Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. | A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. |
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. | Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. |
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Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. | Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. |
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. | Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. |
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. |
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. | Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. |
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. | For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. |
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. | He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless. |
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. | For he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. |
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. | Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. |
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. | My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. |
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. | Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. |
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. | Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. |
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. | Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. |
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. | Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops. |
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. | My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. |
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. | Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding. |
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. | Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. |
Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous. | Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. |
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. | Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. |
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. | The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. |
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. | Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. |
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. | I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. |
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. | My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart. |
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. | Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. |