Proverbs 10:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin.

NIV: The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.

NASB: The wages of the righteous is life, The income of the wicked, punishment.

CSB: The reward of the righteous is life; the wages of the wicked is punishment.

NLT: The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin.

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

NKJV: The labor of the righteous leads to life, The wages of the wicked to sin.

The word translated "wage" in this verse is not always a literal reference to money. Instead, it refers to the natural results of something. In that sense, the "wage" of lighting a match is fire, and the "wage" of blowing it out is smoke. Pursuit of godliness—righteousness—naturally leads to a meaningful life. God smiles on the righteous and gives him a full, significant life.

A righteous person experiences personally what Jesus meant when He said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). By dying for our sins and rising from the grave, Jesus made it possible for believers to have quantity of days, even eternal life, but also to enjoy quality of days, meaning an abundant life. Jesus compared the life He gives those who believe in Him to water that quenches thirst fully and forever. It is a gusher that satisfies the soul (John 4:13–14).

The wicked lead a life that produces only sin (Romans 6:23). He may indulge the passions of his sin nature (1 Peter 4:2–3), but he cannot satisfy the need of his heart for an intimate relationship with God (Revelation 7:15–17).

Proverbs 10:11–32 contrasts the righteous and the wicked, focusing on their different speech patterns, their different lifestyles, their different attitudes, and their different destinies. Verses 21 through 27 are especially focused on the different results which can be expected from pursuing godliness, versus pursuing sin.

This chapter begins 375 "proverbs," which are general-case lessons or observations. These wise remarks continue the discussion of wisdom and wickedness begun in chapters 1—9. Most of the verses in chapter 10 contain a sharp contrast, with the conjunction "but" separating the lines. Often, the subject changes from verse to verse. The contrasting subjects include sons, treasure, work ethic, reputation, relationships, success, and speech.

In Proverbs 7—9 Solomon contrasts wisdom and wickedness in the symbolic persons of Lady Wisdom and Woman Folly. He calls upon his sons, or students, to choose wisdom, and he points out the benefits of choosing wisdom and the disastrous results of choosing wickedness. Chapter 10 presents vivid contrasts between wisdom and wickedness in many of life's settings. These comparisons continue into chapter 11.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.