New International Version NIV
New Century Version NCV
1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
1
Don't brag about tomorrow; you don't know what may happen then.
2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.
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Don't praise yourself. Let someone else do it. Let the praise come from a stranger and not from your own mouth.
3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
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Stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a complaining fool is worse than either.
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
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Anger is cruel and destroys like a flood, but no one can put up with jealousy!
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
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It is better to correct someone openly than to have love and not show it.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
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The slap of a friend can be trusted to help you, but the kisses of an enemy are nothing but lies.
7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
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When you are full, not even honey tastes good, but when you are hungry, even something bitter tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home.
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A person who leaves his home is like a bird that leaves its nest.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
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The sweet smell of perfume and oils is pleasant, and so is good advice from a friend.
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.
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Don't forget your friend or your parent's friend. Don't always go to your family for help when trouble comes. A neighbor close by is better than a family far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.
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Be wise, my child, and make me happy. Then I can respond to any insult.
12 The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
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The wise see danger ahead and avoid it, but fools keep going 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.
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Take the coat of someone who promises to pay a stranger's loan, and keep it until he pays what the stranger owes.
14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.
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If you loudly greet your neighbor early in the morning, he will think of it as a curse.
15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
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A quarreling wife is as bothersome as a continual dripping on a rainy day.
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.
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Stopping her is like stopping the wind or trying to grab oil in your hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
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As iron sharpens iron, so people can improve each other.
18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored.
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Whoever tends a fig tree gets to eat its fruit, and whoever takes care of his master will receive honor.
19 As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.
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As water reflects your face, so your mind shows what kind of person you are.
20 Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.
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People will never stop dying and being destroyed, and they will never stop wanting more than they have.
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.
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A hot furnace tests silver and gold, and people are tested by the praise they receive.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.
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Even if you ground up a foolish person like grain in a bowl, you couldn't remove the foolishness.
23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;
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Be sure you know how your sheep are doing, and pay attention to the condition of your cattle.
24 for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
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Riches will not go on forever, nor do governments go on forever.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
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Bring in the hay, and let the new grass appear. Gather the grass from the hills.
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
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Make clothes from the lambs' wool, and sell some goats to buy a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.
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There will be plenty of goat's milk to feed you and your family and to make your servant girls healthy.
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.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.