The Message Bible MSG
New Living Translation NLT
1 Wise son, glad father; stupid son, sad mother.
1
The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
2 Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere; an honest life is immortal.
2
Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life.
3 God won't starve an honest soul, but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked.
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The LORD will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.
4 Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth.
4
Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich.
5 Make hay while the sun shines - that's smart; go fishing during harvest - that's stupid.
5
A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.
6 Blessings accrue on a good and honest life, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.
6
The godly are showered with blessings; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
7 A good and honest life is a blessed memorial; a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.
7
We have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away.
8 A wise heart takes orders; an empty head will come unglued.
8
The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.
9 Honesty lives confident and carefree, but Shifty is sure to be exposed.
9
People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.
10 An evasive eye is a sign of trouble ahead, but an open, face-to-face meeting results in peace.
10
People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace.
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 words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
12 Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over the bickering.
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Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses.
13 You'll find wisdom on the lips of a person of insight, but the shortsighted needs a slap in the face.
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Wise words come from the lips of people with understanding, but those lacking sense will be beaten with a rod.
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
Wise people treasure knowledge, but the babbling of a fool invites disaster.
15 The wealth of the rich is their bastion; the poverty of the indigent is their ruin.
15
The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.
16 The wage of a good person is exuberant life; an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.
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The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin.
17 The road to life is a disciplined life; ignore correction and you're lost for good.
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People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray.
18 Liars secretly hoard hatred; fools openly spread slander.
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Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool.
19 The more talk, the less truth; the wise measure their words.
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Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.
20 The speech of a good person is worth waiting for; the blabber of the wicked is worthless.
20
The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.
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 words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.
22 God's blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.
22
The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
23 An empty-head thinks mischief is fun, but a mindful person relishes wisdom.
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Doing wrong is fun for a fool, but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible.
24 The nightmares of the wicked come true; what the good people desire, they get.
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The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the godly 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.
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When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.
26 A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble; it's vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.
26
Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.
27 The Fear-of-God expands your life; a wicked life is a puny life.
27
Fear of the LORD lengthens one’s life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
28 The aspirations of good people end in celebration; the ambitions of bad people crash.
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The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.
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 those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked.
30 Good people last - they can't be moved; the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow.
30
The godly will never be disturbed, but the wicked will be removed from 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 godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives 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 godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.
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.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.