New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish 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 Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord, but one who is devious in conduct despises 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 The talk of fools is a rod for their backs, but the lips of the wise preserve 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, there is no grain; abundant crops come by the strength of the 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 A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
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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 is easy for one who understands.
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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 Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not find words of knowledge.
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Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
8 It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go, but the folly of fools misleads.
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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 Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy God's favor.
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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 shares 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 is destroyed, but the tent of the upright flourishes.
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The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.
12 There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to 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 is sad, and the end of joy is grief.
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Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
14 The perverse get what their ways deserve, and the good, what their deeds deserve.
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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 The simple believe everything, but the clever consider their 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 The wise are cautious and turn away from evil, but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.
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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 One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly, and the schemer 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 The simple are adorned with folly, but the clever 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, 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 neighbors, 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 Those who despise their neighbors are sinners, but happy are those who are kind to the poor.
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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 Do they not err that plan evil? Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
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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 toil there is profit, but mere talk leads only to 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 wisdom, but folly is the garland of fools.
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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 one who utters lies is a betrayer.
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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 the Lord one has strong confidence, and one's children will have a 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 the Lord is a fountain of life, so that one may avoid the snares of death.
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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 The glory of a king is a multitude of people; without people a prince is ruined.
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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 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
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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 life to the flesh, but passion makes the bones rot.
30
A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
31 Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who are kind to the needy honor him.
31
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 overthrown by their evildoing, but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity.
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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 home in the mind of one who has understanding, but it is not known in the heart of fools.
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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 exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to 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 servant who deals wisely has the king's favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
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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.
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.