| King James Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. | 1A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold. |
| 2The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all. | 2The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all. |
| 3A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. | 3The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences. |
| 4By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. | 4The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life. |
| 5Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. | 5Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul 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. | 6Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. |
| 7The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. | 7The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. |
| 8He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. | 8He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed. |
| 9He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. | 9A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor. |
| 10Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. | 10Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease. |
| 11He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. | 11He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend. |
| 12The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. | 12The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless. |
| 13The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. | 13The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!” |
| 14The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein. | 14The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it. |
| 15Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. | 15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. |
| 16He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. | 16Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty. |
| 17Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. | 17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise—apply your mind to my knowledge— |
| 18For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. | 18for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips. |
| 19That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. | 19So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you. |
| 20Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, | 20Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge, |
| 21That 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? | 21to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you? |
| 22Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: | 22Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate, |
| 23For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. | 23for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them. |
| 24Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: | 24Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, |
| 25Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. | 25or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. |
| 26Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. | 26Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts. |
| 27If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? | 27If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you? |
| 28Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. | 28Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed. |
| 29Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. | 29Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men. |
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