The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Message Bible MSG
1 False scales are an abomination to ADONAI, but accurate weights please him.
1
God hates cheating in the marketplace; he loves it when business is aboveboard.
2 First comes pride, then disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom.
2
The stuck-up fall flat on their faces, but down-to-earth people stand firm.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the duplicity of the treacherous destroys them.
3
The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.
4 On the day of wrath, wealth doesn't help; but righteousness rescues from death.
4
A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst.
5 The righteousness of the innocent levels their way, but wickedness of the wicked makes them fall.
5
Moral character makes for smooth traveling; an evil life is a hard life.
6 The righteousness of the upright rescues them, but the treacherous are trapped by their own intrigues.
6
Good character is the best insurance; crooks get trapped in their sinful lust.
7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; what he hopes for from evil comes to nothing.
7
When the wicked die, that's it - the story's over, end of hope.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked comes to take his place.
8
A good person is saved from much trouble; a bad person runs straight into it.
9 With his mouth the hypocrite can ruin his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
9
The loose tongue of the godless spreads destruction; the common sense of the godly preserves them.
10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is joy.
10
When it goes well for good people, the whole town cheers; when it goes badly for bad people, the town celebrates.
11 By the blessing of the upright, a city is raised up; but the words of the wicked tear it down.
11
When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.
12 He who belittles another lacks good sense, whereas a person of discernment stays silent.
12
Mean-spirited slander is heartless; quiet discretion accompanies good sense.
13 A gossip goes around revealing secrets, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
13
A gadabout gossip can't be trusted with a secret, but someone of integrity won't violate a confidence.
14 Without clever tactics an army is defeated, and victory comes from much planning.
14
Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.
15 He who guarantees a loan for a stranger will suffer, but refusing to underwrite is safe.
15
Whoever makes deals with strangers is sure to get burned; if you keep a cool head, you'll avoid rash bargains.
16 A gracious woman obtains honor; aggressive men obtain wealth.
16
A woman of gentle grace gets respect, but men of rough violence grab for loot. A God-Shaped Life
17 A man who is kind does himself good, but the cruel does harm to himself.
17
When you're kind to others, you help yourself; when you're cruel to others, you hurt yourself.
18 The profits of the wicked are illusory; but those who sow righteousness gain a true reward.
18
Bad work gets paid with a bad check; good work gets solid pay.
19 Genuine righteousness leads to life, but the pursuer of evil goes to his own death.
19
Take your stand with God's loyal community and live, or chase after phantoms of evil and die.
20 The crooked-hearted are an abomination to ADONAI, but those sincere in their ways are his delight.
20
God can't stand deceivers, but oh how he relishes integrity.
21 Depend on it: the evil will not go unpunished; but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
21
Count on this: The wicked won't get off scot-free, and God's loyal people will triumph.
22 Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig is a beautiful woman who lacks good sense.
22
Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful face on an empty head.
23 The righteous desire only good, but what the wicked hope for brings wrath.
23
The desires of good people lead straight to the best, but wicked ambition ends in angry frustration.
24 Some give freely and still get richer, while others are stingy but grow still poorer.
24
The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.
25 The person who blesses others will prosper; he who satisfies others will be satisfied himself.
25
The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.
26 The people will curse him who withholds grain; but if he sells it, blessings will be on his head.
26
Curses on those who drive a hard bargain! Blessings on all who play fair and square!
27 He who strives for good obtains favor, but he who searches for evil - it comes to him!
27
The one who seeks good finds delight; the student of evil becomes evil.
28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like sprouting leaves.
28
A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.
29 Those who trouble their families inherit the wind, and the fool becomes slave to the wise.
29
Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air; common sense tells you it's a stupid way to live.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.
30
A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls.
31 If the righteous are paid what they deserve here on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!
31
If good people barely make it, what's in store for the bad!
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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.