| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. | 1A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold. |
| 2The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all. | 2The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all. |
| 3A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. | 3The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences. |
| 4By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life. | 4The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life. |
| 5Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them. | 5Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them. |
| 6Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. | 6Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. |
| 7The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. | 7The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. |
| 8He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail. | 8He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed. |
| 9He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor. | 9A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor. |
| 10Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease. | 10Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease. |
| 11He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend. | 11He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend. |
| 12The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless. | 12The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless. |
| 13The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” | 13The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!” |
| 14The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there. | 14The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it. |
| 15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him. | 15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. |
| 16He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty. | 16Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty. |
| 17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; | 17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—apply your mind to my knowledge— |
| 18For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, | 18for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips. |
| 19So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have instructed you today, even you. | 19So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you. |
| 20Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, | 20Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge, |
| 21That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you? | 21to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you? |
| 22Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; | 22Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate, |
| 23For the LORD will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them. | 23for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them. |
| 24Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, | 24Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, |
| 25Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul. | 25or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. |
| 26Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; | 26Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts. |
| 27If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you? | 27If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you? |
| 28Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. | 28Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed. |
| 29Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men. | 29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men. |
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