| Bible in Basic English (BBE) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 The king's heart in the hands of the Lord is like the water streams, and by him it is turned in any direction at his pleasure.
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1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.
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2 Every way of a man seems right to himself, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.
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2 All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
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3 To do what is right and true is more pleasing to the Lord than an offering.
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3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
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4 A high look and a heart of pride, *** of the evil-doer is sin.
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4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin!
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5 The purposes of the man of industry have their outcome only in wealth; but one who is over-quick in acting will only come to be in need.
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5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
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6 He who gets stores of wealth by a false tongue, is going after what is only breath, and searching for death.
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6 A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.
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7 By their violent acts the evil-doers will be pulled away, because they have no desire to do what is right.
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7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right.
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8 Twisted is the way of him who is full of crime; but as for him whose heart is clean, his work is upright.
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8 The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
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9 It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.
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9 Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
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10 The desire of the evil-doer is fixed on evil: he has no kind feeling for his neighbour.
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10 The wicked man craves evil; his neighbor gets no mercy from him.
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11 When the man of pride undergoes punishment, the simple man gets wisdom; and by watching the wise he gets knowledge.
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11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge.
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12 The Upright One, looking on the house of the evil-doer, lets sinners be overturned to their destruction.
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12 The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.
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13 He whose ears are stopped at the cry of the poor, will himself get no answer to his cry for help.
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13 If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.
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14 By a secret offering wrath is turned away, and the heat of angry feelings by money in the folds of the robe.
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14 A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
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15 It is a joy to the good man to do right, but it is destruction to the workers of evil.
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15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.
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16 The wanderer from the way of knowledge will have his resting-place among the shades.
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16 A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead.
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17 The lover of pleasure will be a poor man: the lover of wine and oil will not get wealth.
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17 He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.
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18 The evil-doer will be given as a price for the life of the good man, and the worker of deceit in the place of the upright.
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18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright.
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19 It is better to be living in a waste land, than with a bitter-tongued and angry woman.
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19 Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.
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20 There is a store of great value in the house of the wise, but it is wasted by the foolish man.
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20 In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.
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21 He who goes after righteousness and mercy will get life, righteousness, and honour.
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21 He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
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22 A wise man goes up into the town of the strong ones, and overcomes its strength in which they put their faith.
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22 A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.
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23 He who keeps watch over his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.
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23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.
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24 The man of pride, lifted up in soul, is named high-hearted; he is acting in an outburst of pride.
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24 The proud and arrogant man--"Mocker" is his name; he behaves with overweening pride.
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25 The desire of the hater of work is death to him, for his hands will do no work.
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25 The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.
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26 All the day the sinner goes after his desire: but the upright man gives freely, keeping nothing back.
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26 All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.
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27 The offering of evil-doers is disgusting: how much more when they give it with an evil purpose!
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27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable-- how much more so when brought with evil intent!
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28 A false witness will be cut off, ...
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28 A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever.
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29 The evil-doer makes his face hard, but as for the upright, he gives thought to his way.
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29 A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thought to his ways.
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30 Wisdom and knowledge and wise suggestions are of no use against the Lord.
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30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.
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31 The horse is made ready for the day of war, but power to overcome is from the Lord.
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31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.
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| The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain. (The Bible in Basic English Version Online) |
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) |
