Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 The proverbs of Shlomo. A wise son makes a glad father; But a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
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Wise son, glad father; stupid son, sad mother.
2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death.
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Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere; an honest life is immortal.
3 The LORD will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry, But he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.
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God won't starve an honest soul, but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked.
4 He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, But the hand of the diligent brings wealth.
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Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth.
5 He who gathers in summer is a wise son, But he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes 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 violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
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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 blessed, 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 in heart accept mitzvot, But a chattering fool will fall.
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A wise heart takes orders; an empty head will come unglued.
9 He who walks blamelessly walks surely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out.
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Honesty lives confident and carefree, but Shifty is sure to be exposed.
10 One winking with the eye causes sorrow, But a chattering fool will fall.
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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 spring of life, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
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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 wrongs.
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Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over the bickering.
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment, But a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.
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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 Wise men lay up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near ruin.
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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 The rich man's wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty.
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The wealth of the rich is their bastion; the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.
16 The labor of the righteous leads to life. The increase of the wicked leads 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 He is in the way of life who heeds correction, But he who forsakes 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 He who hides hatred has lying lips. He who utters a slander is a fool.
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Liars secretly hoard hatred; fools openly spread slander.
19 In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, But he who restrains his lips does wisely.
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The more talk, the less truth; the wise measure their words.
20 The tongue of the righteous is like 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 the foolish die for lack of understanding.
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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 brings wealth, And he adds no trouble to it.
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God's blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.
23 It is a fool's pleasure to do wickedness, But wisdom is a man of understanding's pleasure.
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An empty-head thinks mischief is fun, but a mindful person relishes wisdom.
24 What the wicked fear, will overtake them, 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 whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more; But the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
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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 As vinegar to the teeth, and as 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 days, But the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
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The Fear-of-God expands your life; a wicked life is a puny life.
28 The prospect of the righteous is joy, But the hope 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 upright, But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
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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 is perverse.
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The speech of a good person clears the air; the words of the wicked pollute it.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
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.