Proverbs

A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

1A good reputation is worth more than great riches. Being liked and respected is better than silver and gold.

2The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

2Rich people and poor people live side by side. The LORD made them all.

3A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

3A careful person sees trouble coming and gets out of the way. A simple person walks right into it and pays for it.

4By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

4Being humble and honoring the LORD brings riches, respect, and life.

5Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

5The path of a crooked person is full of thorns and traps. Whoever guards his life stays far away from that path.

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

6Teach a child the way he should live. When he is old, he will not turn away from it.

7The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

7The rich rule over the poor. Whoever borrows money becomes a servant to the one who lent it.

8He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

8Whoever plants unfairness will harvest trouble. The stick he swung in anger will be broken.

9He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

9A generous person will be blessed, because he shares his food with the poor.

10Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

10Send the mocker away, and the fighting goes with him. Arguing and insults stop too.

11He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

11Whoever loves a clean heart and speaks kindly will have the king as a friend.

12The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

12The LORD watches over what is true. He ruins the words of anyone who breaks his commands.

13The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

13The lazy man says, "There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the street!"

14The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

14The smooth talk of another man's wife is a deep pit. A man the LORD is angry with falls into it.

15Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

15Foolishness is tied up tight inside a child's heart. Correction drives it far away from him.

16He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

16One man cheats the poor to get rich. Another gives gifts to the rich. Both end up poor.

17Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

17Lean in and listen to the words of wise people. Set your mind on what I teach you.

18For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

18It is good to keep these words inside you and to have them ready on your lips.

19That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

19I am teaching you today, yes you, so that you will put your trust in the LORD.

20Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

20Have I not written fine things for you, full of advice and knowledge?

21That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

21I wrote them so you would know what is true and certain. Then you can bring back a true answer to whoever sent you.

22Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

22Do not rob a poor man just because he is poor. Do not crush a hurting person in court.

Note"In the gate" means at the city gate, which is where judges heard cases. It is the same as saying "in court."

23For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

23The LORD will take their side and argue their case. He will take away from those who took from them.

24Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

24Do not make friends with an angry man. Do not spend your time with a man with a hot temper.

25Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

25If you do, you will pick up his habits, and you will trap yourself.

26Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

26Do not be one of those who shakes hands to promise he will pay someone else's debt.

NoteIn Bible times you shook hands to promise you would pay someone else's debt if they could not. The saying warns against making that promise.

27If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

27If you have no money to pay it, why should someone take the bed out from under you?

28Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

28Do not move an old boundary stone that your ancestors set in place.

29Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

29Do you see a man who is skilled at his work? He will serve kings, not unimportant men.

Note"Mean men" in 1611 English meant ordinary or unimportant people. It did not mean cruel or unkind.