English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
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Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
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The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion; anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
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It is honorable to refrain from strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
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The lazy person does not plow in season; harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.
5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
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The purposes in the human mind are like deep water, but the intelligent will draw them out.
6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?
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Many proclaim themselves loyal, but who can find one worthy of trust?
7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!
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The righteous walk in integrity— happy are the children who follow them!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes.
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A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?
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Who can say, "I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin"?
10 Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
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Diverse weights and diverse measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
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Even children make themselves known by their acts, by whether what they do is pure and right.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.
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The hearing ear and the seeing eye— the Lord has made them both.
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
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Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad, ” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.
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"Bad, bad," says the buyer, then goes away and boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
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There is gold, and abundance of costly stones; but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.
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Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger; seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
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Bread gained by deceit is sweet, but afterward the mouth will be full of gravel.
18 Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.
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Plans are established by taking advice; wage war by following wise guidance.
19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.
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A gossip reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a babbler.
20 If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
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If you curse father or mother, your lamp will go out in utter darkness.
21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
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An estate quickly acquired in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
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Do not say, "I will repay evil"; wait for the Lord, and he will help you.
23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
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Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
24 A man’s steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?
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All our steps are ordered by the Lord; how then can we understand our own ways?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy, ”and to reflect only after making vows.
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It is a snare for one to say rashly, "It is holy," and begin to reflect only after making a vow.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them.
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A wise king winnows the wicked, and drives the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.
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The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord, searching every inmost part.
28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.
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Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by righteousness.
29 The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
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The glory of youths is their strength, but the beauty of the aged is their gray hair.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts.
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Blows that wound cleanse away evil; beatings make clean the innermost parts.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
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.