New International Version NIV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.
1
Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a man who is perverse in speech, and is a fool.
2 Desire without knowledge is not good— how much more will hasty feet miss the way!
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It is not good for a man to be without knowledge, and he who makes haste with his feet misses his way.
3 A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD.
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When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD.
4 Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.
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Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free.
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A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who utters lies will not escape.
6 Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.
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Many seek the favor of a generous man, and every one is a friend to a man who gives gifts.
7 The poor are shunned by all their relatives— how much more do their friends avoid them! Though the poor pursue them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found.
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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 The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.
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He who gets wisdom loves himself; he who keeps understanding will prosper.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish.
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A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who utters lies will perish.
10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury— how much worse for a slave 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 A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
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Good sense makes a man slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like 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 upon the grass.
13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof.
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A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent 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, and the shiftless go hungry.
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Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.
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He who keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises the word will die.
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.
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He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.
18 Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.
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Discipline your son while there is hope; do not set your heart on his destruction.
19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and 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 discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.
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Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future.
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.
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Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will be established.
22 What a person desires is unfailing love ; better to be poor than a liar.
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What is desired in a man is loyalty, and a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
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The fear of the LORD leads to life; and he who has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!
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The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
25 Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke the discerning, 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 Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother is a child who brings shame and disgrace.
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He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.
27 Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
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Cease, my son, to hear instruction only to stray from the words of knowledge.
28 A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.
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A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29 Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.
29
Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and flogging for the backs of fools.
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.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the 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.