The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
1
These are Solomon's proverbs: Wise children make their fathers proud of them; foolish ones bring their mothers grief.
2 Wealth which comes from sin is of no profit, but righteousness gives salvation from death.
2
Wealth you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life.
3 The Lord will not let the upright be in need of food, but he puts far from him the desire of the evil-doers.
3
The Lord will not let good people go hungry, but he will keep the wicked from getting what they want.
4 He who is slow in his work becomes poor, but the hand of the ready worker gets in wealth.
4
Being lazy will make you poor, but hard work will make you rich.
5 He who in summer gets together his store is a son who does wisely; but he who takes his rest when the grain is being cut is a son causing shame.
5
A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest.
6 Blessings are on the head of the upright, but the face of sinners will be covered with sorrow.
6
Good people will receive blessings. The words of the wicked hide a violent nature.
7 The memory of the upright is a blessing, but the name of the evil-doer will be turned to dust.
7
Good people will be remembered as a blessing, but the wicked will soon be forgotten.
8 The wise-hearted man will let himself be ruled, but the man whose talk is foolish will have a fall.
8
Sensible people accept good advice. People who talk foolishly will come to ruin.
9 He whose ways are upright will go safely, but he whose ways are twisted will be made low.
9
Honest people are safe and secure, but the dishonest will be caught.
10 He who makes signs with his eyes is a cause of trouble, but he who makes a man see his errors is a cause of peace.
10
Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble, but one who openly criticizes works for peace.
11 The mouth of the upright man is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the evil-doer is a bitter cup.
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A good person's words are a fountain of life, but a wicked person's words hide a violent nature.
12 Hate is a cause of violent acts, but all errors are covered up by love.
12
Hate stirs up trouble, but love forgives all offenses.
13 In the lips of him who has knowledge wisdom is seen; but a rod is ready for the back of him who is without sense.
13
Intelligent people talk sense, but stupid people need to be punished.
14 Knowledge is stored up by the wise, but the mouth of the foolish man is a destruction which is near.
14
The wise get all the knowledge they can, but when fools speak, trouble is not far off.
15 The property of the man of wealth is his strong town: the poor man's need is his destruction.
15
Wealth protects the rich; poverty destroys the poor.
16 The work of the upright gives life: the increase of the evil-doer is a cause of sin.
16
The reward for doing good is life, but sin leads only to more sin.
17 He who takes note of teaching is a way of life, but he who gives up training is a cause of error.
17
People who listen when they are corrected will live, but those who will not admit that they are wrong are in danger.
18 Hate is covered up by the lips of the upright man, but he who lets out evil about another is foolish.
18
Anyone who hides hatred is a liar. Anyone who spreads gossip is a fool.
19 Where there is much talk there will be no end to sin, but he who keeps his mouth shut does wisely.
19
The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin. If you are wise, you will keep quiet.
20 The tongue of the upright man is like tested silver: the heart of the evil-doer is of little value.
20
A good person's words are like pure silver; a wicked person's ideas are worthless.
21 The lips of the upright man give food to men, but the foolish come to death for need of sense.
21
A good person's words will benefit many people, but you can kill yourself with stupidity.
22 The blessing of the Lord gives wealth: hard work makes it no greater.
22
It is the Lord's blessing that makes you wealthy. Hard work can make you no richer.
23 It is sport to the foolish man to do evil, but the man of good sense takes delight in wisdom.
23
It is foolish to enjoy doing wrong. Intelligent people take pleasure in wisdom.
24 The thing feared by the evil-doer will come to him, but the upright man will get his desire.
24
The righteous get what they want, but the wicked will get what they fear most.
25 When the storm-wind is past, the sinner is seen no longer, but the upright man is safe for ever.
25
Storms come, and the wicked are blown away, but honest people are always safe.
26 Like acid drink to the teeth and as smoke to the eyes, so is the hater of work to those who send him.
26
Never get a lazy person to do something for you; he will be as irritating as vinegar on your teeth or smoke in your eyes.
27 The fear of the Lord gives long life, but the years of the evil-doer will be cut short.
27
Obey the Lord, and you will live longer. The wicked die before their time.
28 The hope of the upright man will give joy, but the waiting of the evil-doer will have its end in sorrow.
28
The hopes of good people lead to joy, but wicked people can look forward to nothing.
29 The way of the Lord is a strong tower for the upright man, but destruction to the workers of evil.
29
The Lord protects honest people, but destroys those who do wrong.
30 The upright man will never be moved, but evil-doers will not have a safe resting-place in the land.
30
Righteous people will always have security, but the wicked will not survive in the land.
31 The mouth of the upright man is budding with wisdom, but the twisted tongue will be cut off.
31
Righteous people speak wisdom, but the tongue that speaks evil will be stopped.
32 The lips of the upright man have knowledge of what is pleasing, but twisted are the mouths of evil-doers.
32
Righteous people know the kind thing to say, but the wicked are always saying things that hurt.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.