The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Every wise woman builds up her home, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
1
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
2 A person with upright conduct fears ADONAI, but a person who is devious scorns him.
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He who goes on his way in righteousness has before him the fear of the Lord; but he whose ways are twisted gives him no honour.
3 From the mouth of a fool sprouts pride, but the lips of the wise protect them.
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In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.
4 Where there are no oxen, the stalls are clean; but much is produced by the strength of an ox.
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Where there are no oxen, their food-place is clean; but much increase comes through the strength of the ox.
5 An honest witness will not lie, but a false witness lies with every breath.
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A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge comes easily to someone with discernment.
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The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.
7 Keep clear of a fool, for you won't hear a sensible word from him.
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Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the cautious makes him know where he is going, but the folly of fools misleads them.
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The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.
9 Guilt offerings make a mockery of fools; but among the upright there is good will.
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In the tents of those hating authority there is error, but in the house of the upright man there is grace.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger can share its joy.
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No one has knowledge of a man's grief but himself; and a strange person has no part in his joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
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The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.
12 There can be a way which seems right to a person, but at its end are the ways of death.
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There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
13 Even in laughter the heart can be sad, and joy may end in sorrow.
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Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
14 A backslider is filled up with his own ways, but a good person gets satisfaction from himself.
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He whose heart is turned away will have the reward of his ways in full measure; but a good man will have the reward of his doings.
15 One who doesn't think believes every word, but the cautious understands his steps.
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The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
16 A wise person fears and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and overconfident.
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The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.
17 He who is quick-tempered does stupid things, and one who does vile things is hated.
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He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.
18 Thoughtless people inherit folly, but the cautious are crowned with knowledge.
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Foolish behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
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The knees of the evil are bent before the good; and sinners go down in the dust at the doors of the upright.
20 The poor are disliked even by their peers, but the rich have many friends.
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The poor man is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of friends.
21 He who despises his fellow sins, but he who shows compassion to the humble is happy.
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He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he who has pity for the poor is happy.
22 Won't those who plot evil go astray? But grace and truth are for those who plan good.
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Will not the designers of evil come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.
23 In all work there is profit, but mere talk produces only poverty.
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In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools is just that - folly.
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Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.
25 A truthful witness saves lives, but a liar misdirects [judgment].
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A true witness is the saviour of lives; but he who says false things is a cause of deceit.
26 In the fear of ADONAI is powerful security; for his children there will be a place of refuge.
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For him in whose heart is the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a safe place.
27 The fear of ADONAI is a fountain of life enabling one to avoid deadly traps.
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The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, by which one may be turned from the nets of death.
28 A king's glory lies in having many subjects; if the prince's people are few, it is his ruin.
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A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.
29 Being slow to anger goes with great understanding, being quick-tempered makes folly still worse.
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He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.
30 A tranquil mind gives health to the body, but envy rots the bones.
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A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
31 The oppressor of the poor insults his maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.
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He who is hard on the poor puts shame on his Maker; but he who has mercy on those who are in need gives him honour.
32 The wicked are brought down by their wrongdoing, but the righteous can be confident even at death.
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The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.
33 Wisdom is at rest in a person with discernment, but in fools it has to call attention to itself.
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Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.
34 Righteousness makes a nation great, but sin degrades any people.
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By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.
35 A king shows favor to a servant with good sense, but his wrath strikes one who shames [him].
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The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.