New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 A wise child loves discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
1
A wise son is a lover of teaching, but the ears of the haters of authority are shut to sharp words.
2 From the fruit of their words good persons eat good things, but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing.
2
A man will get good from the fruit of his lips, but the desire of the false is for violent acts.
3 Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives; those who open wide their lips come to ruin.
3
He who keeps a watch on his mouth keeps his life; but he whose lips are open wide will have destruction.
4 The appetite of the lazy craves, and gets nothing, while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied.
4
The hater of work does not get his desires, but the soul of the hard workers will be made fat.
5 The righteous hate falsehood, but the wicked act shamefully and disgracefully.
5
The upright man is a hater of false words: the evil-doer gets a bad name and is put to shame.
6 Righteousness guards one whose way is upright, but sin overthrows the wicked.
6
Righteousness keeps safe him whose way is without error, but evil-doers are overturned by sin.
7 Some pretend to be rich, yet have nothing; others pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.
7
A man may be acting as if he had wealth, but have nothing; another may seem poor, but have great wealth.
8 Wealth is a ransom for a person's life, but the poor get no threats.
8
A man will give his wealth in exchange for his life; but the poor will not give ear to sharp words.
9 The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked goes out.
9
There is a glad dawn for the upright man, but the light of the sinner will be put out.
10 By insolence the heedless make strife, but wisdom is with those who take advice.
10
The only effect of pride is fighting; but wisdom is with the quiet in spirit.
11 Wealth hastily gotten will dwindle, but those who gather little by little will increase it.
11
Wealth quickly got will become less; but he who gets a store by the work of his hands will have it increased.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
12
Hope put off is a weariness to the heart; but when what is desired comes, it is a tree of life.
13 Those who despise the word bring destruction on themselves, but those who respect the commandment will be rewarded.
13
He who makes sport of the word will come to destruction, but the respecter of the law will be rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, so that one may avoid the snares of death.
14
The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning men away from the nets of death.
15 Good sense wins favor, but the way of the faithless is their ruin.
15
Wise behaviour gets approval, but the way of the false is their destruction.
16 The clever do all things intelligently, but the fool displays folly.
16
A sharp man does everything with knowledge, but a foolish man makes clear his foolish thoughts.
17 A bad messenger brings trouble, but a faithful envoy, healing.
17
A man taking false news is a cause of trouble, but he who gives news rightly makes things well.
18 Poverty and disgrace are for the one who ignores instruction, but one who heeds reproof is honored.
18
Need and shame will be the fate of him who is uncontrolled by training; but he who takes note of teaching will be honoured.
19 A desire realized is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
19
To get one's desire is sweet to the soul, but to give up evil is disgusting to the foolish.
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.
20
Go with wise men and be wise: but he who keeps company with the foolish will be broken.
21 Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.
21
Evil will overtake sinners, but the upright will be rewarded with good.
22 The good leave an inheritance to their children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
22
The heritage of the good man is handed down to his children's children; and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the upright man.
23 The field of the poor may yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice.
23
There is much food in the ploughed land of the poor; but it is taken away by wrongdoing.
24 Those who spare the rod hate their children, but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.
24
He who keeps back his rod is unkind to his son: the loving father gives punishment with care.
25 The righteous have enough to satisfy their appetite, but the belly of the wicked is empty.
25
The upright man has food to the full measure of his desire, but there will be no food for the stomach of evil-doers.
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.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.