King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
1
If you have to choose between a good reputation and great wealth, choose a good reputation.
2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
2
The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord made them both.
3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
3
Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.
4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
4
Obey the Lord, be humble, and you will get riches, honor, and a long life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
5
If you love your life, stay away from the traps that catch the wicked along the way.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
6
Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
7
Poor people are slaves of the rich. Borrow money and you are the lender's slave.
8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
8
If you plant the seeds of injustice, disaster will spring up, and your oppression of others will end.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
9
Be generous and share your food with the poor. You will be blessed for it.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
10
Get rid of a conceited person, and then there will be no more arguments, quarreling, or name-calling.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
11
If you love purity of heart and graciousness of speech, the king will be your friend.
12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
12
The Lord sees to it that truth is kept safe by disproving the words of liars.
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
13
Lazy people stay at home; they say a lion might get them if they go outside.
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
14
Adultery is a trap - it catches those with whom the Lord is angry.
15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
15
Children just naturally do silly, careless things, but a good spanking will teach them how to behave.
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
16
If you make gifts to rich people or oppress the poor to get rich, you will become poor yourself.
17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
17
Listen, and I will teach you what the wise have said. Study their teachings,
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
18
and you will be glad if you remember them and can quote them.
19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
19
I want you to put your trust in the Lord; that is why I am going to tell them to you now.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
20
I have written down thirty sayings for you. They contain knowledge and good advice,
21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
21
and will teach you what the truth really is. Then when you are sent to find it out, you will bring back the right answer.
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
22
Don't take advantage of the poor just because you can; don't take advantage of those who stand helpless in court.
23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
23
The Lord will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
24
Don't make friends with people who have hot, violent tempers.
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
25
You might learn their habits and not be able to change.
26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
26
Don't promise to be responsible for someone else's debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
27
If you should be unable to pay, they will take away even your bed.
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
28
Never move an old property line that your ancestors established.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
29
Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.