New International Version NIV
Young's Literal Translation YLT
1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.
1
Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of 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 wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.
3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
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A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] Jehovah.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
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An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear 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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Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
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Sons' sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
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Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.
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 stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
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Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.
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Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.
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An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.
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The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And -- not a fool in his folly.
13 Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.
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Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.
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 contention [is] a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.
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Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?
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Why [is] this -- a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
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At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.
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A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
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Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
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The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.
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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Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
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A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.
23 The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.
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A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
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 face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool -- at the end of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
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A provocation to his father [is] a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right.
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Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
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One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
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Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips 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.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.