New Revised Standard NRS
The Message Bible MSG
1 The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
1
Lady Wisdom builds a lovely home; Sir Fool comes along and tears it down brick by brick.
2 Those who walk uprightly fear the Lord, but one who is devious in conduct despises him.
2
An honest life shows respect for God; a degenerate life is a slap in his face.
3 The talk of fools is a rod for their backs, but the lips of the wise preserve them.
3
Frivolous talk provokes a derisive smile; wise speech evokes nothing but respect.
4 Where there are no oxen, there is no grain; abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
4
No cattle, no crops; a good harvest requires a strong ox for the plow.
5 A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
5
A true witness never lies; a false witness makes a business of it.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for one who understands.
6
Cynics look high and low for wisdom - and never find it; the open-minded find it right on their doorstep!
7 Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not find words of knowledge.
7
Escape quickly from the company of fools; they're a waste of your time, a waste of your words.
8 It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go, but the folly of fools misleads.
8
The wisdom of the wise keeps life on track; the foolishness of fools lands them in the ditch.
9 Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy God's favor.
9
The stupid ridicule right and wrong, but a moral life is a favored life.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.
10
The person who shuns the bitter moments of friends will be an outsider at their celebrations.
11 The house of the wicked is destroyed, but the tent of the upright flourishes.
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Lives of careless wrongdoing are tumbledown shacks; holy living builds soaring cathedrals.
12 There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.
12
There's a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again - it leads straight to hell.
13 Even in laughter the heart is sad, and the end of joy is grief.
13
Sure, those people appear to be having a good time, but all that laughter will end in heartbreak. Sift and Weigh Every Word
14 The perverse get what their ways deserve, and the good, what their deeds deserve.
14
A mean person gets paid back in meanness, a gracious person in grace.
15 The simple believe everything, but the clever consider their steps.
15
The gullible believe anything they're told; the prudent sift and weigh every word.
16 The wise are cautious and turn away from evil, but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.
16
The wise watch their steps and avoid evil; fools are headstrong and reckless.
17 One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly, and the schemer is hated.
17
The hotheaded do things they'll later regret; the coldhearted get the cold shoulder.
18 The simple are adorned with folly, but the clever are crowned with knowledge.
18
Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion; wise realists plant their feet on the ground.
19 The evil bow down before the good, the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
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Eventually, evil will pay tribute to good; the wicked will respect God-loyal people.
20 The poor are disliked even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.
20
An unlucky loser is shunned by all, but everyone loves a winner.
21 Those who despise their neighbors are sinners, but happy are those who are kind to the poor.
21
It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor - what a blessing!
22 Do they not err that plan evil? Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.
22
Isn't it obvious that conspirators lose out, while the thoughtful win love and trust?
23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
23
Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table.
24 The crown of the wise is their wisdom, but folly is the garland of fools.
24
The wise accumulate wisdom; fools get stupider by the day.
25 A truthful witness saves lives, but one who utters lies is a betrayer.
25
Souls are saved by truthful witness and betrayed by the spread of lies.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and one's children will have a refuge.
26
The Fear-of-God builds up confidence, and makes a world safe for your children.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, so that one may avoid the snares of death.
27
The Fear-of-God is a spring of living water so you won't go off drinking from poisoned wells.
28 The glory of a king is a multitude of people; without people a prince is ruined.
28
The mark of a good leader is loyal followers; leadership is nothing without a following.
29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
29
Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.
30 A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh, but passion makes the bones rot.
30
A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones.
31 Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who are kind to the needy honor him.
31
You insult your Maker when you exploit the powerless; when you're kind to the poor, you honor God.
32 The wicked are overthrown by their evildoing, but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity.
32
The evil of bad people leaves them out in the cold; the integrity of good people creates a safe place for living.
33 Wisdom is at home in the mind of one who has understanding, but it is not known in the heart of fools.
33
Lady Wisdom is at home in an understanding heart - fools never even get to say hello.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
34
God-devotion makes a country strong; God-avoidance leaves people weak.
35 A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
35
Diligent work gets a warm commendation; shiftless work earns an angry rebuke.
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.