| Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. | You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail. |
| For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. | No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. |
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| A person’s riches may ransom their life, but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes. | The rich can pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor won’t even get threatened. |
| And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. | Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. |
| He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” | And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” |
| A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great. | Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people! |
| Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. | Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. |
| Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor. | Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor. |
| A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. | People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. |
| A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. | A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. |
| The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale. | The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. |
| The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. | Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart. |
| Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. | If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. |
