The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New King James Version NKJV
1 Wine is a mocker, strong liquor a rowdy; anyone led astray by it is unwise.
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Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The dread of a king is like when a lion roars; he who makes him angry commits a life-threatening sin.
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The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
3 Avoiding quarrels brings a person honor; for any fool can explode in anger.
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It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.
4 A lazy person won't plow in winter; so at harvest-time, when he looks, there is nothing.
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The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.
5 The heart's real intentions are like deep water; but a person with discernment draws them out.
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Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Most people announce that they show kindness, but who can find someone faithful [enough to do it]?
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Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?
7 The righteous live a life of integrity; happy are their children after them.
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The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.
8 The king seated on his judgment throne can winnow out all evil with his glance.
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A king who sits on the throne of judgment Scatters all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am cleansed from my sin"?
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Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin"?
10 False weights and false measures -ADONAI detests them both.
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Diverse weights and diverse measures, They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.
11 The character of even a child is known by how he acts, by whether his deeds are pure and right.
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Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye -ADONAI made them both.
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The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made them both.
13 If you love sleep, you will become poor; keep your eyes open, and you'll have plenty of food.
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Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.
14 "Really bad stuff!" says the buyer [to the seller]; then he goes off and brags [about his bargain].
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"It is good for nothing," cries the buyer; But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.
15 A person may have gold and a wealth of pearls, but lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.
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There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Seize his clothes, because he guaranteed a stranger's loan; take them as security for that unknown woman.
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Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger, And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.
17 Food obtained by fraud may taste good, but later the mouth is full of gravel.
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Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 After consultation, plans succeed; so take wise advice when waging war.
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Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.
19 A gossip goes around revealing secrets, so don't get involved with a talkative person.
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He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.
20 Whoever curses his father or mother -his lamp will go out in total darkness.
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Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.
21 Possessions acquired quickly at first will not be blessed in the end.
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An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end.
22 Don't say, "I'll pay back evil for evil"; wait for ADONAI to save you.
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Do not say, "I will recompense evil"; Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.
23 ADONAI detests a double standard in weights, and false scales are not good.
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Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord, And dishonest scales are not good.
24 A man's steps are ordered by ADONAI, so how can a person understand his own ways?
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A man's steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?
25 It is a snare to dedicate a gift to God rashly and reflect on the vows only afterwards.
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It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked [from the righteous] and threshes them under the cartwheel.
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A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them.
27 The human spirit is a lamp of ADONAI; it searches one's inmost being.
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The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.
28 Grace and truth preserve a king; with grace he upholds his throne.
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Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.
29 The pride of the young is their strength; the dignity of the old is gray hair.
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The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head.
30 Blows that wound purge away evil, yes, beatings [cleanse] one's inmost being.
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Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.