New King James Version

English Standard Version

1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.

2The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all.

2The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the Maker of them all.

3A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.

3The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

4By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.

4The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.

6Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

6Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.

7The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

8He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.

8Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail.

9He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.

9Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

10Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

10Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease.

11He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.

11He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.

12The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the faithless.

12The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the traitor.

13The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!”

13The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!”

14The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there.

14The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit; he with whom the LORD is angry will fall into it.

15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

15Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

16He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.

16Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;

17Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,

18For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips,

18for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips.

19So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have instructed you today, even you.

19That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made them known to you today, even to you.

20Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,

20Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge,

21That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?

21to make you know what is right and true, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

22Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;

22Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate,

23For the LORD will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

23for the LORD will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.

24Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,

24Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,

25Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

25lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

26Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts;

26Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts.

27If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you?

27If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?

28Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set.

28Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set.

29Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.

29Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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.