Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

1Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.

1Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting—and conflict.

2A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share an inheritance among 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 smelter for gold, and the LORD is the tester of hearts.

3Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.

4A wicked person listens to malicious talk; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

4Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander.

5The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker, and one who rejoices 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 elderly, and the pride of children is their fathers.

6Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.

7Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool's lips; how much worse are lies for a ruler.

7Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler.

8A bribe seems like a magic stone to its owner; wherever he turns, he succeeds.

8A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!

9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends.

9Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

10A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person more than a hundred lashes 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 person desires only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

11Evil people are eager for rebellion, but they will be severely punished.

12Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his foolishness.

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 depart from his house.

13If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house.

14To start a conflict is to release a flood; stop 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 just--both are detestable to the LORD.

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

16Why does a 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 a difficult time.

17A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

18One without sense enters an agreement and puts up security for his friend.

18It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for a friend.

19One who loves to offend loves strife; one who builds a high threshold invites injury.

19Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.

20One with a twisted mind will not succeed, and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.

20The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.

21A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow; 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 person secretly takes a bribe to subvert the course of justice.

23The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course of justice.

24Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive, but a fool's eyes roam 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 is grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him.

25Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.

26It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person or to beat a noble for his honesty.

26It is wrong to punish the godly for being good or to flog leaders for being honest.

27The one who has knowledge restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a person of understanding.

27A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.

28Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent--discerning, when he seals his lips.

28Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.