Chapter Overview
Summary
Proverbs 10 opens the first SOLOMONIC COLLECTION (chapters 10–22:16) — hundreds of individual two-line-proverbs, predominantly-antithetic (wise/foolish, righteous/wicked, diligent/lazy) rather than connected-discourse. Verse 12's 'love covers all offenses' is cited at 1 Peter 4:8's 'love covers a multitude of sins.' Verse 27's 'fear of the LORD prolongs life' restates the longevity-theology.
Notable Variants
10:12 'love covers all offenses' → 1 Peter 4:8 (verbatim 'love covers a multitude of sins'); 10:27 'fear of the LORD prolongs life'; transition to Solomon's proper proverbs begins.
Structural Notes
MT Prov 10 = LXX Prov 10. 32 verses. Opens the first SOLOMONIC COLLECTION (Prov 10–22:16).
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son is grief to his mother.
'The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother' tracks MT. WISE-SON-GLAD-FATHER / FOOLISH-SON-SORROW-MOTHER — opening-antithetic.
Treasures gained by wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.
'Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death' tracks MT. RIGHTEOUSNESS-DELIVERS-FROM-DEATH.
The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but He thrusts aside the craving of the wicked.
'The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked' tracks MT.
A slack hand makes for poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
'A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich' tracks MT. DILIGENT-HAND wealth axiom.
A son who gathers in summer acts wisely, but a son who sleeps through harvest brings shame.
'He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame' tracks MT.
Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
'Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence' tracks MT.
The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
'The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot' tracks MT. NAME-WILL-ROT — memory-of-the-wicked decay.
The wise in heart accept commands, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
'The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin' tracks MT.
Whoever walks with integrity walks securely, but whoever makes their ways crooked will be found out.
'Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out' tracks MT. WALK-IN-INTEGRITY security.
Whoever winks with the eye causes pain, and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
'Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin' tracks MT.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
'The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence' tracks MT. FOUNTAIN-OF-LIFE mouth. John 7:38's 'out of his heart will flow rivers of living water' extends.
Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.
Masoretic (WLC)
שִׂנְאָה תְּעוֹרֵר מְדָנִים וְעַל כָּל־פְּשָׁעִים תְּכַסֶּה אַהֲבָה
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses
Septuagint (LXX)
μῖσος ἐγείρει νεῖκος πάντας δὲ τοὺς μὴ φιλονεικοῦντας καλύπτει φιλία
Hatred stirs up strife, but friendship covers all those who are not contentious
1 PETER 4:8 CITATION. 1 Peter 4:8 — 'above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS (hoti agapē kalyptei plēthos hamartiōn)' — draws on this verse's second-half. Peter's wording is closer to the Hebrew sense than to the LXX's actual-reading (which spiritualizes 'friendship-covers-non-contentious'). Peter may be citing a different Greek textual-tradition or paraphrasing freely from the Hebrew familiar-memory.
The LOVE-COVERS-SINS axiom becomes foundational ecclesial-ethics. James 5:20 ('will cover a multitude of sins,' kalypsei plēthos hamartiōn) repeats the same vocabulary. The pattern: community-love absorbs and doesn't-publicize offenses that are not dangerous-to-others.
On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of the one who lacks sense.
'On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense' tracks MT.
The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool invites ruin.
'The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near' tracks MT.
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
'A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin' tracks MT.
The earnings of the righteous lead to life; the income of the wicked leads to sin.
'The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin' tracks MT.
Whoever heeds discipline is on the path to life, but whoever ignores correction goes astray.
'Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray' tracks MT.
Whoever conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
'The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool' tracks MT.
Where words are many, sin is not absent; but whoever restrains his lips acts wisely.
'When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent' tracks MT. MANY-WORDS / RESTRAINT. James 1:19 ('slow to speak'), 3:2–12 (tongue-chapter) extend.
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is worth little.
'The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth' tracks MT.
The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.
'The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense' tracks MT.
The blessing of the LORD — it makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.
'The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it' tracks MT. BLESSING-OF-LORD-WITHOUT-SORROW — the anti-striving theology of divine-gift.
Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool, but wisdom is natural to a person of understanding.
'Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding' tracks MT.
What the wicked dread will come upon them, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
'What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted' tracks MT.
When the storm passes, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand on an everlasting foundation.
'When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever' tracks MT. TEMPEST-PASSES — Matt 7:24–27 (wise-and-foolish-builders on rock-and-sand) extends.
Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.
'Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him' tracks MT.
The fear of the LORD adds days, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
'The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short' tracks MT. FEAR-OF-LORD-PROLONGS-LIFE. Ephesians 6:2–3 ('that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land') extends the obedience-longevity connection.
The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
'The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish' tracks MT.
The way of the LORD is a stronghold for the blameless, but destruction for evildoers.
'The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers' tracks MT.
The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not inhabit the land.
'The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land' tracks MT. NEVER-REMOVED promise — Ps 15:5 echoed.
The mouth of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
'The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off' tracks MT.
The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perversity.
'The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse' tracks MT.