| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. | 1A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. |
| 2The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all. | 2Rich and poor have this in common: 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 see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. |
| 4By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life. | 4Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are 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. | 5In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them. |
| 6Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. | 6Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. |
| 7The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. | 7The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. |
| 8He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail. | 8Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, and the rod they wield in fury will be broken. |
| 9He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor. | 9The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. |
| 10Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease. | 10Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended. |
| 11He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend. | 11One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a 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 frustrates the words of the unfaithful. |
| 13The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” | 13The sluggard says, "There's a lion outside! I'll be killed in the public square!" |
| 14The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there. | 14The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; a man who is under the LORD's wrath falls 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 will drive it far away. |
| 16He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty. | 16One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich--both come to poverty. |
| 17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; | 17Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, |
| 18For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, | 18for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. |
| 19So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have instructed you today, even you. | 19So that your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you. |
| 20Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, | 20Have I not written thirty sayings for you, 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? | 21teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth, so that you bring back truthful reports to those you serve? |
| 22Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; | 22Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, |
| 23For the LORD will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them. | 23for the LORD will take up their case and will exact life for life. |
| 24Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, | 24Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, |
| 25Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul. | 25or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. |
| 26Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, One of those who is surety for debts; | 26Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; |
| 27If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take away your bed from under you? | 27if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you. |
| 28Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. | 28Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors. |
| 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 someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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