Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 Better to be poor and walk in innocence than to have dishonest lips and be a fool.
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Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.
2 Ignorant desire isn't good; rushing feet make mistakes.
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Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 People's own folly corrupts their way, but their hearts rage against the LORD.
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When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.
4 Riches increase one's friends, but the poor lose their friends.
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Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 A false witness won't go unpunished, and a liar won't escape.
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A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
6 Many seek favor from rulers; everyone befriends a gift giver.
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Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
7 All the relatives of the poor hate them; even more, their friends stay far from them. When they pursue them with words, they aren't there.
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All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.
8 Those who acquire good sense love themselves; those who keep understanding find success.
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Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good.
9 False witnesses won't go unpunished, and liars will perish.
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A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.
10 Luxury isn't fitting for a fool; even less so for a servant to rule over princes.
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It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.
11 Insightful people restrain their anger; their glory is to ignore an offense.
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Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A raging king roars like a lion; his favor is like the dew on the grass.
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A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish son is a disaster to his father; a contentious wife is like constant dripping.
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A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
14 House and riches are an inheritance from one's ancestors, but an insightful wife is from the LORD.
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House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep; a slacker goes hungry.
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Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 Those who keep the commandment preserve their lives; those who disregard their ways will die.
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Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die.
17 Those who are gracious to the poor lend to the LORD, and the Lord will fully repay them.
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Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
18 Discipline your children while there is hope, but don't plan to kill them.
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Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.
19 Angry people must pay the penalty; if you rescue them, then you will have to do it again.
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A man of great wrath will pay the penalty, for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, so you might grow wise in the future.
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Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.
21 Many plans are in a person's mind, but the LORD's purpose will succeed.
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Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
22 People long for trustworthiness; it is better to be poor than a liar.
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What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by harm.
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The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
24 Lazy people bury their hand in the bowl; they won't even put it to their mouth.
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The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 Strike someone who scoffs, and a naive person will become clever; correct someone with understanding, and they will gain knowledge.
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Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
26 Those who assault their father and drive out their mother are disgraceful children, worthy of reproach.
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He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.
27 If, my child, you stop listening to discipline, you will wander away from words of knowledge.
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Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks justice; the wicked mouth gulps down trouble.
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A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29 Punishments were made for mockers, and blows for the backs of fools.
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Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools.