New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
1
Better a bit of dry bread in peace, than a house full of feasting and violent behaviour.
2 A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
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 is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.
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The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips; and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.
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A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.
5 Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
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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, and the glory of children is their parents.
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Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a ruler.
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Fair words are not to be looked for from a foolish man, much less are false lips in a ruler.
8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it; wherever they turn they prosper.
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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 One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.
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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 strikes deeper into a discerning person than a hundred blows into a fool.
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A word of protest goes deeper into one who has sense than a hundred blows into a foolish man.
11 Evil people seek only rebellion, but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
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An uncontrolled man is only looking for trouble, so a cruel servant will be sent against him.
12 Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs than to confront a fool immersed in folly.
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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 one who returns evil for good.
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If anyone gives back evil for good, evil will never go away from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water; so stop before the quarrel breaks out.
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The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.
15 One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
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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 should fools have a price in hand to buy wisdom, when they have no mind to learn?
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How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?
17 A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.
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A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble.
18 It is senseless to give a pledge, to become surety for a neighbor.
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A man without sense gives his hand in an agreement, and makes himself responsible before his neighbour.
19 One who loves transgression loves strife; one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.
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The lover of fighting is a lover of sin: he who makes high his doorway is looking for destruction.
20 The crooked of mind do not prosper, and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.
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Nothing good comes to him whose heart is fixed on evil purposes: and he who has an evil tongue will come to trouble.
21 The one who begets a fool gets trouble; the parent of a fool has no joy.
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He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.
22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.
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A glad heart makes a healthy body, but a crushed spirit makes the bones dry.
23 The wicked accept a concealed bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
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A sinner takes an offering out of his robe, to get a decision for himself in a cause.
24 The discerning person looks to wisdom, but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.
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Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.
25 Foolish children are a grief to their father and bitterness to her who bore them.
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A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitter pain to her who gave him birth.
26 To impose a fine on the innocent is not right, or to flog the noble for their integrity.
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To give punishment to the upright is not good, or to give blows to the noble for their righteousness.
27 One who spares words is knowledgeable; one who is cool in spirit has understanding.
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He who has knowledge says little: and he who has a calm spirit is a man of good sense.
28 Even fools who keep silent are considered wise; when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.
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Even the foolish man, when he keeps quiet, is taken to be wise: when his lips are shut he is credited with good sense.
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.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.