English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
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Wise son, glad father; stupid son, sad mother.
2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.
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Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere; an honest life is immortal.
3 The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
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God won't starve an honest soul, but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked.
4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
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Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth.
5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
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Make hay while the sun shines - that's smart; go fishing during harvest - that's stupid.
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
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Blessings accrue on a good and honest life, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.
7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
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A good and honest life is a blessed memorial; a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.
8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
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A wise heart takes orders; an empty head will come unglued.
9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
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Honesty lives confident and carefree, but Shifty is sure to be exposed.
10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
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An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead, but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace.
11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
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The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.
12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
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Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over the bickering.
13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.
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You'll find wisdom on the lips of a person of insight, but the shortsighted needs a slap in the face.
14 The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
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The wise accumulate knowledge - a true treasure; know-it-alls talk too much - a sheer waste. The Road to Life Is a Disciplined Life
15 A rich man's wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
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The wealth of the rich is their bastion; the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.
16 The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin.
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The wage of a good person is exuberant life; an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.
17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
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The road to life is a disciplined life; ignore correction and you're lost for good.
18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.
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Liars secretly hoard hatred; fools openly spread slander.
19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
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The more talk, the less truth; the wise measure their words.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
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The speech of a good person is worth waiting for; the blabber of the wicked is worthless.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.
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The talk of a good person is rich fare for many, but chatterboxes die of an empty heart. Fear-of-God Expands Your Life
22 The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
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God's blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.
23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
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An empty-head thinks mischief is fun, but a mindful person relishes wisdom.
24 What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
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The nightmares of the wicked come true; what the good people desire, they get.
25 When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.
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When the storm is over, there's nothing left of the wicked; good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren't even fazed.
26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.
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A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble; it's vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.
27 The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.
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The Fear-of-God expands your life; a wicked life is a puny life.
28 The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
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The aspirations of good people end in celebration; the ambitions of bad people crash.
29 The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers.
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God is solid backing to a well-lived life, but he calls into question a shabby performance.
30 The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.
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Good people last - they can't be moved; the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow.
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
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A good person's mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom; a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.
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The speech of a good person clears the air; the words of the wicked pollute it.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.