| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: | 1My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, |
| 2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. | 2for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. |
| 3Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: | 3Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. |
| 4So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. | 4Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. |
| 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. | 5Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; |
| 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. | 6in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. |
| 7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. | 7Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. |
| 8It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. | 8This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. |
| 9Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: | 9Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; |
| 10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. | 10then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. |
| 11My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: | 11My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, |
| 12For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. | 12because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. |
| 13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. | 13Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, |
| 14For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. | 14for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. |
| 15She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. | 15She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. |
| 16Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. | 16Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. |
| 17Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. | 17Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. |
| 18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. | 18She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed. |
| 19The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. | 19By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; |
| 20By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. | 20by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. |
| 21My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: | 21My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; |
| 22So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. | 22they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. |
| 23Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. | 23Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. |
| 24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. | 24When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. |
| 25Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. | 25Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, |
| 26For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. | 26for the LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared. |
| 27Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. | 27Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. |
| 28Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. | 28Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back tomorrow and I'll give it to you"-- when you already have it with you. |
| 29Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. | 29Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. |
| 30Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. | 30Do not accuse anyone for no reason-- when they have done you no harm. |
| 31Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. | 31Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. |
| 32For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous. | 32For the LORD detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. |
| 33The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. | 33The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. |
| 34Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. | 34He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. |
| 35The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. | 35The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame. |
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