The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar. | A man’s attraction is his kindness; it is far better to be poor than to be a liar. |
The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke. | A wealthy man pays a ransom to save his life; a poor man never has to worry about such threats. |
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My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother. | Observe your father’s command, my son, and do not reject your mother’s teaching. |
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. | Speak out and pronounce righteous judgments; defend the rights of the wretched and the poor. |
A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. | A fool gives free rein to his anger, but a wise man bides his time and calms it. |
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord. | One who finds a wife finds happiness and receives favor from the Lord. |
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. | Blessed is the person who has found wisdom, the one who has gained understanding. |
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. | Listen, my son, and take my words to heart, and the years of your life will be multiplied. |
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. | Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze on what lies before you. |
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. | For the Lord himself is the one who bestows wisdom; from his mouth come forth knowledge and understanding. |
Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. | Riches will be of no avail on the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. |
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. | A man is haughty until disaster overtakes him, but humility comes before honors. |
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts. | A man’s ways may seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart. |
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. | Anxiety in the human heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad. |
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. | Pleasing words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and affording health to the body. |
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. | Treasures obtained by wicked means profit nothing, but a righteous life brings delivery from death. |
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. | A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only delights in expressing his own opinions. |
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. | It is honorable to avoid strife, but every fool is quarrelsome. |
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. | A cheerful heart is excellent medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. |
In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury. | Diligent labor always yields profit, but idle conversation only leads to poverty. |
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. | Every word of God has proved to be true; he is a shield to those who trust in him. |
He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. | Lying lips conceal hatred, and anyone who slanders another is a fool. |
A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. | A man’s pride will bring him low, but lowly souls will rise to honor. |
He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not. | All day long the godless man continues to covet, whereas the righteous man gives unsparingly. |
Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish. | Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates correction is stupid. |