What is the meaning of Proverbs 13:5?

The righteous hate falsehood

“The righteous hate falsehood” (Proverbs 13:5a)

• When God makes a person righteous, truth becomes precious and lies become repulsive. Psalm 119:163 echoes, “I hate and abhor falsehood; but Your law I love.”

• Hating falsehood means rejecting every shade of deception—white lies, half-truths, flattery, exaggeration (Proverbs 6:16-19 lists “a lying tongue” among the seven things the Lord hates).

• The New Testament agrees: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25).

• By loving truth and despising lies, the righteous mirror God’s own character: “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19).

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The wicked bring shame and disgrace

“but the wicked bring shame and disgrace” (Proverbs 13:5b)

• Wicked people may profit from deceit for a season, yet their lying ways eventually expose them, dragging public dishonor behind (Proverbs 26:24-26).

• Proverbs 14:34 reminds us, “Sin is a disgrace to any people,” and Isaiah 3:9 notes that bold sin “parades their sin like Sodom; they do not conceal it,” leading to ruin.

• Disgrace can be relational—loss of trust; societal—broken reputation; and eternal—standing condemned before a holy God (John 3:19-20).

• Galatians 6:7 confirms the principle: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap.” Deceit sown, shame reaped.

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Living the contrast today

• Choose proactive truth-telling. Before speaking, ask, “Is this accurate, necessary, and loving?” (Colossians 3:9-10).

• Confess and forsake any known deception (Proverbs 28:13). Restoration of integrity begins with honest repentance.

• Surround yourself with people who value truth; “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

• Let Scripture shape your conscience; regular exposure to God’s Word sharpens hatred for lies and deepens love for truth (John 17:17).

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summary

Proverbs 13:5 draws a sharp line: righteous people, reshaped by God’s truth, actively detest every form of falsehood, while the wicked—committed to deceit—can only harvest shame and disgrace. Loving what God loves and hating what He hates secures honor; choosing deception invites eventual humiliation. Truth leads to life and lasting dignity, because it aligns us with the very nature of our faithful, unchanging God.