Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. | A capable wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. |
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. | Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. |
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Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. | Speak out, judge righteously, 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 deceitful, and beauty is vain, 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; 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. | Give heed to my reproof; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to you. |
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 stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly. |
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. | Guarding the paths of justice and preserving the way of his faithful ones. |
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. | Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, 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 child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you. |
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. | Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and of people. |
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 do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. |
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 turn away from evil. It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body. |
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. | Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce. |
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 child, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. |
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. | Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get 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 do it. |
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 and do not choose any of their ways; for the perverse are an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. |
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. | Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. |
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. | The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever else you get, get insight. |
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. | Hear, my child, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. |
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. | I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. |
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 child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. |
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. | Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. |