| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment. | 1Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense. |
| 2A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart. | 2Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. |
| 3When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; And with dishonor comes reproach. | 3Doing wrong leads to disgrace, and scandalous behavior brings contempt. |
| 4The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. | 4Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook. |
| 5It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment. | 5It is not right to acquit the guilty or deny justice to the innocent. |
| 6A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows. | 6Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating. |
| 7A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul. | 7The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips. |
| 8The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body. | 8Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart. |
| 9He who is slothful in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer. | 9A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things. |
| 10The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. | 10The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe. |
| 11The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own esteem. | 11The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. |
| 12Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility. | 12Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor. |
| 13He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him. | 13Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish. |
| 14The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit? | 14The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit? |
| 15The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. | 15Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge. |
| 16A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men. | 16Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people! |
| 17The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him. | 17The first to speak in court sounds right— until the cross-examination begins. |
| 18Casting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart. | 18Flipping a coin can end arguments; it settles disputes between powerful opponents. |
| 19A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle. | 19An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars. |
| 20A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. | 20Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. |
| 21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. | 21The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. |
| 22He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD. | 22The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD. |
| 23The poor man uses entreaties, But the rich answers roughly. | 23The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults. |
| 24A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. | 24There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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