English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
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A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.
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The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.
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The clever see danger and hide; but the simple go on, and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.
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The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.
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Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; the cautious will keep far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
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Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.
7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
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The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail.
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Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of anger will fail.
9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
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Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor.
10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease.
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Drive out a scoffer, and strife goes out; quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.
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Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech will have the king as a friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the traitor.
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The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the faithless.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets! ”
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The lazy person says, "There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!"
14 The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit; he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
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The mouth of a loose woman is a deep pit; he with whom the Lord is angry falls into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
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Folly is bound up in the heart of a boy, but the rod of discipline drives it far away.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
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Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself, and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss.
17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,
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The words of the wise: Incline your ear and hear my words, and apply your mind to my teaching;
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
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for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today, even to you.
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So that your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today—yes, to you.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge,
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Have I not written for you thirty sayings of admonition and knowledge,
21 to make you know what is right and true, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
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to show you what is right and true, so that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate,
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Do not rob the poor because they are poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.
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for the Lord pleads their cause and despoils of life those who despoil them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,
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Make no friends with those given to anger, and do not associate with hotheads,
25 lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
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or you may learn their ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts.
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Do not be one of those who give pledges, who become surety for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
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If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set.
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Do not remove the ancient landmark that your ancestors set up.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
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Do you see those who are skillful in their work? They will serve kings; they will not serve common people.
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.