| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife. | 1Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting—and conflict. |
| 2A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers. | 2A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son and will share the inheritance of the master’s children. |
| 3A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts. | 3Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart. |
| 4A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue. | 4Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander. |
| 5He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished. | 5Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished. |
| 6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father. | 6Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children. |
| 7Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler! | 7Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler. |
| 8A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds. | 8A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper! |
| 9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends. | 9Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. |
| 10A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool. | 10A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool. |
| 11An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him. | 11Evil people are eager for rebellion, but they will be severely punished. |
| 12It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly. | 12It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in foolishness. |
| 13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house. | 13If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house. |
| 14To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out. | 14Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out. |
| 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD. | 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— both are detestable to the LORD. |
| 16Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom? | 16It is senseless to pay to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning. |
| 17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. | 17A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. |
| 18A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor. | 18It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for a friend. |
| 19He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction. | 19Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster. |
| 20The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble. | 20The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble. |
| 21A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy. | 21It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel. |
| 22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. | 22A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. |
| 23A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice. | 23The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course of justice. |
| 24Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth. | 24Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. |
| 25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. | 25Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth. |
| 26It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty. | 26It is wrong to punish the godly for being good or to flog leaders for being honest. |
| 27A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit. | 27A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. |
| 28Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue. | 28Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. |
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