1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
1 Every wise woman builds up her household, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
1 The wise woman builds her house [on a foundation of godly precepts, and her household thrives],But the foolish one [who lacks spiritual insight] tears it down with her own hands [by ignoring godly principles].
2 He who (B)walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,But he who is (C)devious in his ways despises Him.
2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
2 Whoever lives with integrity fears the Lord,(C)but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.(D)
2 Someone whose conduct is upright fears the LORD, but whoever is devious in his ways despises him.
2 He who walks in uprightness [reverently] fears the Lord [and obeys and worships Him with profound respect],But he who is devious in his ways despises Him.
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod (a)for his back,But (D)the lips of the wise will protect them.
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
3 The proud speech of a fool brings a rod of discipline,(a)but the lips of the wise protect them.(E)
3 What a fool says brings a rod to his back, but the words of the wise protect them.
4 Where no oxen are, the manger is clean,But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.
4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty,(b)but an abundant harvest comesthrough the strength of an ox.
4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean, but profits come through the strength of the ox.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,But much revenue [because of good crops] comes by the strength of the ox.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.
6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and doesn’t find it,but knowledge comes easily to the perceptive.
6 A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but learning comes easily to someone who understands.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none [for his ears are closed to wisdom],But knowledge is easy for one who understands [because he is willing to learn].
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
8 The sensible man’s wisdom is to consider his way,but the stupidity of fools deceives them.
8 The wisdom of the prudent helps him know how to live, but a fool's stupidity deceives him.
8 The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way,But the foolishness of [shortsighted] fools is deceit.
10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,and no outsider shares in its joy.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness an outsider cannot share in its joy.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,And no stranger shares its joy.
14 The backslider in heart will have his (P)fill of his own ways,But a good man will (Q)be satisfied (g)with his.
14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
14 The faithless one will pay for his behavior, but a good man will be rewarded for his.
14 The backslider in heart will have his fill with his own [rotten] ways,But a good man will be satisfied with his ways [the godly thought and action which his heart pursues and in which he delights].
15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
15 An unthinking person believes everything, but the prudent one thinks before acting.
15 The naive or inexperienced person [is easily misled and] believes every word he hears,But the prudent man [is discreet and astute and] considers well where he is going.
17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly,And a man of evil devices is hated.
17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
17 A quick tempered person does foolish things, and a devious man is hated.
17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly and without self-control,And a man of wicked schemes is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
18 The inexperienced inherit foolishness,but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.
18 The naive inherit folly, but the careful are crowned with knowledge.
18 The naive [are unsophisticated and easy to exploit and] inherit foolishness,But the sensible [are thoughtful and far-sighted and] are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
19 The evil bow before those who are good,the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.
19 Evil men will bow down in the presence of good men and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
19 The evil will bow down before the good,And the wicked [will bow down] at the gates of the righteous.
21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
21 The one who despises his neighbor sins,(R)but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.(S)
21 Whoever despises his neighbor sins, but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins [against God and his fellow man],But happy [blessed and favored by God] is he who is gracious and merciful to the poor.
22 Will they not go astray who (W)devise evil?But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.
22 Won't those who plot evil go astray? But gracious love and truth are for those who plan what is good.
22 Do they not go astray who devise evil and wander from the way of righteousness?But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good.
24 The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,but the foolishness of fools produces foolishness.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the stupidity of fools is just that stupidity!
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth [of wisdom],But the foolishness of [closed-minded] fools is [nothing but] folly.
26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
26 Rock-solid security is found in the fear of the LORD, and within it one's children find refuge.
26 In the [reverent] fear of the Lord there is strong confidence,And His children will [always] have a place of refuge.
28 In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,But in the dearth of people is a prince’s ruin.
28 In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
28 A large population is a king’s splendor,but a shortage of people is a ruler’s devastation.
28 A large population is a king's glory, but a shortage of people is a ruler's ruin.
28 In a multitude of people is a king’s glory,But in a lack of people is a [pretentious] prince’s ruin.
29 He who is (AA)slow to anger has great understanding,But he who is (r)quick-tempered exalts folly.
29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
29 Being slow to get angry compares to great understanding as being quick-tempered compares to stupidity.
31 He (AD)who oppresses the poor taunts (AE)his Maker,But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
31 The one who oppresses the poor person insults his Maker,(AC)but one who is kind to the needy honors Him.(AD)
31 Whoever oppresses the poor defies their Creator, but whoever is kind to the needy honors them.
32 The wicked is (AF)thrust down by his (s)wrongdoing,But the (AG)righteous has a refuge when he dies.
32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
32 The wicked one is thrown down by his own sin,(AE)but the righteous one has a refuge in his death.(AF)
32 The wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing, but the righteous person has a place of safety in death.
32 The wicked is overthrown through his wrongdoing,But the righteous has hope and confidence and a refuge [with God] even in death.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,But sin is a disgrace to any people.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
34 Righteousness makes a nation great, but sin diminishes any people.
34 Righteousness [moral and spiritual integrity and virtuous character] exalts a nation,But sin is a disgrace to any people.
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.
International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.
King James Version Public Domain
New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org