Proverbs 10:16
Righteous labor moves toward life, but wicked gain fuels sin.
16 The labor of the righteous leads to life. The increase of the wicked leads to sin.
Righteous labor moves toward life, but wicked gain fuels sin.
To contrast the outcomes of the labor of the righteous and the income of the wicked, emphasizing that moral orientation determines the ultimate direction of one's work and its results.
This proverb continues the economic and ethical reflections introduced in verse 15, now focusing on the moral direction of gain rather than its protective value. The contrast shifts from wealth as security to wealth as a pathway, either toward life or toward sin. The terms used emphasize ongoing patterns rather than isolated outcomes. Within the broader structure of Proverbs 10, this verse reinforces that righteousness and wickedness shape not only actions but also the results and use of one’s labor. It contributes to the larger wisdom framework where moral character determines the trajectory of life.
Proverbs 10:16 reflects a society where labor and its outcomes were central to survival and identity. The moral use of resources and earnings was closely tied to covenant faithfulness and community well-being.
The Righteous and the Wicked: Wisdom in Speech, Work, Wealth, and Life
The righteous and the wicked are revealed in ordinary life, especially in speech, work, wealth, discipline, and desire, and the LORD's moral order leads the righteous toward life while folly moves the wicked toward ruin.