| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Dry crumbs in peace are better than a full meal with strife. | 1Better is a dry crust of bread where there is quietness than a house full of feasting with strife. |
| 2A prudent servant will rule in place of a disgraceful son and will share in the inheritance among brothers. | 2A servant who acts wisely will rule over an heir who behaves shamefully, and will share the inheritance along with the relatives. |
| 3The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold— but the LORD assays hearts. | 3The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold, likewise the LORD tests hearts. |
| 4Whoever practices evil pays attention to wicked speech, and the liar listens to malicious talk. | 4One who acts wickedly pays attention to evil counsel; a liar listens to a malicious tongue. |
| 5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their maker, and whoever is happy about disaster will not go unpunished. | 5The one who mocks the poor insults his Creator; whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished. |
| 6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the pride of children is their parents. | 6Grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents. |
| 7Appropriate speech is inconsistent with the fool; how much more are deceitful statements with a prince! | 7Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler! |
| 8A bribe works wonders in the eyes of its giver; wherever he turns he prospers. | 8A bribe works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds. |
| 9Anyone who overlooks an offense promotes love, but someone who gossips separates close friends. | 9The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends. |
| 10A rebuke is more effective with a man of understanding than a hundred lashes to a fool. | 10A rebuke makes a greater impression on a discerning person than a hundred blows on a fool. |
| 11A rebellious person seeks evil; a cruel emissary will be sent to oppose him. | 11An evil person seeks only rebellion, and so a cruel messenger will be sent against him. |
| 12It's better to meet a mother bear who has lost her cubs than a fool in his stupidity. | 12It is better for a person to meet a mother bear being robbed of her cubs, than to encounter a fool in his folly. |
| 13The person who repays good with evil will never see evil leave his home. | 13As for the one who repays evil for good, evil will not leave his house. |
| 14Starting a quarrel is like spilling water— so drop the dispute before it escalates. | 14Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out! |
| 15Exonerating the wicked and condemning the righteous are both detestable to the LORD. | 15The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent--both of them are an abomination to the LORD. |
| 16What is this? A fool has enough money to buy wisdom, but is senseless? | 16Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom? |
| 17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is there for times of trouble. | 17A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity. |
| 18A man who lacks sense cosigns a loan, becoming a guarantor for his neighbor. | 18The one who lacks wisdom strikes hands in pledge, and puts up financial security for his neighbor. |
| 19The person who loves transgression loves strife; the person who builds a high gate invites destruction. | 19The one who loves a quarrel loves transgression; whoever builds his gate high seeks destruction. |
| 20The person whose mind is perverse does not find good, and anyone with perverted speech falls into trouble. | 20The one who has a perverse heart does not find good, and the one who is deceitful in speech falls into trouble. |
| 21The man who fathers a fool does so to his sorrow— the father of a fool has no joy. | 21Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief, and the father of a fool has no joy. |
| 22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit drains one's strength. | 22A cheerful heart brings good healing, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. |
| 23The wicked man takes a bribe in secret in order to pervert the course of justice. | 23A wicked person receives a bribe secretly to pervert the ways of justice. |
| 24A person with understanding has wisdom as his objective, but a fool looks only to earthly goals. | 24Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth. |
| 25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to his mother. | 25A foolish child is a grief to his father, and bitterness to the mother who bore him. |
| 26Furthermore, it isn't good to fine the righteous, or to beat an official because of his uprightness. | 26It is terrible to punish a righteous person, and to flog honorable men is wrong. |
| 27Whoever controls what he says is knowledgeable; anyone who has a calm spirit is a man of understanding. | 27The truly wise person restrains his words, and the one who stays calm is discerning. |
| 28Even a fool is thought to be wise when he remains silent; he is thought to be prudent when he keeps his mouth shut. | 28Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning. |
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