| kjv | web | basic | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. | A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold. | A good name is more to be desired than great wealth, and to be respected is better than silver and gold. | ||
| 2. | The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all. | The rich and the poor have this in common: Yahweh is the maker of them all. | The man of wealth and the poor man come face to face: the Lord is the maker of them all. | ||
| 3. | A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. | A prudent man sees danger, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it. | The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble. | ||
| 4. | By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. | The result of humility and the fear of Yahweh is wealth, honor, and life. | The reward of a gentle spirit and the fear of the Lord is wealth and honour and life. | ||
| 5. | Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. | Thorns and snares are in the path of the wicked: whoever guards his soul stays from them. | Thorns and nets are in the way of the twisted: he who keeps watch over his soul will be far from them. | ||
| 6. | Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. | Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. | If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old he will not be turned away from it. | ||
| 7. | The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. | The rich rule over the poor. The borrower is servant to the lender. | The man of wealth has rule over the poor, and he who gets into debt is a servant to his creditor. | ||
| 8. | He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. | He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed. | By planting the seed of evil a man will get in the grain of sorrow, and the rod of his wrath will be broken. | ||
| 9. | He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. | He who has a generous eye will be blessed; for he shares his food with the poor. | He who is kind will have a blessing, for he gives of his bread to the poor. | ||
| 10. | Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. | Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop. | Send away the man of pride, and argument will go out; truly fighting and shame will come to an end. | ||
| 11. | He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. | He who loves purity of heart and speaks gracefully is the king's friend. | He whose heart is clean is dear to the Lord; for the grace of his lips the king will be his friend. | ||
| 12. | The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. | The eyes of Yahweh watch over knowledge; but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful. | The eyes of the Lord keep knowledge, but by him the acts of the false man will be overturned. | ||
| 13. | The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. | The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!" | The hater of work says, There is a lion outside: I will be put to death in the streets. | ||
| 14. | The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein. | The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit: he who is under Yahweh's wrath will fall into it. | The mouth of strange women is a deep hole: he with whom the Lord is angry will go down into it. | ||
| 15. | Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. | Folly is bound up in the heart of a child: the rod of discipline drives it far from him. | Foolish ways are deep-seated in the heart of a child, but the rod of punishment will send them far from him. | ||
| 16. | He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. | Whoever oppresses the poor for his own increase and whoever gives to the rich, both come to poverty. | He who is cruel to the poor for the purpose of increasing his profit, and he who gives to the man of wealth, will only come to be in need. | ||
| 17. | Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. | Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching. | Let your ear be bent down for hearing my words, and let your heart give thought to knowledge. | ||
| 18. | For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. | For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. | For it is a delight to keep them in your heart, to have them ready on your lips. | ||
| 19. | That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. | That your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach you today, even you. | So that your faith may be in the Lord, I have made them clear to you this day, even to you. | ||
| 20. | Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, | Haven't I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge, | Have I not put in writing for you thirty sayings, with wise suggestions and knowledge, | ||
| 21. | That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee? | To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you? | To make you see how certain are true words, so that you may give a true answer to those who put questions to you? | ||
| 22. | Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: | Don't exploit the poor, because he is poor; and don't crush the needy in court; | Do not take away the property of the poor man because he is poor, or be cruel to the crushed ones when they come before the judge: | ||
| 23. | For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. | for Yahweh will plead their case, and plunder the life of those who plunder them. | For the Lord will give support to their cause, and take the life of those who take their goods. | ||
| 24. | Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: | Don't befriend a hot-tempered man, and don't associate with one who harbors anger: | Do not be friends with a man who is given to wrath; do not go in the company of an angry man: | ||
| 25. | Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. | lest you learn his ways, and ensnare your soul. | For fear of learning his ways and making a net ready for your soul. | ||
| 26. | Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. | Don't you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts. | Be not one of those who give their hands in an agreement, or of those who make themselves responsible for debts: | ||
| 27. | If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? | If you don't have means to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you? | If you have nothing with which to make payment, he will take away your bed from under you. | ||
| 28. | Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. | Don't move the ancient boundary stone, which your fathers have set up. | Let not the old landmark be moved which your fathers have put in place. | ||
| 29. | Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. | Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won't serve obscure men. | Have you seen a man who is expert in his business? he will take his place before kings; his place will not be among low persons. | ||