| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New Living Translation |
| 1Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of feasting with strife. | 1Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting—and conflict. |
| 2A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, And will share in the inheritance among brothers. | 2A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son and will share the inheritance of the master’s children. |
| 3The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests hearts. | 3Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart. |
| 4An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. | 4Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander. |
| 5He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished. | 5Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished. |
| 6Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons is their fathers. | 6Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children. |
| 7Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying lips to a prince. | 7Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler. |
| 8A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers. | 8A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper! |
| 9He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends. | 9Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. |
| 10A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool. | 10A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool. |
| 11A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. | 11Evil people are eager for rebellion, but they will be severely punished. |
| 12Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly. | 12It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in foolishness. |
| 13He who returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house. | 13If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house. |
| 14The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. | 14Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out. |
| 15He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. | 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— both are detestable to the LORD. |
| 16Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, When he has no sense? | 16It is senseless to pay to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning. |
| 17A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. | 17A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. |
| 18A man lacking in sense pledges And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor. | 18It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for a friend. |
| 19He who loves transgression loves strife; He who raises his door seeks destruction. | 19Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster. |
| 20He who has a crooked mind finds no good, And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil. | 20The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble. |
| 21He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy. | 21It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel. |
| 22A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. | 22A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. |
| 23A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom To pervert the ways of justice. | 23The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course of justice. |
| 24Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. | 24Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. |
| 25A foolish son is a grief to his father And bitterness to her who bore him. | 25Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth. |
| 26It is also not good to fine the righteous, Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. | 26It is wrong to punish the godly for being good or to flog leaders for being honest. |
| 27He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. | 27A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. |
| 28Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. | 28Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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