The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted.
1
It is better to be poor but honest than to be a lying fool.
2 Further, without knowledge desire is not good; and he who is over-quick in acting goes out of the right way.
2
Enthusiasm without knowledge is not good; impatience will get you into trouble.
3 By his foolish behaviour a man's ways are turned upside down, and his heart is bitter against the Lord.
3
Some people ruin themselves by their own stupid actions and then blame the Lord.
4 Wealth makes a great number of friends; but the poor man is parted from his friend.
4
Rich people are always finding new friends, but the poor cannot keep the few they have.
5 A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will not go free.
5
If you tell lies in court, you will be punished - there will be no escape.
6 Great numbers will make attempts to get the approval of a ruler: and every man is the special friend of him who has something to give.
6
Everyone tries to gain the favor of important people; everyone claims the friendship of those who give out favors.
7 All the brothers of the poor man are against him: how much more do his friends go far from him! ...
7
Even the relatives of a poor person have no use for him; no wonder he has no friends. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot win any.
8 He who gets wisdom has love for his soul: he who keeps good sense will get what is truly good.
8
Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper.
9 A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will be cut off.
9
No one who tells lies in court can escape punishment; he is doomed.
10 Material comfort is not good for the foolish; much less for a servant to be put over rulers.
10
Fools should not live in luxury, and slaves should not rule over noblemen.
11 A man's good sense makes him slow to wrath, and the overlooking of wrongdoing is his glory.
11
If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it.
12 The king's wrath is like the loud cry of a lion, but his approval is like dew on the grass.
12
The king's anger is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like welcome rain.
13 A foolish son is the destruction of his father; and the bitter arguments of a wife are like drops of rain falling without end.
13
Stupid children can bring their parents to ruin. A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip.
14 House and wealth are a heritage from fathers, but a wife with good sense is from the Lord.
14
A man can inherit a house and money from his parents, but only the Lord can give him a sensible wife.
15 Hate of work sends deep sleep on a man: and he who has no industry will go without food.
15
Go ahead and be lazy; sleep on, but you will go hungry.
16 He who keeps the law keeps his soul; but death will be the fate of him who takes no note of the word.
16
Keep God's laws and you will live longer; if you ignore them, you will die.
17 He who has pity on the poor gives to the Lord, and the Lord will give him his reward.
17
When you give to the poor, it is like lending to the Lord, and the Lord will pay you back.
18 Give your son training while there is hope; let not your heart be purposing his death.
18
Discipline your children while they are young enough to learn. If you don't, you are helping them destroy themselves.
19 A man of great wrath will have to take his punishment: for if you get him out of trouble you will have to do it again.
19
If someone has a hot temper, let him take the consequences. If you get him out of trouble once, you will have to do it again.
20 Let your ear be open to suggestion and take teaching, so that at the end you may be wise.
20
If you listen to advice and are willing to learn, one day you will be wise.
21 A man's heart may be full of designs, but the purpose of the Lord is unchanging.
21
People may plan all kinds of things, but the Lord's will is going to be done.
22 The ornament of a man is his mercy, and a poor man is better than one who is false.
22
It is a disgrace to be greedy; poor people are better off than liars.
23 The fear of the Lord gives life: and he who has it will have need of nothing; no evil will come his way.
23
Obey the Lord and you will live a long life, content and safe from harm.
24 The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin, and will not even take it to his mouth again.
24
Some people are too lazy to put food in their own mouths.
25 When blows overtake the man of pride, the simple will get sense; say sharp words to the wise, and knowledge will be made clear to him.
25
Arrogance should be punished, so that people who don't know any better can learn a lesson. If you are wise, you will learn when you are corrected.
26 He who is violent to his father, driving away his mother, is a son causing shame and a bad name.
26
Only a shameful, disgraceful person would mistreat his father or turn his mother away from his home.
27 A son who no longer gives attention to teaching is turned away from the words of knowledge.
27
My child, when you stop learning, you will soon neglect what you already know.
28 A good-for-nothing witness makes sport of the judge's decision: and the mouth of evil-doers sends out evil like a stream.
28
There is no justice where a witness is determined to hurt someone. Wicked people love the taste of evil.
29 Rods are being made ready for the man of pride, and blows for the back of the foolish.
29
A conceited fool is sure to get a beating.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.