Proverbs 13:5 Meaning and Explanation
“A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The righteous despise falsehood; the wicked are contemptible and disgraced.
The Context of Proverbs 13:5
Links righteousness to honesty and wickedness to disgrace.
What Does Proverbs 13:5 Mean?
The righteous actively hate lying, not merely avoid it. Truth-telling is core to righteousness—a defining value that shapes how they speak, think, and act. A person of integrity cannot tolerate deception in themselves or others because truth is the foundation of trust and justice.
The wicked, who traffic in lies and corruption, become loathsome—repugnant and despised. Shame follows not as external judgment alone but as the natural, inevitable result of a life built on falsehood. Others recoil from them; their own conscience accuses them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Proverbs 13:5
What does Proverbs 13:5 mean?
The righteous despise falsehood; the wicked are contemptible and disgraced.
What is the context of Proverbs 13:5?
Links righteousness to honesty and wickedness to disgrace.