| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse. | 1Better a poor man who lives with integrity than someone who has deceitful lips and is a fool. |
| 2Desire without knowledge is not good-- how much more will hasty feet miss the way! | 2Even zeal is not good without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily sins. |
| 3A person's own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD. | 3A man's own foolishness leads him astray, yet his heart rages against the LORD. |
| 4Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them. | 4Wealth attracts many friends, but a poor man is separated from his friend. |
| 5A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free. | 5A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape. |
| 6Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts. | 6Many seek a ruler's favor, and everyone is a friend of one who gives gifts. |
| 7The poor are shunned by all their relatives-- how much more do their friends avoid them! Though the poor pursue them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found. | 7All the brothers of a poor man hate him; how much more do his friends keep their distance from him! He may pursue them with words, but they are not there. |
| 8The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper. | 8The one who acquires good sense loves himself; one who safeguards understanding finds success. |
| 9A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish. | 9A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies perishes. |
| 10It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury-- how much worse for a slave to rule over princes! | 10Luxury is not appropriate for a fool-- how much less for a slave to rule over princes! |
| 11A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offense. | 11A person's insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense. |
| 12A king's rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. | 12A king's rage is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. |
| 13A foolish child is a father's ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof. | 13A foolish son is his father's ruin, and a wife's nagging is an endless dripping. |
| 14Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. | 14A house and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a sensible wife is from the LORD. |
| 15Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry. | 15Laziness induces deep sleep, and a lazy person will go hungry. |
| 16Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die. | 16The one who keeps commands preserves himself; one who disregards his ways will die. |
| 17Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done. | 17Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will give a reward to the lender. |
| 18Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death. | 18Discipline your son while there is hope; don't be intent on killing him. |
| 19A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again. | 19A person with great anger bears the penalty; if you rescue him, you'll have to do it again. |
| 20Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. | 20Listen to counsel and receive instruction so that you may be wise later in life. |
| 21Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. | 21Many plans are in a man's heart, but the LORD's decree will prevail. |
| 22What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. | 22What is desirable in a man is his fidelity; better to be a poor man than a liar. |
| 23The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble. | 23The fear of the LORD leads to life; one will sleep at night without danger. |
| 24A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth! | 24The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he doesn't even bring it back to his mouth. |
| 25Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge. | 25Strike a mocker, and the inexperienced learn a lesson; rebuke the discerning, and he gains knowledge. |
| 26Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother is a child who brings shame and disgrace. | 26The one who assaults his father and evicts his mother is a disgraceful and shameful son. |
| 27Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. | 27If you stop listening to correction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge. |
| 28A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil. | 28A worthless witness mocks justice, and a wicked mouth swallows iniquity. |
| 29Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools. | 29Judgments are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools. |
| 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. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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