Proverbs 15:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

NIV: The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin.

NASB: Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the wicked.

CSB: The house of the righteous has great wealth, but trouble accompanies the income of the wicked.

NLT: There is treasure in the house of the godly, but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.

KJV: In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.

NKJV: In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, But in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.

There are cases in which good people suffer adversity or poverty (Psalm 22:1; Habakkuk 1:2–4). In general, however, those who live and act according to God's wisdom see the natural benefits of those choices. They certainly avoid the disastrous consequences of evil (Proverbs 10:8–11). The righteous who acquire wealth honestly hold it in trust for the Lord. They deem themselves stewards of what the Lord has given them. As a result, the Lord blesses the house of the righteous with treasure.

Abraham serves as a good example of such prosperity. Genesis 13:2 reports that "Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold." Genesis 14:20 tells us that Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, blessed Abram after Abram's successful recovery of the hostages that were taken from Sodom. Abram reciprocated by giving Melchizedek a tenth of everything (Genesis 14:20). When the king of Sodom offered Abram the goods that were seized in the rescue of the hostages, Abram refused. He said, "I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, '[An evil king has] made Abram rich'" (Genesis 14:22–23).

By contrast, money obtained by wicked efforts results in trouble (Proverbs 15:27). The book of Proverbs establishes that rejection of God, and His truth, is the primary mark of "foolishness" (Proverbs 1:7; 12:1–3).

Proverbs 15:6–12 contrasts the righteous and the wicked; in the context of the book of Proverbs, these two groups are also defined as those who are "wise" and those who are "foolish." Many of these comparisons are from God's perspective. Even good deeds and rituals performed by those who disobey God are offensive to Him. And yet, He accepts the prayers of those who sincerely seek His will. The Lord loves those who love Him, but He consigns the wicked to eternal punishment (Proverbs 10:29).

Solomon begins this chapter of Proverbs by addressing subjects such as anger and self-control and how those reactions produce different responses from others. That extends to how carefully a person guards their words, and their responses to questions. Wise people seek wisdom and humbly accept it. Foolish people are careless, lazy, or arrogant. Solomon also notes the importance of perspective, and once again commends those who sincerely seek godly wisdom.

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.