English Standard Version

Berean Study Bible

1Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.

1Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.

2A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

2A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.

3The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.

3A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.

4An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

4A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.

5Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

5He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.

6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.

7Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.

7Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!

8A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.

8A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.

9Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

9Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.

10A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.

10A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.

11An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

11An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly.

12It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.

13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.

13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.

14The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

14To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.

15He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.

16Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?

16Why should the 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 adversity.

18One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

18A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.

19Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.

19He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.

20A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.

20The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.

21He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.

21A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.

22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

23The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.

23A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.

24The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

24Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander 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 brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.

26To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

26It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.

27Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

27A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.

28Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

28Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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