| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: | 1My son, don't forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands; |
| 2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. | 2for they will bring you many days, a full life, and well-being. |
| 3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: | 3Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. |
| 4So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. | 4Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man. |
| 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. | 5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; |
| 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. | 6think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. |
| 7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. | 7Don't consider yourself to be wise; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. |
| 8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. | 8This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones. |
| 9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: | 9Honor the LORD with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; |
| 10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. | 10then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine. |
| 11My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: | 11Do not despise the LORD's instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; |
| 12For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. | 12for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in. |
| 13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. | 13Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding, |
| 14For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. | 14for she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold. |
| 15She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. | 15She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire compares with her. |
| 16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. | 16Long life is in her right hand; in her left, riches and honor. |
| 17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. | 17Her ways are pleasant, and all her paths, peaceful. |
| 18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. | 18She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who hold on to her are happy. |
| 19The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. | 19The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding. |
| 20By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. | 20By His knowledge the watery depths broke open, and the clouds dripped with dew. |
| 21My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: | 21Maintain your competence and discretion. My son, don't lose sight of them. |
| 22So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. | 22They will be life for you and adornment for your neck. |
| 23Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. | 23Then you will go safely on your way; your foot will not stumble. |
| 24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. | 24When you lie down, you will not be afraid; you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant. |
| 25Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. | 25Don't fear sudden danger or the ruin of the wicked when it comes, |
| 26For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. | 26for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from a snare. |
| 27Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. | 27When it is in your power, don't withhold good from the one it belongs to. |
| 28Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. | 28Don't say to your neighbor, "Go away! Come back later. I'll give it tomorrow"--when it is there with you. |
| 29Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. | 29Don't plan any harm against your neighbor, for he trusts you and lives near you. |
| 30Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. | 30Don't accuse anyone without cause, when he has done you no harm. |
| 31Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. | 31Don't envy a violent man or choose any of his ways; |
| 32For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous. | 32for the devious are detestable to the LORD, but He is a friend to the upright. |
| 33The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. | 33The LORD's curse is on the household of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous; |
| 34Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. | 34He mocks those who mock, but gives grace to the humble. |
| 35The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. | 35The wise will inherit honor, but He holds up fools to dishonor. |
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