Berean Study Bible

English Standard Version

1Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.

1Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

2A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.

2A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

3A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.

3The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.

4A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.

4An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

5He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.

5Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.

6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

7Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!

7Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.

8A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.

8A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.

9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.

9Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

10A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.

10A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.

11An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

11An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.

12Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly.

13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.

13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.

14To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.

14The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.

15He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

16Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?

16Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?

17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

18A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.

18One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

19He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.

19Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.

20The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.

20A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.

21A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.

21He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.

22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

23A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.

23The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.

24Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.

24The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.

25A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.

26It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.

26To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

27A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.

27Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

28Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.

28Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.