The Bible in Basic English BBE
New International Version NIV
1 Do not make a noise about tomorrow, for you are not certain what a day's outcome may be.
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Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let another man give you praise, and not your mouth; one who is strange to you, and not your lips.
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Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.
3 A stone has great weight, and sand is crushing; but the wrath of the foolish is of greater weight than these.
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Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and angry feeling an overflowing stream; but who does not give way before envy?
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Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open protest than love kept secret.
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Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 The wounds of a friend are given in good faith, but the kisses of a hater are false.
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Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
7 The full man has no use for honey, but to the man in need of food every bitter thing is sweet.
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One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird wandering from the place of her eggs is a man wandering from his station.
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Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home.
9 Oil and perfume make glad the heart, and the wise suggestion of a friend is sweet to the soul.
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Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
10 Do not give up your friend and your father's friend; and do not go into your brother's house in the day of your trouble: better is a neighbour who is near than a brother far off.
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Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
11 My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so that I may give back an answer to him who puts me to shame.
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Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.
12 The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.
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The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
13 Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
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Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.
14 He who gives a blessing to his friend with a loud voice, getting up early in the morning, will have it put to his account as a curse.
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If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.
15 Like an unending dropping on a day of rain is a bitter-tongued woman.
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A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
16 He who keeps secret the secret of his friend, will get himself a name for good faith.
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restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.
17 Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend.
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As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
18 Whoever keeps a fig-tree will have its fruit; and the servant waiting on his master will be honoured.
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The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored.
19 Like face looking at face in water, so are the hearts of men to one another.
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As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.
20 The underworld and Abaddon are never full, and the eyes of man have never enough.
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Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.
21 The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, and a man is measured by what he is praised for.
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The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.
22 Even if a foolish man is crushed with a hammer in a vessel among crushed grain, still his foolish ways will not go from him.
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Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.
23 Take care to have knowledge about the condition of your flocks, looking well after your herds;
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Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;
24 For wealth is not for ever, and money does not go on for all generations.
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for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 The grass comes up and the young grass is seen, and the mountain plants are got in.
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When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 The lambs are for your clothing, and the he-goats make the value of a field:
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the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
27 There will be goats' milk enough for your food, and for the support of your servant-girls.
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You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
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.