New International Version NIV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
1
Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
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A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
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The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
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An evildoer listens to wicked lips; and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
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Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
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Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their parents.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
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Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a ruler.
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn.
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A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it; wherever they turn they prosper.
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
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One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.
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A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.
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Evil people seek only rebellion, but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.
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Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs than to confront a fool immersed in folly.
13 Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.
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Evil will not depart from the house of one who returns evil for good.
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
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The beginning of strife is like letting out water; so stop before the quarrel breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.
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One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?
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Why should fools have a price in hand to buy wisdom, when they have no mind to learn?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
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A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.
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It is senseless to give a pledge, to become surety for a neighbor.
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
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One who loves transgression loves strife; one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
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The crooked of mind do not prosper, and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
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The one who begets a fool gets trouble; the parent of a fool has no joy.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
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A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.
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The wicked accept a concealed bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
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The discerning person looks to wisdom, but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
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Foolish children are a grief to their father and bitterness to her who bore them.
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right.
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To impose a fine on the innocent is not right, or to flog the noble for their integrity.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
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One who spares words is knowledgeable; one who is cool in spirit has understanding.
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
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Even fools who keep silent are considered wise; when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
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.