| New Century Version (NCV) |
New International Version (NIV) |
|
1 It is better to be poor and honest than to be foolish and tell lies.
|
1 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.
|
|
2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is not good. If you act too quickly, you might make a mistake.
|
2 It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.
|
|
3 People's own foolishness ruins their lives, but in their minds they blame the Lord.
|
3 A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD.
|
|
4 Wealthy people are always finding more friends, but the poor lose all theirs.
|
4 Wealth brings many friends, but a poor man's friend deserts him.
|
|
5 A witness who lies will not go free; liars will never escape.
|
5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.
|
|
6 Many people want to please a leader, and everyone is friends with those who give gifts.
|
6 Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of a man who gives gifts.
|
|
7 Poor people's relatives avoid them; even their friends stay far away. They run after them, begging, but they are gone.
|
7 A poor man is shunned by all his relatives-- how much more do his friends avoid him! Though he pursues them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.
|
|
8 Those who get wisdom do themselves a favor, and those who love learning will succeed.
|
8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers.
|
|
9 A witness who lies will not go free, liars will die.
|
9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will perish.
|
|
10 A fool should not live in luxury. A slave should not rule over princes.
|
10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury-- how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!
|
|
11 Smart people are patient; they will be honored if they ignore insults.
|
11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
|
|
12 An angry king is like a roaring lion, but his kindness is like the dew on the grass.
|
12 A king's rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
|
|
13 A foolish son will ruin his father, and a quarreling wife is like dripping water.
|
13 A foolish son is his father's ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.
|
|
14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a wise wife is a gift from the Lord.
|
14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
|
|
15 Lazy people sleep a lot, and idle people will go hungry.
|
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry.
|
|
16 Those who obey the commands protect themselves, but those who are careless will die.
|
16 He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.
|
|
17 Being kind to the poor is like lending to the Lord; he will reward you for what you have done.
|
17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.
|
|
18 Correct your children while there is still hope; do not let them destroy themselves.
|
18 Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.
|
|
19 People with quick tempers will have to pay for it. If you help them out once, you will have to do it again.
|
19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.
|
|
20 Listen to advice and accept correction, and in the end you will be wise.
|
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.
|
|
21 People can make all kinds of plans, but only the Lord's plan will happen.
|
21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
|
|
22 People want others to be loyal, so it is better to be poor than to be a liar.
|
22 What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.
|
|
23 Those who respect the Lord will live and be satisfied, unbothered by trouble.
|
23 The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
|
|
24 Though the lazy person puts his hand in the dish, he won't lift the food to his mouth.
|
24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!
|
|
25 Whip those who make fun of wisdom, and perhaps foolish people will gain some wisdom. Correct those with understanding, and they will gain knowledge.
|
25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke a discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.
|
|
26 A son who robs his father and sends away his mother brings shame and disgrace on himself.
|
26 He who robs his father and drives out his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.
|
|
27 Don't stop listening to correction, my child, or you will forget what you have already learned.
|
27 Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
|
|
28 An evil witness makes fun of fairness, and wicked people love what is evil.
|
28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.
|
|
29 People who make fun of wisdom will be punished, and the backs of foolish people will be beaten.
|
29 Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.
|
| Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (New Century Version Online Bible) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
