New King James Version

Christian Standard Bible

1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

1A good name is to be chosen over great wealth; favor is better than silver and gold.

2The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all.

2Rich and poor have this in common: the LORD makes them all.

3A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.

3A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.

4By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.

4Humility, the fear of the LORD, results in wealth, honor, and life.

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.

5There are thorns and snares on the way of the crooked; the one who guards himself 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.

6Start a youth out on his way; even when he grows 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 a slave to the lender.

8He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.

8The one 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 person will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

10Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

10Drive out a mocker, and conflict goes too; then quarreling and dishonor will cease.

11He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.

11The one who loves a pure heart and gracious lips--the king is his 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 overthrows the words of the treacherous.

13The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!”

13The slacker says, "There's a lion outside! I'll be killed in the public square!"

14The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there.

14The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit; a man cursed by 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 to the heart of a youth; a rod of discipline will separate it 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, and giving to the rich--both lead only to poverty.

17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;

17Listen closely, pay attention to the words of the wise, and 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 if you keep them within you and if they are constantly on your lips.

19So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have instructed you today, even you.

19I have instructed you today--even you--so that your confidence may be in the LORD.

20Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

20Haven't I 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?

21in order to teach you true and reliable words, so that you may give a dependable report to those who sent you?

22Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;

22Don't rob a poor person because he is poor, and don't crush the oppressed at the city gate,

23For the LORD will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

23for the LORD will champion their cause and will plunder those who plunder them.

24Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,

24Don't make friends with an angry person, and don't be a companion of a hot-tempered one,

25Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

25or you will 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;

26Don't be one of those who enter agreements, who put up security for loans.

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, even your bed will be taken from under you.

28Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.

28Don't move an ancient boundary marker that your fathers set up.

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 person skilled in his work? He will stand in the presence of kings. He will not stand in the presence of the unknown.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.