King James Version KJV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and 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 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 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
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The clever see danger and hide; but the simple go on, and suffer for it.
4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, 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 froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be 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: and 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 ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
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The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
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Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of anger will fail.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
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Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
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Drive out a scoffer, and strife goes out; quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be 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 preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
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The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the faithless.
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain 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 strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
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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 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive 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 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
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Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself, and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss.
17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto 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 is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy 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 thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
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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 not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
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Have I not written for you thirty sayings of admonition and knowledge,
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?
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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 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in 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 spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
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for the Lord pleads their cause and despoils of life those who despoil them.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
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Make no friends with those given to anger, and do not associate with hotheads,
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
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or you may learn their ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
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Do not be one of those who give pledges, who become surety for debts.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
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If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
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Do not remove the ancient landmark that your ancestors set up.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean 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 King James Version is in the public domain.
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.