King James Bible

Christian Standard Bible

1A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

1A good name is to be chosen over great wealth; favor is better than silver and gold.

2The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

2Rich and poor have this in common: the LORD makes them all.

3A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

3A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.

4By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

4Humility, the fear of the LORD, results in wealth, honor, and life.

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

5There are thorns and snares on the way of the crooked; the one who guards himself 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.

6Start a youth out on his way; even when he grows 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 a slave to the lender.

8He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

8The one 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 person will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

10Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

10Drive out a mocker, and conflict goes too; then quarreling and dishonor will cease.

11He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

11The one who loves a pure heart and gracious lips--the king is his 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 overthrows the words of the treacherous.

13The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

13The slacker says, "There's a lion outside! I'll be killed in the public square!"

14The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

14The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit; a man cursed by 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 to the heart of a youth; a rod of discipline will separate it 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, and giving to the rich--both lead only to poverty.

17Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

17Listen closely, pay attention to the words of the wise, and 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 if you keep them within you and if 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.

19I have instructed you today--even you--so that your confidence may be in the LORD.

20Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

20Haven't I 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?

21in order to teach you true and reliable words, so that you may give a dependable report to those who sent you?

22Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

22Don't rob a poor person because he is poor, and don't crush the oppressed at the city gate,

23For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

23for the LORD will champion their cause and will plunder those who plunder them.

24Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

24Don't make friends with an angry person, and don't be a companion of a hot-tempered one,

25Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

25or you will 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.

26Don't be one of those who enter agreements, who put up security for loans.

27If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

27If you have nothing with which to pay, even your bed will be taken from under you.

28Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

28Don't move an ancient boundary marker that your fathers set up.

29Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

29Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will stand in the presence of kings. He will not stand in the presence of the unknown.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.