| International Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Dry crumbs in peace are better than a full meal with strife. | 1Better a dry crust with peace and quiet 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 prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family. |
| 3The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold— but the LORD assays hearts. | 3The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart. |
| 4Whoever practices evil pays attention to wicked speech, and the liar listens to malicious talk. | 4A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. |
| 5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their maker, and whoever is happy about disaster will not go unpunished. | 5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. |
| 6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the pride of children is their parents. | 6Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. |
| 7Appropriate speech is inconsistent with the fool; how much more are deceitful statements with a prince! | 7Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool-- how much worse lying lips to a ruler! |
| 8A bribe works wonders in the eyes of its giver; wherever he turns he prospers. | 8A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn. |
| 9Anyone who overlooks an offense promotes love, but someone who gossips separates close friends. | 9Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. |
| 10A rebuke is more effective with a man of understanding than a hundred lashes to a fool. | 10A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool. |
| 11A rebellious person seeks evil; a cruel emissary will be sent to oppose him. | 11Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them. |
| 12It's better to meet a mother bear who has lost her cubs than a fool in his stupidity. | 12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly. |
| 13The person who repays good with evil will never see evil leave his home. | 13Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good. |
| 14Starting a quarrel is like spilling water— so drop the dispute before it escalates. | 14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. |
| 15Exonerating the wicked and condemning the righteous are both detestable to the LORD. | 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent-- the LORD detests them both. |
| 16What is this? A fool has enough money to buy wisdom, but is senseless? | 16Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it? |
| 17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is there for times of trouble. | 17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. |
| 18A man who lacks sense cosigns a loan, becoming a guarantor for his neighbor. | 18One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor. |
| 19The person who loves transgression loves strife; the person who builds a high gate invites destruction. | 19Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction. |
| 20The person whose mind is perverse does not find good, and anyone with perverted speech falls into trouble. | 20One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble. |
| 21The man who fathers a fool does so to his sorrow— the father of a fool has no joy. | 21To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool. |
| 22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit drains one's strength. | 22A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. |
| 23The wicked man takes a bribe in secret in order to pervert the course of justice. | 23The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice. |
| 24A person with understanding has wisdom as his objective, but a fool looks only to earthly goals. | 24A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth. |
| 25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to his mother. | 25A foolish son brings 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. | 26If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right. |
| 27Whoever controls what he says is knowledgeable; anyone who has a calm spirit is a man of understanding. | 27The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. |
| 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 fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | 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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