New King James Version

King James Bible

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

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

2The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all.

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

3A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.

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

4By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.

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

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be 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 rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.

7The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

8He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.

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

9He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.

9He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

10Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

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

11He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.

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

12The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.

12The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

13The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!”

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

14The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there.

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

15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

15Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

16He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.

16He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;

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

18For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips,

18For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

19So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have instructed you today, even you.

19That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

20Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

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

21That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?

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?

22Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;

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

23For the LORD will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

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

24Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,

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

25Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

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

26Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts;

26Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

27If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?

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

28Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.

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

29Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.

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

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.