1 Better is a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.

1 (A)Better is a dry morsel and quietness with itThan a house full of (a)feasting with strife.

1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

1 Better a dry crust with peacethan a house full of feasting with strife.(A)

1 Dry crumbs in peace are better than a full meal with strife.

2 A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.

2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully,And will share in the inheritance among brothers.

2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful sonand share an inheritance among brothers.

2 A prudent servant will rule in place of a disgraceful son and will share in the inheritance among brothers.

3 A refining pot is for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts is Jehovah.

3 The (B)refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,But (C)the Lord tests hearts.

3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.

3 A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,(B)and the Lord is the tester of hearts.(C)

3 The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold but the LORD assays hearts.

4 An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.

4 An (D)evildoer listens to wicked lips;A (b)liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

4 A wicked person listens to malicious talk;(a)a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

4 Whoever practices evil pays attention to wicked speech, and the liar listens to malicious talk.

5 Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.

5 He who mocks the (E)poor taunts his Maker;He who (F)rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.

5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,(D)and one who rejoices over calamitywill not go unpunished.(E)

5 Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their maker, and whoever is happy about disaster will not go unpunished.

6 Sons' sons are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons are their fathers.

6 (G)Grandchildren are the crown of old men,And the (H)glory of sons is their fathers.

6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,and the pride of sons is their fathers.

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the pride of children is their parents.

The Consequences Of Being A Fool

7 Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.

7 (c)(I)Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool,Much less are (J)lying lips to a prince.

7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

7 Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;how much worse are lies for a ruler.

7 Appropriate speech is inconsistent with the fool; how much more are deceitful statements with a prince!

8 A stone of grace is the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

8 A (K)bribe is a (d)charm in the sight of its owner;Wherever he turns, he prospers.

8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

8 A bribe(F) seems like a magic stone to its owner;wherever he turns, he succeeds.(G)

8 A bribe works wonders in the eyes of its giver; wherever he turns he prospers.

9 Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.

9 He who (L)conceals a transgression seeks love,But he who repeats a matter (M)separates intimate friends.

9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,(H)but whoever gossips about it separates friends.(I)

9 Anyone who overlooks an offense promotes love, but someone who gossips separates close friends.

10 Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.

10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understandingThan a hundred blows into a fool.

10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.

10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive personmore than a hundred lashes into a fool.

10 A rebuke is more effective with a man of understanding than a hundred lashes to a fool.

11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.

11 A rebellious man seeks only evil,So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

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

11 A rebellious person seeks evil; a cruel emissary will be sent to oppose him.

12 The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And -- not a fool in his folly.

12 Let a (N)man meet a (O)bear robbed of her cubs,Rather than a fool in his folly.

12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.

12 Better for a man to meet a bear robbed of her cubs(K)than a fool in his foolishness.

12 It's better to meet a mother bear who has lost her cubs than a fool in his stupidity.

13 Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.

13 He who (P)returns evil for good,(Q)Evil will not depart from his house.

13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

13 If anyone returns evil for good,(L)evil will never depart from his house.(M)

13 The person who repays good with evil will never see evil leave his home.

14 The beginning of contention is a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,So (R)abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.

14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

14 To start a conflict is to release a flood;stop the dispute before it breaks out.(N)

14 Starting a quarrel is like spilling water so drop the dispute before it escalates.

15 Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these are an abomination to Jehovah.

15 He who (S)justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the just(O)both are detestable to the Lord.

15 Exonerating the wicked and condemning the righteous are both detestable to the LORD.

16 Why is this -- a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?

16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to (T)buy wisdom,When (e)he has no sense?

16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

16 Why does a fool have money in his handwith no intention of buying wisdom?(P)

16 What is this? A fool has enough money to buy wisdom, but is senseless?

17 At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.

17 A (U)friend loves at all times,And a brother is born for adversity.

17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

17 A friend loves at all times,(Q)and a brother is born for a difficult time.

17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is there for times of trouble.

18 A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.

18 A man lacking in (f)sense (g)(V)pledgesAnd becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

18 One without sense enters an agreement(c)and puts up security for his friend.(R)

18 A man who lacks sense cosigns a loan, becoming a guarantor for his neighbor.

19 Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.

19 He who (W)loves transgression loves strife;He who (X)raises his door seeks destruction.

19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

19 One who loves to offend loves strife;(S)one who builds a high threshold invites injury.

19 The person who loves transgression loves strife; the person who builds a high gate invites destruction.

20 The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.

20 He who has a crooked (h)mind (Y)finds no good,And he who is (Z)perverted in his language falls into evil.

20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

20 One with a twisted mind will not succeed,and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.(T)

20 The person whose mind is perverse does not find good, and anyone with perverted speech falls into trouble.

21 Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.

21 He who (AA)sires a fool does so to his sorrow,And the father of a fool has no joy.

21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.

21 A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;the father of a fool has no joy.(U)

21 The man who fathers a fool does so to his sorrow the father of a fool has no joy.

22 A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.

22 A (AB)joyful heart (i)is good medicine,But a broken spirit (AC)dries up the bones.

22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

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

22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit drains one's strength.

23 A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.

23 A wicked man receives a (AD)bribe from the bosomTo (AE)pervert the ways of justice.

23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

23 A wicked man secretly takes a bribe(W)to subvert the course of justice.(X)

23 The wicked man takes a bribe in secret in order to pervert the course of justice.

24 The face of the intelligent is to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool -- at the end of the earth.

24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,But the (AF)eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,but a fool’s eyes(Y) roam to the ends of the earth.

24 A person with understanding has wisdom as his objective, but a fool looks only to earthly goals.

How Fools Live

25 A provocation to his father is a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

25 A (AG)foolish son is a grief to his fatherAnd (AH)bitterness to her who bore him.

25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

25 A foolish son is grief to his fatherand bitterness to the one who bore him.(Z)

25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to his mother.

26 Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.

26 It is also not good to (AI)fine the righteous,Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.

26 It is certainly not good to fine an innocent personor to beat a noble for his honesty.(d)(AA)

26 Furthermore, it isn't good to fine the righteous, or to beat an official because of his uprightness.

27 One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper is a man of understanding.

27 He who (AJ)restrains his words (j)has knowledge,And he who has a (AK)cool spirit is a man of understanding.

27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

27 The intelligent person restrains his words,(AB)and one who keeps a cool head(e)is a man of understanding.

27 Whoever controls what he says is knowledgeable; anyone who has a calm spirit is a man of understanding.

28 Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!

28 Even a fool, when he (AL)keeps silent, is considered wise;When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent,discerning when he seals his lips.(AC) >

28 Even a fool is thought to be wise when he remains silent; he is thought to be prudent when he keeps his mouth shut.

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