Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion. | Keep falsehood and lying far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but simply provide me with the food that I need. |
Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak, For the rights of all the unfortunate. | Speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves, and defend the rights of the destitute. |
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Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the poor and needy. | Speak out and pronounce righteous judgments; defend the rights of the wretched and the poor. |
An excellent wife, who can find her? For her worth is far above jewels. | Who can find a worthy wife? She is far more precious than pearls. |
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. | Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. |
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools are those who despise wisdom and instruction. |
Turn to my rebuke, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. | If you would seriously consider my reproof, I would pour out my thoughts to you and make my precepts known to you. |
For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. | For the Lord himself is the one who bestows wisdom; from his mouth come forth knowledge and understanding. |
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity. | He reserves his wisdom for the upright and is a shield to those who lead blameless lives. |
Guarding the paths of justice, And He watches over the way of His godly ones. | For he guards the paths of justice and keeps watch over the way of his faithful ones. |
Then you will discern righteousness, justice, And integrity, and every good path. | Then you will understand equity and justice as well as righteousness—every good path. |