New Revised Standard NRS
New International Version NIV
9 Whoever quarries stones will be hurt by them; and whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.
9
Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not whet the edge, then more strength must be exerted; but wisdom helps one to succeed.
10
If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage in a charmer.
11
If a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer receives no fee.
12 Words spoken by the wise bring them favor, but the lips of fools consume them.
12
Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.
13 The words of their mouths begin in foolishness, and their talk ends in wicked madness;
13
At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness—
14 yet fools talk on and on. No one knows what is to happen, and who can tell anyone what the future holds?
14
and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming— who can tell someone else what will happen after them?
15 The toil of fools wears them out, for they do not even know the way to town.
15
The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town.
16 Alas for you, O land, when your king is a servant, and your princes feast in the morning!
16
Woe to the land whose king was a servantand whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is a nobleman, and your princes feast at the proper time— for strength, and not for drunkenness!
17
Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.
18
Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.
19 Feasts are made for laughter; wine gladdens life, and money meets every need.
19
A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.