Proverbs, Chapter 10: The yuks begin

Chapter 10

Proverbs begins its descent into a series of not-so-snappy one-liners like A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother (v. 1).

Now, on to wickedness, which yields nothing and may cause god to starve you, whereas righteousness keeps you alive and protects you from famines.

Work: if you slack off or sleep in the summer, you'll end up a poor shame to your family. You won't grow any fruit. But if you work hard you'll be rich and your parents proud and you'll have fruit.

Justice: if you're just, your words are like silver. Try cashing that in at the bank. Also, you'll receive blessings and you'll be remembered, but the wicked will be forgotten.

Discretion: will get you blessed as well, and your mouth will be a fountain of life, but gossip, lying and slander will make you look foolish.

If you're righteous, your path is sure, but the wicked go crookedly.

Eye-winking and running your mouth off will bring you to ruin. I guess Sarah Palin and whatever church she pretends to attend skip this verse.

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins (v. 12)

Wisdom: not only allows you to store up knowledge, it also keeps you from getting beaten and destroyed. Education keeps you alive, it's foolish to refuse constructive criticism.

Wealth: has not changed in millennia, as it is found in cities, though ironically it can be used to feed people, which cities are notoriously bad at. The poor, on the other hand, are ruined by poverty.

Wal-mart's new corporate logo: As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him (v. 26)