The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Better a dry piece of bread with calm than a house full of food but also full of strife.
1
Better a bit of dry bread in peace, than a house full of feasting and violent behaviour.
2 An intelligent slave will rule a shameful son and share the inheritance with the brothers.
2
A servant who does wisely will have rule over a son causing shame, and will have his part in the heritage among brothers.
3 The crucible [tests] silver, and the furnace [tests] gold, but the one who tests hearts is ADONAI.
3
The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.
4 An evildoer heeds wicked lips; a liar listens to destructive talk.
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A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.
5 He who mocks the poor insults his maker; he who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.
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.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, while the glory of children is their ancestors.
6
Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is unbecoming to a boor, and even less lying lips to a leader.
7
Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.
8 A bribe works like a charm, in the view of him who gives it -wherever it turns, it succeeds.
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.
9 He who conceals an offense promotes love, but he who harps on it can separate even close friends.
9
He who keeps a sin covered is looking for love; but he who keeps on talking of a thing makes division between friends.
10 A rebuke makes more impression on a person of understanding than a hundred blows on a fool.
10
A word of protest goes deeper into one who has sense than a hundred blows into a foolish man.
11 An evil person seeks only rebellion, but a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
11
An uncontrolled man is only looking for trouble, so a cruel servant will be sent against him.
12 Rather meet a bear robbed of its cubs than encounter a fool in his folly.
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.
13 Evil will not depart from the house of him who returns evil for good.
13
If anyone gives back evil for good, evil will never go away from his house.
14 Starting a fight is like letting water through [a dike] -better stop the quarrel before it gets worse.
14
The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.
15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous -both alike are an abomination to ADONAI.
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.
16 Why would a fool wish to pay for wisdom when he has no desire to learn?
16
How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?
17 A friend shows his friendship at all times -it is for adversity that [such] a brother is born.
17
A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.
18 He who gives his hand to guarantee a loan for his neighbor lacks good sense.
18
A man without sense gives his hand in an agreement, and makes himself responsible before his neighbour.
19 Those who love quarreling love giving offense; those who make their gates tall are courting disaster.
19
The lover of fighting is a lover of sin: he who makes high his doorway is looking for destruction.
20 A crooked-hearted person will find nothing good, and the perverse of speech will end in calamity.
20
Nothing good comes to him whose heart is fixed on evil purposes: and he who has an evil tongue will come to trouble.
21 He who fathers a fool does so to his sorrow, and the father of a boor has no joy.
21
He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.
22 A happy heart is good medicine, but low spirits sap one's strength.
22
A glad heart makes a healthy body, but a crushed spirit makes the bones dry.
23 From under a cloak a bad man takes a bribe to pervert the course of justice.
23
A sinner takes an offering out of his robe, to get a decision for himself in a cause.
24 The discerning person focuses on wisdom there before him, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
24
Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.
25 A son who is a fool means anger for his father and bitterness for the mother who gave him birth.
25
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter pain to her who gave him birth.
26 To punish the innocent is not right, likewise to flog noble people for their uprightness.
26
To give punishment to the upright is not good, or to give blows to the noble for their righteousness.
27 A knowledgeable person controls his tongue; a discerning person controls his temper.
27
He who has knowledge says little: and he who has a calm spirit is a man of good sense.
28 Even a fool, if he stays silent, is thought wise; he who keeps his mouth shut can pass for smart.
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.
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.