The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Message Bible MSG
1 A gentle response deflects fury, but a harsh word makes tempers rise.
1
A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.
2 The tongue of the wise presents knowledge well, but the mouth of a fool spews out folly.
2
Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.
3 The eyes of ADONAI are everywhere, watching the evil and the good.
3
God doesn't miss a thing - he's alert to good and evil alike.
4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but when it twists things, it breaks the spirit.
4
Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim.
5 A fool despises his father's discipline, but he who heeds warnings is prudent.
5
Moral dropouts won't listen to their elders; welcoming correction is a mark of good sense.
6 The home of the righteous is a storehouse of treasure, but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.
6
The lives of God-loyal people flourish; a misspent life is soon bankrupt.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.
7
Perceptive words spread knowledge; fools are hollow - there's nothing to them.
8 ADONAI detests the sacrifices of the wicked but delights in the prayers of the upright.
8
God can't stand pious poses, but he delights in genuine prayers.
9 ADONAI detests the way of the wicked but loves anyone who pursues righteousness.
9
A life frittered away disgusts God; he loves those who run straight for the finish line.
10 Discipline is severe for one who leaves the way, and whoever can't stand correction will die.
10
It's a school of hard knocks for those who leave God's path, a dead-end street for those who hate God's rules.
11 Sh'ol and Abaddon lie open to ADONAI; so how much more people's hearts!
11
Even hell holds no secrets from God - do you think he can't read human hearts? Life Ascends to the Heights
12 A scorner does not like being corrected; he won't go to the wise [for advice].
12
Know-it-alls don't like being told what to do; they avoid the company of wise men and women.
13 A glad heart makes a face happy, but heartache breaks the spirit.
13
A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.
14 The mind of a person with discernment seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
14
An intelligent person is always eager to take in more truth; fools feed on fast-food fads and fancies.
15 For the poor, every day is hard; but the good-hearted have a perpetual feast.
15
A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song.
16 Better little with the fear of ADONAI than great wealth coupled with worry.
16
A simple life in the Fear-of-God is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches.
17 Better a vegetable dinner with love than a stall-fattened ox with hate.
17
Better a bread crust shared in love than a slab of prime rib served in hate.
18 Hot-tempered people stir up strife, but patient people quiet quarrels.
18
Hot tempers start fights; a calm, cool spirit keeps the peace.
19 The lazy person's way seems overgrown by thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.
19
The path of lazy people is overgrown with briers; the diligent walk down a smooth road.
20 A wise son is a joy to his father, and only a fool despises his mother.
20
Intelligent children make their parents proud; lazy students embarrass their parents.
21 Folly appeals to one who lacks sense, but a person of discernment goes straight ahead.
21
The empty-headed treat life as a plaything; the perceptive grasp its meaning and make a go of it.
22 Without deliberation, plans go wrong; but with many advisers, they succeed.
22
Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.
23 People take pleasure in anything they say; but a word at the right time, how good it is!
23
Congenial conversation - what a pleasure! The right word at the right time - beautiful!
24 For the prudent, the path of life goes upward; thus he avoids Sh'ol below.
24
Life ascends to the heights for the thoughtful - it's a clean about-face from descent into hell.
25 ADONAI will pull down the houses of the proud, but preserves intact the widow's boundaries.
25
God smashes the pretensions of the arrogant; he stands with those who have no standing.
26 ADONAI detests plans to do evil, but kind words are pure.
26
God can't stand evil scheming, but he puts words of grace and beauty on display.
27 The greedy for gain brings trouble to his home, but he who hates bribes will live.
27
A greedy and grasping person destroys community; those who refuse to exploit live and let live.
28 The mind of the righteous thinks before speaking, but the mouth of the wicked spews out evil stuff.
28
Prayerful answers come from God-loyal people; the wicked are sewers of abuse.
29 ADONAI is far from the wicked, but he listens to the prayer of the righteous.
29
God keeps his distance from the wicked; he closely attends to the prayers of God-loyal people.
30 A cheerful glance brings joy to the heart, and good news invigorates the bones.
30
A twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart, and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle.
31 He who heeds life-giving correction will be at home in the company of the wise.
31
Listen to good advice if you want to live well, an honored guest among wise men and women.
32 He who spurns discipline detests himself, but he who listens to correction grows in understanding.
32
An undisciplined, self-willed life is puny; an obedient, God-willed life is spacious.
33 The discipline of wisdom is fear of ADONAI, so before being honored, a person must be humble.
33
Fear-of-God is a school in skilled living - first you learn humility, then you experience glory.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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.