New Revised Standard NRS
The Message Bible MSG
1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but an accurate weight is his delight.
1
God hates cheating in the marketplace; he loves it when business is aboveboard.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble.
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 crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
3
The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
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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 blameless keeps their ways straight, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
5
Moral character makes for smooth traveling; an evil life is a hard life.
6 The righteousness of the upright saves them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their schemes.
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Good character is the best insurance; crooks get trapped in their sinful lust.
7 When the wicked die, their hope perishes, and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.
7
When the wicked die, that's it - the story's over, end of hope.
8 The righteous are delivered from trouble, and the wicked get into it instead.
8
A good person is saved from much trouble; a bad person runs straight into it.
9 With their mouths the godless would destroy their neighbors, 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 it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
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 exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
11
When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.
12 Whoever belittles another lacks sense, but an intelligent person remains silent.
12
Mean-spirited slander is heartless; quiet discretion accompanies good sense.
13 A gossip goes about telling secrets, but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.
13
A gadabout gossip can't be trusted with a secret, but someone of integrity won't violate a confidence.
14 Where there is no guidance, a nation falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
14
Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.
15 To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble, but there is safety in refusing to do so.
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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 gets honor, but she who hates virtue is covered with shame. The timid become destitute, but the aggressive gain riches.
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A woman of gentle grace gets respect, but men of rough violence grab for loot. A God-Shaped Life
17 Those who are kind reward themselves, but the cruel do themselves harm.
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When you're kind to others, you help yourself; when you're cruel to others, you hurt yourself.
18 The wicked earn no real gain, but those who sow righteousness get a true reward.
18
Bad work gets paid with a bad check; good work gets solid pay.
19 Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but whoever pursues evil will die.
19
Take your stand with God's loyal community and live, or chase after phantoms of evil and die.
20 Crooked minds are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight.
20
God can't stand deceivers, but oh how he relishes integrity.
21 Be assured, the wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are 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 a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without good sense.
22
Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful face on an empty head.
23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked in wrath.
23
The desires of good people lead straight to the best, but wicked ambition ends in angry frustration.
24 Some give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.
24
The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.
25 A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water.
25
The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.
26 The people curse those who hold back grain, but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.
26
Curses on those who drive a hard bargain! Blessings on all who play fair and square!
27 Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to the one who searches for it.
27
The one who seeks good finds delight; the student of evil becomes evil.
28 Those who trust in their riches will wither, but the righteous will flourish like green 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 households will inherit wind, and the fool will be servant 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, but violence takes lives away.
30
A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls.
31 If the righteous are repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!
31
If good people barely make it, what's in store for the bad!
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.