English Standard Version ESV
New International Version NIV
1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
1
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
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A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.
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The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
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A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
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Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.
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Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.
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Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
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A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn.
9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
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Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.
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A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
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Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly.
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Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.
13 If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.
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Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
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Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
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Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?
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Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
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A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
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One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
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Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
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One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.
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To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
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A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.
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The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.
24 The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
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A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
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A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
26 To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
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If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
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The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
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Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.