Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor. | The fear of the Lord provides instruction in wisdom, and to be humble is the way to honor. |
Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. | Do not swerve either to the right or to the left; keep your foot far from evil. |
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Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. | A fool gives free rein to his anger, but a wise man bides his time and calms it. |
My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice! | My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad. |
Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave. | Authority will be granted to the diligent, but the lazy will be enslaved. |
Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart. | The whispers of a gossiper are tasty morsels that corrode one’s inner being. |
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. | Entrust everything that you do to the Lord, and your plans will turn out to be successful. |
Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor. | A man is haughty until disaster overtakes him, but humility comes before honors. |
Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses. | Hatred stirs up strife, but love overlooks all offenses. |
You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail. | Many are the plans in a human mind, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will prevail. |
An honest witness does not lie; a false witness breathes lies. | A truthful witness does not lie, but a false witness lies incessantly. |
Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. | Ensure that the path you tread is level, and then your ways will be sure. |
I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. | I have instructed you in the ways of wisdom and led you along the paths of righteousness. |
Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. | Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze on what lies before you. |
Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success. | Plans miscarry when counsel is lacking, but they succeed when there are many counselors. |
Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. | Where many words are spoken, sin is not absent, but whoever restrains his tongue is prudent. |
For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord. | For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord. |
A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. | A gentle reply turns away wrath, but a harsh word arouses anger. |
Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people. | The upright are guarded by their integrity; the treacherous are destroyed by their own duplicity. |
To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. | Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates correction is stupid. |
Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people! | A gift opens doors for the giver and wins him access to the powerful. |
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. | Anxiety in the human heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad. |
Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! | All day long the godless man continues to covet, whereas the righteous man gives unsparingly. |
Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool. | Lying lips conceal hatred, and anyone who slanders another is a fool. |
Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. | It is better to have little and be righteous than to acquire great riches with injustice. |