New Living Translation NLT
Young's Literal Translation YLT
1 Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
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Wine [is] a scorner -- strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
2 The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar; to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
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The fear of a king [is] a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be wroth is wronging his soul.
3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.
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An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.
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Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.
5 Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.
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Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.
6 Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?
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A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
7 The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.
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The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!
8 When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good.
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A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil,
9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin”?
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Who saith, `I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'
10 False weights and unequal measures — the LORD detests double standards of every kind.
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A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
11 Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
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Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.
12 Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the LORD .
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A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
13 If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!
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Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes -- be satisfied [with] bread.
14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,” then brags about getting a bargain!
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`Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
15 Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.
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Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
16 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.
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Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
17 Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.
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Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
18 Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.
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Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
19 A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.
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A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
20 If you insult your father or mother, your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.
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Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.
21 An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.
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An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
22 Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the LORD to handle the matter.
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Do not say, `I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
23 The LORD detests double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales.
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An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
24 The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?
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From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man -- how understandeth he his way?
25 Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost.
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A snare to a man [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
26 A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat, then runs his threshing wheel over them.
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A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
27 The LORD ’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.
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The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.
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Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.
29 The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.
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The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.
30 Physical punishment cleanses away evil; such discipline purifies the heart.
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The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!