New International Version NIV
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
1
Do not make a noise about tomorrow, for you are not certain what a day's outcome may be.
2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.
2
Let another man give you praise, and not your mouth; one who is strange to you, and not your lips.
3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
3
A stone has great weight, and sand is crushing; but the wrath of the foolish is of greater weight than these.
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
4
Wrath is cruel, and angry feeling an overflowing stream; but who does not give way before envy?
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
5
Better is open protest than love kept secret.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
6
The wounds of a friend are given in good faith, but the kisses of a hater are false.
7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
7
The full man has no use for honey, but to the man in need of food every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home.
8
Like a bird wandering from the place of her eggs is a man wandering from his station.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
9
Oil and perfume make glad the heart, and the wise suggestion of a friend is sweet to the soul.
10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
10
Do not give up your friend and your father's friend; and do not go into your brother's house in the day of your trouble: better is a neighbour who is near than a brother far off.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.
11
My son, be wise and make my heart glad, so that I may give back an answer to him who puts me to shame.
12 The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
12
The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.
13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.
13
Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.
14
He who gives a blessing to his friend with a loud voice, getting up early in the morning, will have it put to his account as a curse.
15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
15
Like an unending dropping on a day of rain is a bitter-tongued woman.
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.
16
He who keeps secret the secret of his friend, will get himself a name for good faith.
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
17
Iron makes iron sharp; so a man makes sharp his friend.
18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored.
18
Whoever keeps a fig-tree will have its fruit; and the servant waiting on his master will be honoured.
19 As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.
19
Like face looking at face in water, so are the hearts of men to one another.
20 Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.
20
The underworld and Abaddon are never full, and the eyes of man have never enough.
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.
21
The heating-pot is for silver and the oven-fire for gold, and a man is measured by what he is praised for.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.
22
Even if a foolish man is crushed with a hammer in a vessel among crushed grain, still his foolish ways will not go from him.
23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;
23
Take care to have knowledge about the condition of your flocks, looking well after your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
24
For wealth is not for ever, and money does not go on for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
25
The grass comes up and the young grass is seen, and the mountain plants are got in.
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
26
The lambs are for your clothing, and the he-goats make the value of a field:
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.
27
There will be goats' milk enough for your food, and for the support of your servant-girls.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.