| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth. | 1Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. |
| 2Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. | 2Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips. |
| 3A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them. | 3Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool's provocation is heavier than both. |
| 4Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy? | 4Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? |
| 5Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. | 5Better is open rebuke than hidden love. |
| 6Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. | 6Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. |
| 7A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. | 7One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet. |
| 8Like a bird that wanders from its nest Is a man who wanders from his place. | 8Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees from home. |
| 9Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel. | 9Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice. |
| 10Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away. | 10Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative's house when disaster strikes you-- better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. |
| 11My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him who reproaches me. | 11Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt. |
| 12A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished. | 12The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. |
| 13Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger, And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress. | 13Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider. |
| 14He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him. | 14If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse. |
| 15A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike; | 15A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm; |
| 16Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand. | 16restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand. |
| 17As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. | 17As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. |
| 18Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honored. | 18The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored. |
| 19As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man. | 19As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart. |
| 20Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied. | 20Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes. |
| 21The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is valued by what others say of him. | 21The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise. |
| 22Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him. | 22Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them. |
| 23Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds; | 23Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; |
| 24For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations. | 24for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. |
| 25When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, | 25When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, |
| 26The lambs will provide your clothing, And the goats the price of a field; | 26the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field. |
| 27You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, For the food of your household, And the nourishment of your maidservants. | 27You will have plenty of goats' milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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