The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Better a bit of dry bread in peace, than a house full of feasting and violent behaviour.
1
Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than have a banquet in a house full of trouble.
2 A servant who does wisely will have rule over a son causing shame, and will have his part in the heritage among brothers.
2
A shrewd servant will gain authority over a master's worthless son and receive a part of the inheritance.
3 The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.
3
Gold and silver are tested by fire, and a person's heart is tested by the Lord.
4 A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.
4
Evil people listen to evil ideas, and liars listen to lies.
5 Whoever makes sport of the poor puts shame on his Maker; and he who is glad because of trouble will not go free from punishment.
5
If you make fun of poor people, you insult the God who made them. You will be punished if you take pleasure in someone's misfortune.
6 Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their fathers.
6
Grandparents are proud of their grandchildren, just as children are proud of their parents.
7 Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.
7
Respected people do not tell lies, and fools have nothing worthwhile to say.
8 An offering of money is like a stone of great price in the eyes of him who has it: wherever he goes, he does well.
8
Some people think a bribe works like magic; they believe it can do anything.
9 He who keeps a sin covered is looking for love; but he who keeps on talking of a thing makes division between friends.
9
If you want people to like you, forgive them when they wrong you. Remembering wrongs can break up a friendship.
10 A word of protest goes deeper into one who has sense than a hundred blows into a foolish man.
10
An intelligent person learns more from one rebuke than a fool learns from being beaten a hundred times.
11 An uncontrolled man is only looking for trouble, so a cruel servant will be sent against him.
11
Death will come like a cruel messenger to wicked people who are always stirring up trouble.
12 It is better to come face to face with a bear whose young ones have been taken away than with a foolish man acting foolishly.
12
It is better to meet a mother bear robbed of her cubs than to meet some fool busy with a stupid project.
13 If anyone gives back evil for good, evil will never go away from his house.
13
If you repay good with evil, you will never get evil out of your house.
14 The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.
14
The start of an argument is like the first break in a dam; stop it before it goes any further.
15 He who gives a decision for the evil-doer and he who gives a decision against the upright, are equally disgusting to the Lord.
15
Condemning the innocent or letting the wicked go - both are hateful to the Lord.
16 How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?
16
It does a fool no good to spend money on an education, because he has no common sense.
17 A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.
17
Friends always show their love. What are relatives for if not to share trouble?
18 A man without sense gives his hand in an agreement, and makes himself responsible before his neighbour.
18
Only someone with no sense would promise to be responsible for someone else's debts.
19 The lover of fighting is a lover of sin: he who makes high his doorway is looking for destruction.
19
To like sin is to like making trouble. If you brag all the time, you are asking for trouble.
20 Nothing good comes to him whose heart is fixed on evil purposes: and he who has an evil tongue will come to trouble.
20
Anyone who thinks and speaks evil can expect to find nothing good - only disaster.
21 He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.
21
There is nothing but sadness and sorrow for parents whose children do foolish things.
22 A glad heart makes a healthy body, but a crushed spirit makes the bones dry.
22
Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.
23 A sinner takes an offering out of his robe, to get a decision for himself in a cause.
23
Corrupt judges accept secret bribes, and then justice is not done.
24 Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.
24
An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter pain to her who gave him birth.
25
Foolish children bring grief to their fathers and bitter regrets to their mothers.
26 To give punishment to the upright is not good, or to give blows to the noble for their righteousness.
26
It is not right to make an innocent person pay a fine; justice is perverted when good people are punished.
27 He who has knowledge says little: and he who has a calm spirit is a man of good sense.
27
Those who are sure of themselves do not talk all the time. People who stay calm have real insight.
28 Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense.
28
After all, even fools may be thought wise and intelligent if they stay quiet and keep their mouths shut.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.