King James Version KJV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
1
A wise child loves discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.
2
From the fruit of their words good persons eat good things, but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing.
3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
3
Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives; those who open wide their lips come to ruin.
4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
4
The appetite of the lazy craves, and gets nothing, while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied.
5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
5
The righteous hate falsehood, but the wicked act shamefully and disgracefully.
6 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.
6
Righteousness guards one whose way is upright, but sin overthrows the wicked.
7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
7
Some pretend to be rich, yet have nothing; others pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.
8 The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.
8
Wealth is a ransom for a person's life, but the poor get no threats.
9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
9
The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked goes out.
10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
10
By insolence the heedless make strife, but wisdom is with those who take advice.
11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
11
Wealth hastily gotten will dwindle, but those who gather little by little will increase it.
12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
13
Those who despise the word bring destruction on themselves, but those who respect the commandment will be rewarded.
14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
14
The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, so that one may avoid the snares of death.
15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
15
Good sense wins favor, but the way of the faithless is their ruin.
16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.
16
The clever do all things intelligently, but the fool displays folly.
17 A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.
17
A bad messenger brings trouble, but a faithful envoy, healing.
18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.
18
Poverty and disgrace are for the one who ignores instruction, but one who heeds reproof is honored.
19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
19
A desire realized is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
20
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.
21 Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
21
Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.
22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
22
The good leave an inheritance to their children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
23 Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.
23
The field of the poor may yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice.
24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
24
Those who spare the rod hate their children, but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.
25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.
25
The righteous have enough to satisfy their appetite, but the belly of the wicked is empty.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
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.