| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1Better a dry morsel in 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 disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers. | 2A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family. |
| 3A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts. | 3The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart. |
| 4A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue. | 4A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. |
| 5He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished. | 5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. |
| 6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father. | 6Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. |
| 7Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler! | 7Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool-- how much worse lying lips to a ruler! |
| 8A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds. | 8A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn. |
| 9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends. | 9Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. |
| 10A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool. | 10A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool. |
| 11An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him. | 11Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them. |
| 12It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly. | 12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly. |
| 13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house. | 13Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good. |
| 14To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out. | 14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. |
| 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD. | 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent-- the LORD detests them both. |
| 16Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom? | 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 lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor. | 18One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor. |
| 19He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction. | 19Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction. |
| 20The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble. | 20One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble. |
| 21A man fathers a fool to his own grief; 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 joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. | 22A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. |
| 23A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice. | 23The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice. |
| 24Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to 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 brings 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. |
| 26It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty. | 26If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right. |
| 27A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit. | 27The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. |
| 28Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue. | 28Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. |
|
    |