| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. | 1Better is a dry crust of bread where there is 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 servant who acts wisely will rule over an heir who behaves shamefully, and will share the inheritance along with the relatives. |
| 3The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts. | 3The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold, likewise the LORD tests hearts. |
| 4An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue. | 4One who acts wickedly pays attention to evil counsel; a liar listens to a malicious tongue. |
| 5Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished. | 5The one who mocks the poor insults his Creator; whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished. |
| 6Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. | 6Grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents. |
| 7Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince. | 7Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for 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 works like a charm for the one who offers it; in whatever he does he succeeds. |
| 9Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. | 9The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends. |
| 10A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. | 10A rebuke makes a greater impression on a discerning person than a hundred blows on a fool. |
| 11An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him. | 11An evil person seeks only rebellion, and so 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 for a person to meet a mother bear being robbed of her cubs, than to encounter a fool in his folly. |
| 13If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house. | 13As for the one who repays evil for good, evil will not leave his house. |
| 14The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out. | 14Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out! |
| 15He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD. | 15The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent--both of them are an abomination to the LORD. |
| 16Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense? | 16Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom? |
| 17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. | 17A friend loves at all times, and a relative is born to help in adversity. |
| 18One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor. | 18The one who lacks wisdom strikes hands in pledge, and puts up financial security for his neighbor. |
| 19Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction. | 19The one who loves a quarrel loves transgression; whoever builds his gate high seeks destruction. |
| 20A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity. | 20The one who has a perverse heart does not find good, and the one who is deceitful in speech falls into trouble. |
| 21He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy. | 21Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief, and the father of a fool has no joy. |
| 22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. | 22A cheerful heart brings good healing, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. |
| 23The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice. | 23A wicked person receives a bribe secretly to pervert the ways of justice. |
| 24The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. | 24Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth. |
| 25A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. | 25A foolish child is a grief to his father, and bitterness to the mother who bore him. |
| 26To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. | 26It is terrible to punish a righteous person, and to flog honorable men is wrong. |
| 27Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. | 27The truly wise person restrains his words, and the one who stays calm is discerning. |
| 28Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent. | 28Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning. |
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