod hates his son,
but he who loves him disciplines him early.[9]
The word 'discipline' here is used in relation to 'physical chastisement' (cf. "instruction" in verse 1), which is viewed as essential for the upbringing of a child. The contrast between 'hate' and 'love' points to the importance of the wisdom attached to it (cf. Proverbs 20:30; 23:13–14).
. Michael D. Coogan . The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 . Coogan . Michael David . Marc Zvi . Brettler . Carol Ann . Newsom . Pheme . Perkins . Augmented 3rd . Oxford University Press . 2007 . 9780195288810 .
. Joseph Fitzmyer . A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 2008. 9780802862419. Grand Rapids, MI .
. Michael V. Fox . Proverbs 10-31: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary . Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries . Yale University Press . 2009 . 978-0300155563.
. Henry Hampton Halley. Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary . 24th (revised). Zondervan Publishing House . 1965 . 0-310-25720-4.