Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Better is a dry morsel with joy, than a house full of victims with strife.
1
Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A wise servant shall rule over foolish sons, and shall divide the inheritance among the brethren.
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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 As silver is tried by fire, and gold in the furnace: so the Lord trieth the hearts.
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The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.
4 The evil man obeyeth an unjust tongue: and the deceitful hearkeneth to lying lips.
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An evildoer listens to wicked lips; and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.
5 He that despiseth the poor, reproacheth his maker: and he that rejoiceth at another man’s ruin, shall not be 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 the crown of old men: and the glory of children are their fathers.
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Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their parents.
7 Eloquent words do not become a fool, nor lying lips a prince.
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Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a ruler.
8 The expectation of him that expecteth is a most acceptable jewel: whithersoever he turneth himself, he understandeth wisely.
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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 He that concealeth a transgression, seeketh friendships: he that repeateth it again, separateth friends.
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One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.
10 A reproof availeth more with a wise man, than a hundred stripes with a fool.
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A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man always seeketh quarrels: but a cruel angel shall be sent against him.
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Evil people seek only rebellion, but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her whelps, than a fool trusting in his own folly.
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Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs than to confront a fool immersed in folly.
13 He that rendereth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
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Evil will not depart from the house of one who returns evil for good.
14 The beginning of quarrels is as when one letteth out water: and before he suffereth reproach, he forsaketh judgment.
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The beginning of strife is like letting out water; so stop before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, both are abominable before God.
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One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 What doth it avail a fool to have riches, seeing he cannot buy wisdom? He that maketh his house high, seeketh a downfall: and he that refuseth to learn, shall fall into evils.
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Why should fools have a price in hand to buy wisdom, when they have no mind to learn?
17 He that is a friend loveth at all times: and a brother is proved in distress.
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A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.
18 A foolish man will clap hands, when he is surety for his friend.
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It is senseless to give a pledge, to become surety for a neighbor.
19 He that studieth discords, loveth quarrels: and he that exalteth his door, seeketh ruin.
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One who loves transgression loves strife; one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.
20 He that is of a perverse heart, shall not find good: and he that perverteth his tongue, shall fall into evil.
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The crooked of mind do not prosper, and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.
21 A fool is born to his own disgrace: and even his father shall not rejoice in a fool.
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The one who begets a fool gets trouble; the parent of a fool has no joy.
22 A joyful mind maketh age flourishing: a sorrowful spirit drieth 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 man taketh gifts out of the bosom, that he may pervert the paths of judgment.
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The wicked accept a concealed bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom shineth in the face of the wise: the eyes of fools are in 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 is the anger of the father: and the sorrow of the mother that bore him.
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Foolish children are a grief to their father and bitterness to her who bore them.
26 It is no good thing to do hurt to the just: nor to strike the prince, who judgeth right.
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To impose a fine on the innocent is not right, or to flog the noble for their integrity.
27 He that setteth bounds to his words, is knowing and wise: and the man of understanding is of a precious spirit.
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One who spares words is knowledgeable; one who is cool in spirit has understanding.
28 Even a fool, if he will hold his peace, shall be counted wise: and if he close his lips, a man of understanding.
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Even fools who keep silent are considered wise; when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
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.