| Holman Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife. | 1Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife. |
| 2A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share an inheritance among brothers. | 2A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers. |
| 3A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, and the LORD is the tester of hearts. | 3A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts. |
| 4A wicked person listens to malicious talk; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. | 4A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue. |
| 5The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker, and one who rejoices over calamity will not go unpunished. | 5He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished. |
| 6Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly, and the pride of sons is their fathers. | 6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father. |
| 7Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool's lips; how much worse are lies for a ruler. | 7Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler! |
| 8A bribe seems like a magic stone to its owner; wherever he turns, he succeeds. | 8A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds. |
| 9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends. | 9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends. |
| 10A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person more than a hundred lashes into a fool. | 10A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool. |
| 11An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him. | 11An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him. |
| 12Better for a man to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his foolishness. | 12It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly. |
| 13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never depart from his house. | 13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house. |
| 14To start a conflict is to release a flood; stop the dispute before it breaks out. | 14To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out. |
| 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just-- both are detestable to the LORD. | 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD. |
| 16Why does a fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom? | 16Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom? |
| 17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time. | 17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. |
| 18One without sense enters an agreement and puts up security for his friend. | 18A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor. |
| 19One who loves to offend loves strife; one who builds a high threshold invites injury. | 19He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction. |
| 20One with a twisted mind will not succeed, and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin. | 20The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble. |
| 21A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow; the father of a fool has no joy. | 21A man fathers a fool to his own grief; 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 broken spirit dries up the bones. |
| 23A wicked man secretly takes a bribe to subvert the course of justice. | 23A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice. |
| 24Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive, but a fool's eyes roam to the ends of the earth. | 24Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth. |
| 25A foolish son is grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him. | 25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. |
| 26It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person or to beat a noble for his honesty. | 26It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty. |
| 27The intelligent person restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding. | 27A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit. |
| 28Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent, discerning when he seals his lips. | 28Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue. |
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