The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New King James Version NKJV
1 Rather than wealth, choose a good reputation, esteem over silver and gold.
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A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2 Rich and poor have this in common -ADONAI made them both.
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The rich and the poor have this in common, The Lord is the maker of them all.
3 The clever see trouble coming and hide; the simple go on and pay the penalty.
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A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.
4 The reward for humility is fear of ADONAI, along with wealth, honor and life.
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By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares beset the way of the stubborn; he who values his life keeps his distance from them.
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Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.
6 Train a child in the way he [should] go; and, even when old, he will not swerve from it.
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Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rule the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
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The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 He who sows injustice reaps trouble, and the rod of his angry outburst will fail.
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He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.
9 He who is generous is blessed, because he shares his food with the poor.
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He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.
10 Throw the scoffer out, and quarreling goes too; strife and insults cease.
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Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
11 He who loves the pure-hearted and is gracious in speech will have the king as his friend.
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He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.
12 The eyes of ADONAI protect [the man with] knowledge, but he overturns the plans of a traitor.
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The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.
13 A lazy man says, "There's a lion outside! I'll be killed if I go out in the street!"
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The lazy man says, "There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!"
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; the man with whom ADONAI is angry falls into it.
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The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.
15 Doing wrong is firmly tied to the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away from him.
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Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
16 Both oppressing the poor to enrich oneself and giving to the rich yield only loss.
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He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.
17 Pay attention, and listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my knowledge;
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Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;
18 for it is pleasant to keep them deep within you; have all of them ready on your lips.
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For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
19 I want your trust to be in ADONAI; this is why I'm instructing you about them today.
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So that your trust may be in the Lord; I have instructed you today, even you.
20 I have written you worthwhile things full of good counsel and knowledge,
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Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,
21 so you will know that these sayings are certainly true and bring back true sayings to him who sent you.
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That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?
22 Don't exploit the helpless, because they are helpless, and don't crush the poor in court,
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Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
23 for ADONAI will plead their case for them and withhold life from those who defraud them.
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For the Lord will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.
24 Don't associate with an angry man; make no hot-tempered man your companion.
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Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,
25 If you do, you may learn his ways and find yourself caught in a trap.
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Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.
26 Don't be one of those who give pledges, guaranteeing loans made to others;
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Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts;
27 for if you don't have the wherewithal to pay, they will take your bed away from underneath you.
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If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?
28 Don't move the ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors.
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Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skilled at his work? He will serve kings, not obscure people.
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Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.