New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Better the poor walking in integrity than one perverse of speech who is a fool.
1
Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted.
2 Desire without knowledge is not good, and one who moves too hurriedly misses the way.
2
Further, without knowledge desire is not good; and he who is over-quick in acting goes out of the right way.
3 One's own folly leads to ruin, yet the heart rages against the Lord.
3
By his foolish behaviour a man's ways are turned upside down, and his heart is bitter against the Lord.
4 Wealth brings many friends, but the poor are left friendless.
4
Wealth makes a great number of friends; but the poor man is parted from his friend.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will not escape.
5
A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will not go free.
6 Many seek the favor of the generous, and everyone is a friend to a giver of gifts.
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.
7 If the poor are hated even by their kin, how much more are they shunned by their friends! When they call after them, they are not there.
7
All the brothers of the poor man are against him: how much more do his friends go far from him! ...
8 To get wisdom is to love oneself; to keep understanding is to prosper.
8
He who gets wisdom has love for his soul: he who keeps good sense will get what is truly good.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and the liar will perish.
9
A false witness will not go without punishment, and the breather out of deceit will be cut off.
10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.
10
Material comfort is not good for the foolish; much less for a servant to be put over rulers.
11 Those with good sense are slow to anger, and it is their glory to overlook an offense.
11
A man's good sense makes him slow to wrath, and the overlooking of wrongdoing is his glory.
12 A king's anger is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
12
The king's wrath is like the loud cry of a lion, but his approval is like dew on the grass.
13 A stupid child is ruin to a father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of 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.
14 House and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
14
House and wealth are a heritage from fathers, but a wife with good sense is from the Lord.
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep; an idle person will suffer hunger.
15
Hate of work sends deep sleep on a man: and he who has no industry will go without food.
16 Those who keep the commandment will live; those who are heedless of their ways will die.
16
He who keeps the law keeps his soul; but death will be the fate of him who takes no note of the word.
17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and will be repaid in full.
17
He who has pity on the poor gives to the Lord, and the Lord will give him his reward.
18 Discipline your children while there is hope; do not set your heart on their destruction.
18
Give your son training while there is hope; let not your heart be purposing his death.
19 A violent tempered person will pay the penalty; if you effect a rescue, you will only have to do it again.
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.
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future.
20
Let your ear be open to suggestion and take teaching, so that at the end you may be wise.
21 The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established.
21
A man's heart may be full of designs, but the purpose of the Lord is unchanging.
22 What is desirable in a person is loyalty, and it is better to be poor than a liar.
22
The ornament of a man is his mercy, and a poor man is better than one who is false.
23 The fear of the Lord is life indeed; filled with it one rests secure and suffers no harm.
23
The fear of the Lord gives life: and he who has it will have need of nothing; no evil will come his way.
24 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish, and will not even bring it back to the mouth.
24
The hater of work puts his hand deep into the basin, and will not even take it to his mouth again.
25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove the intelligent, and they will gain knowledge.
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.
26 Those who do violence to their father and chase away their mother are children who cause shame and bring reproach.
26
He who is violent to his father, driving away his mother, is a son causing shame and a bad name.
27 Cease straying, my child, from the words of knowledge, in order that you may hear instruction.
27
A son who no longer gives attention to teaching is turned away from the words of knowledge.
28 A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
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.
29 Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and flogging for the backs of fools.
29
Rods are being made ready for the man of pride, and blows for the back of the foolish.
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.