| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife. | 1Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife. |
| 2A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame, And will share an inheritance among the brothers. | 2A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family. |
| 3The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests the hearts. | 3The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart. |
| 4An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue. | 4A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. |
| 5He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished. | 5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. |
| 6Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father. | 6Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. |
| 7Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool, Much less lying lips to a prince. | 7Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool-- how much worse lying lips to a ruler! |
| 8A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; Wherever he turns, he prospers. | 8A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn. |
| 9He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends. | 9Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. |
| 10Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool. | 10A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool. |
| 11An evil man seeks only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him. | 11Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them. |
| 12Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly. | 12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly. |
| 13Whoever rewards evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house. | 13Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good. |
| 14The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. | 14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. |
| 15He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. | 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent-- the LORD detests them both. |
| 16Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom, Since he has no heart for it? | 16Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it? |
| 17A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. | 17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. |
| 18A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend. | 18One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor. |
| 19He who loves transgression loves strife, And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction. | 19Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction. |
| 20He who has a deceitful heart finds no good, And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil. | 20One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble. |
| 21He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy. | 21To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool. |
| 22A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. | 22A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. |
| 23A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back To pervert the ways of justice. | 23The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice. |
| 24Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. | 24A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, 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. | 25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him. |
| 26Also, to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to strike princes for their uprightness. | 26If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right. |
| 27He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. | 27The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. |
| 28Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. | 28Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | 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. |
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