New International Version NIV
Revised Standard Version RSV
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.
2 A slave who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tries hearts.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
4 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.
5 He who mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is 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.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of sons is their fathers.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn.
8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
9 He who forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter alienates a friend.
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.
12 Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.
13 If a man returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water; so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.
15 He who justifies the wicked and he 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?
16 Why should a fool have a price in his hand to buy wisdom, when he has no mind?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.
18 A man without sense gives a pledge, and becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
20 A man of crooked mind does not prosper, and one with a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
21 A stupid son is a grief to a father; and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
22 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.
23 A wicked man accepts a bribe from the bosom 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.
24 A man of understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right.
26 To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good; to flog noble men is wrong.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
27 He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is 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.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the 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.