| New King James Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife. | 1Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife. |
| 2A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame, And will share an inheritance among the brothers. | 2A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share an inheritance among brothers. |
| 3The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests the hearts. | 3A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, and the LORD is the tester of hearts. |
| 4An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a spiteful tongue. | 4A wicked person listens to malicious talk; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. |
| 5He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished. | 5The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker, and one who rejoices over calamity will not go unpunished. |
| 6Children’s children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father. | 6Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly, and the pride of children is their fathers. |
| 7Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool, Much less lying lips to a prince. | 7Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool's lips; how much worse are lies for a ruler. |
| 8A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; Wherever he turns, he prospers. | 8A bribe seems like a magic stone to its owner; wherever he turns, he succeeds. |
| 9He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends. | 9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends. |
| 10Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool. | 10A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person more than a hundred lashes into a fool. |
| 11An evil man seeks only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him. | 11An evil person desires only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him. |
| 12Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly. | 12Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his foolishness. |
| 13Whoever rewards evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house. | 13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never depart from his house. |
| 14The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. | 14To start a conflict is to release a flood; stop the dispute before it breaks out. |
| 15He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. | 15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just--both are detestable to the LORD. |
| 16Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom, Since he has no heart for it? | 16Why does a fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom? |
| 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 difficult time. |
| 18A man devoid of understanding shakes hands in a pledge, And becomes surety for his friend. | 18One without sense enters an agreement and puts up security for his friend. |
| 19He who loves transgression loves strife, And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction. | 19One who loves to offend loves strife; one who builds a high threshold invites injury. |
| 20He who has a deceitful heart finds no good, And he who has a perverse tongue falls into evil. | 20One with a twisted mind will not succeed, and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin. |
| 21He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy. | 21A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow; the father of a fool has no joy. |
| 22A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. | 22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. |
| 23A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back To pervert the ways of justice. | 23A wicked person secretly takes a bribe to subvert the course of justice. |
| 24Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. | 24Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive, but a fool's eyes roam to the ends of the earth. |
| 25A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him. | 25A foolish son is grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him. |
| 26Also, to punish the righteous is not good, Nor to strike princes for their uprightness. | 26It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person or to beat a noble for his honesty. |
| 27He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. | 27The one who has knowledge restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a person of understanding. |
| 28Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. | 28Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent--discerning, when he seals his lips. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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