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