| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment. | 1Whoever isolates himself pursues selfish ends; he resists all sound advice. |
| 2A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart. | 2A fool finds no satisfaction in trying to understand, for he would rather express his own opinion. |
| 3When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; And with dishonor comes reproach. | 3When an evil person comes, contempt also comes, along with dishonor and disgrace. |
| 4The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. | 4The words a man says are as deep waters— a fountain of wisdom is an overflowing stream. |
| 5It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment. | 5It's not good to be partial towards an evil person, thereby depriving the righteous of justice. |
| 6A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows. | 6A fool's words bring strife, and his mouth invites fighting. |
| 7A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul. | 7A fool's mouth is his unraveling, and his lips entrap himself. |
| 8The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body. | 8The words of a gossip are like choice morsels as they descend to the innermost parts of the body. |
| 9He who is slothful in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer. | 9Whoever is lazy regarding his work is also a brother to the master of destruction. |
| 10The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. | 10The name of the LORD is a strong tower; a righteous person rushes to it and is lifted up above the danger. |
| 11The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem. | 11The wealth of a rich person is his fortified city; in his own imagination, it is like a high wall. |
| 12Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility. | 12Before a man's downfall, his mind is arrogant, but humility precedes honor. |
| 13He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him. | 13Whoever answers before listening is both foolish and shameful. |
| 14The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit? | 14A man's spirit can sustain him during his illness, but who can bear a crushed spirit? |
| 15The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. | 15The mind of a discerning person gains knowledge, while the ears of wise people seek out knowledge. |
| 16A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men. | 16A person's gift opens doors for him, bringing him access to important people. |
| 17The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him. | 17The first to put forth his case seems right, until someone else steps forward and cross-examines him. |
| 18Casting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart. | 18Casting dice settles a dispute, deciding between strong contenders. |
| 19A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle. | 19An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and his disputes are like the bars of a fortress. |
| 20A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. | 20The positive words that a man speaks fill his stomach; he will be satisfied with what his lips produce. |
| 21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. | 21The power of the tongue is life and death— those who love to talk will eat what it produces. |
| 22He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD. | 22Whoever finds a wife finds what is good, and receives favor from the LORD. |
| 23The poor man uses entreaties, But the rich answers roughly. | 23The poor person pleads for mercy, but the wealthy man responds harshly. |
| 24A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. | 24A man with many friends can still be ruined, but a true friend sticks closer than a brother. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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