| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. | 1Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever goes astray by them is not wise. |
| 2The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life. | 2The king's terrifying anger is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him sins against himself. |
| 3It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling. | 3It is an honor for a person to cease from strife, but every fool quarrels. |
| 4The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing. | 4The sluggard will not plow during the planting season, so at harvest time he looks for the crop but has nothing. |
| 5The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. | 5Counsel in a person's heart is like deep water, but an understanding person draws it out. |
| 6Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? | 6Many people profess their loyalty, but a faithful person--who can find? |
| 7The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him! | 7The righteous person behaves in integrity; blessed are his children after him. |
| 8A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes. | 8A king sitting on the throne to judge separates out all evil with his eyes. |
| 9Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? | 9Who can say, "I have kept my heart clean; I am pure from my sin"? |
| 10Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD. | 10Diverse weights and diverse measures--the LORD abhors both of them. |
| 11Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright. | 11Even a young man is known by his actions, whether his activity is pure and whether it is right. |
| 12The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both. | 12The ear that hears and the eye that sees--the LORD has made them both. |
| 13Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread. | 13Do not love sleep, lest you become impoverished; open your eyes so that you might be satisfied with food. |
| 14“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts. | 14"It's worthless! It's worthless!" says the buyer, but when he goes on his way, he boasts. |
| 15There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. | 15There is gold, and an abundance of rubies, but words of knowledge are like a precious jewel. |
| 16Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners. | 16Take a man's garment when he has given security for a stranger, and when he gives surety for strangers, hold him in pledge. |
| 17Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel. | 17Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. |
| 18Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war. | 18Plans are established by counsel, so make war with guidance. |
| 19Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler. | 19The one who goes about gossiping reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with someone who is always opening his mouth. |
| 20If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness. | 20The one who curses his father and his mother, his lamp will be extinguished in the blackest darkness. |
| 21An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end. | 21An inheritance gained easily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end. |
| 22Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you. | 22Do not say, "I will pay back evil!" Wait for the LORD, so that he may vindicate you. |
| 23Unequal weights are an abomination to the LORD, and false scales are not good. | 23The LORD abhors differing weights, and dishonest scales are wicked. |
| 24A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way? | 24The steps of a person are ordained by the LORD--so how can anyone understand his own way? |
| 25It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,” and to reflect only after making vows. | 25It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, "Holy!" and only afterward to consider what he has vowed. |
| 26A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them. | 26A wise king separates out the wicked; he turns the threshing wheel over them. |
| 27The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts. | 27The human spirit is like the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts. |
| 28Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld. | 28Loyal love and truth preserve a king, and his throne is upheld by loyal love. |
| 29The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair. | 29The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is gray hair. |
| 30Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts. | 30Beatings and wounds cleanse away evil, and floggings cleanse the innermost being. |
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