| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool. | 1Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse. |
| 2Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way. | 2Desire without knowledge is not good-- how much more will hasty feet miss the way! |
| 3When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD. | 3A person's own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD. |
| 4Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend. | 4Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them. |
| 5A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape. | 5A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free. |
| 6Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. | 6Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts. |
| 7All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them. | 7The poor are shunned by all their relatives-- how much more do their friends avoid them! Though the poor pursue them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found. |
| 8Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good. | 8The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper. |
| 9A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish. | 9A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish. |
| 10It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes. | 10It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury-- how much worse for a slave to rule over princes! |
| 11Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. | 11A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offense. |
| 12A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. | 12A king's rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. |
| 13A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain. | 13A foolish child is a father's ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof. |
| 14House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. | 14Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. |
| 15Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger. | 15Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry. |
| 16Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die. | 16Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die. |
| 17Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed. | 17Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. |
| 18Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death. | 18Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death. |
| 19A man of great wrath will pay the penalty, for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again. | 19A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again. |
| 20Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. | 20Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. |
| 21Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. | 21Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. |
| 22What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar. | 22What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. |
| 23The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm. | 23The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble. |
| 24The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth. | 24A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth! |
| 25Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge. | 25Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge. |
| 26He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach. | 26Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother is a child who brings shame and disgrace. |
| 27Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. | 27Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. |
| 28A worthless witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity. | 28A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil. |
| 29Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and beating for the backs of fools. | 29Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools. |
| 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. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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