Good News Translation (GNT)

1 Drinking too much makes you loud and foolish. It’s stupid to get drunk.

2 Fear an angry king as you would a growling lion; making him angry is suicide.

3 Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them.

4 A farmer too lazy to plow his fields at the right time will have nothing to harvest.

5 A person’s thoughts are like water in a deep well, but someone with insight can draw them out.

6 Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!

7 Children are fortunate if they have a father who is honest and does what is right.

8 The king sits in judgment and knows evil when he sees it.

9 Can anyone really say that his conscience is clear, that he has gotten rid of his sin?

10 The Lord hates people who use dishonest weights and measures.

11 Even children show what they are by what they do; you can tell if they are honest and good.

12 The Lord has given us eyes to see with and ears to listen with.

13 If you spend your time sleeping, you will be poor. Keep busy and you will have plenty to eat.

14 The customer always complains that the price is too high, but then he goes off and brags about the bargain he got.

15 If you know what you are talking about, you have something more valuable than gold or jewels.

16 Anyone stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger’s debts ought to have their own property held to guarantee payment.

17 What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand.

18 Get good advice and you will succeed; don’t go charging into battle without a plan.

19 A gossip can never keep a secret. Stay away from people who talk too much.

20 If you curse your parents, your life will end like a lamp that goes out in the dark.

21 The more easily you get your wealth, the less good it will do you.

22 Don’t take it on yourself to repay a wrong. Trust the Lord and he will make it right.

23 The Lord hates people who use dishonest scales and weights.

24 The Lord has determined our path; how then can anyone understand the direction his own life is taking?

25 Think carefully before you promise an offering to God. You might regret it later.

26 A wise king will find out who is doing wrong, and will punish him without pity.

27 The Lord gave us mind and conscience; we cannot hide from ourselves.

28 A king will remain in power as long as his rule is honest, just, and fair.

29 We admire the strength of youth and respect the gray hair of age.

30 Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.

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1 The Lord controls the mind of a king as easily as he directs the course of a stream.

2 You may think that everything you do is right, but remember that the Lord judges your motives.

3 Do what is right and fair; that pleases the Lord more than bringing him sacrifices.

4 Wicked people are controlled by their conceit and arrogance, and this is sinful.

5 Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough.

6 The riches you get by dishonesty soon disappear, but not before they lead you into the jaws of death.

7 The wicked are doomed by their own violence; they refuse to do what is right.

8 Guilty people walk a crooked path; the innocent do what is right.

9 Better to live on the roof than share the house with a nagging wife.

10 Wicked people are always hungry for evil; they have no mercy on anyone.

11 When someone who is conceited gets his punishment, even an unthinking person learns a lesson. One who is wise will learn from what he is taught.

12 God, the righteous one, knows what goes on in the homes of the wicked, and he will bring the wicked down to ruin.

13 If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard.

14 If someone is angry with you, a gift given secretly will calm him down.

15 When justice is done, good people are happy, but evil people are brought to despair.

16 Death is waiting for anyone who wanders away from good sense.

17 Indulging in luxuries, wine, and rich food will never make you wealthy.

18 The wicked bring on themselves the suffering they try to cause good people.

19 Better to live out in the desert than with a nagging, complaining wife.

20 Wise people live in wealth and luxury, but stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it.

21 Be kind and honest and you will live a long life; others will respect you and treat you fairly.

22 A shrewd general can take a city defended by strong men, and destroy the walls they relied on.

23 If you want to stay out of trouble, be careful what you say.

24 Show me a conceited person and I will show you someone who is arrogant, proud, and inconsiderate.

25 Lazy people who refuse to work are only killing themselves;

26 all they do is think about what they would like to have. The righteous, however, can give, and give generously.

27 The Lord hates it when wicked people offer him sacrifices, especially if they do it from evil motives.

28 The testimony of a liar is not believed, but the word of someone who thinks matters through is accepted.

29 Righteous people are sure of themselves; the wicked have to pretend as best they can.

30 Human wisdom, brilliance, insight—they are of no help if the Lord is against you.

31 You can get horses ready for battle, but it is the Lord who gives victory.

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1 If you have to choose between a good reputation and great wealth, choose a good reputation.

2 The rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord made them both.

3 Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.

4 Obey the Lord, be humble, and you will get riches, honor, and a long life.

5 If you love your life, stay away from the traps that catch the wicked along the way.

6 Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life.

7 Poor people are slaves of the rich. Borrow money and you are the lender’s slave.

8 If you plant the seeds of injustice, disaster will spring up, and your oppression of others will end.

9 Be generous and share your food with the poor. You will be blessed for it.

10 Get rid of a conceited person, and then there will be no more arguments, quarreling, or name-calling.

11 If you love purity of heart and graciousness of speech, the king will be your friend.

12 The Lord sees to it that truth is kept safe by disproving the words of liars.

13 Lazy people stay at home; they say a lion might get them if they go outside.

14 Adultery is a trap—it catches those with whom the Lord is angry.

15 Children just naturally do silly, careless things, but a good spanking will teach them how to behave.

16 If you make gifts to rich people or oppress the poor to get rich, you will become poor yourself.

The Thirty Wise Sayings

17 Listen, and I will teach you what the wise have said. Study their teachings,

18 and you will be glad if you remember them and can quote them.

19 I want you to put your trust in the Lord; that is why I am going to tell them to you now.

20 I have written down thirty sayings for you. They contain knowledge and good advice,

21 and will teach you what the truth really is. Then when you are sent to find it out, you will bring back the right answer.

-1-

22 Don’t take advantage of the poor just because you can; don’t take advantage of those who stand helpless in court.

23 The Lord will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs.

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24 Don’t make friends with people who have hot, violent tempers.

25 You might learn their habits and not be able to change.

-3-

26 Don’t promise to be responsible for someone else’s debts.

27 If you should be unable to pay, they will take away even your bed.

-4-

28 Never move an old property line that your ancestors established.

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29 Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.

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1 When you sit down to eat with someone important, keep in mind who he is.

2 If you have a big appetite, restrain yourself.

3 Don’t be greedy for the fine food he serves; he may be trying to trick you.

-7-

4 Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich.

5 Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle.

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6 Don’t eat at the table of a stingy person or be greedy for the fine food he serves.

7 “Come on and have some more,” he says, but he doesn’t mean it. What he thinks is what he really is.

8 You will vomit up what you have eaten, and all your flattery will be wasted.

-9-

9 Don’t try to talk sense to a fool; he can’t appreciate it.

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10 Never move an old property line or take over land owned by orphans.

11 The Lord is their powerful defender, and he will argue their case against you.

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12 Pay attention to your teacher and learn all you can.

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13 Don’t hesitate to discipline children. A good spanking won’t kill them.

14 As a matter of fact, it may save their lives.

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15 My child, if you become wise, I will be very happy.

16 I will be proud when I hear you speaking words of wisdom.

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17 Don’t be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the Lord be the concern of your life.

18 If it is, you have a bright future.

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19 Listen, my child, be wise and give serious thought to the way you live.

20 Don’t associate with people who drink too much wine or stuff themselves with food.

21 Drunkards and gluttons will be reduced to poverty. If all you do is eat and sleep, you will soon be wearing rags.

-16-

22 Listen to your father; without him you would not exist. When your mother is old, show her your appreciation.

23 Truth, wisdom, learning, and good sense—these are worth paying for, but too valuable for you to sell.

24 A righteous person’s parents have good reason to be happy. You can take pride in a wise child.

25 Let your father and mother be proud of you; give your mother that happiness.

-17-

26 Pay close attention, son, and let my life be your example.

27 Prostitutes and immoral women are a deadly trap.

28 They wait for you like robbers and cause many men to be unfaithful.

-18-

29-30 Show me people who drink too much, who have to try out fancy drinks, and I will show you people who are miserable and sorry for themselves, always causing trouble and always complaining. Their eyes are bloodshot, and they have bruises that could have been avoided.

31 Don’t let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, and it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly.

32 The next morning you will feel as if you had been bitten by a poisonous snake.

33 Weird sights will appear before your eyes, and you will not be able to think or speak clearly.

34 You will feel as if you were out on the ocean, seasick, swinging high up in the rigging of a tossing ship.

35 “I must have been hit,” you will say; “I must have been beaten up, but I don’t remember it. Why can’t I wake up? I need another drink.”

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1 Don’t be envious of evil people, and don’t try to make friends with them.

2 Causing trouble is all they ever think about; every time they open their mouth someone is going to be hurt.

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3 Homes are built on the foundation of wisdom and understanding.

4 Where there is knowledge, the rooms are furnished with valuable, beautiful things.

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5 Being wise is better than being strong;yes, knowledge is more important than strength.

6 After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle, and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win.

-22-

7 Wise sayings are too deep for stupid people to understand. They have nothing to say when important matters are being discussed.

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8 If you are always planning evil, you will earn a reputation as a troublemaker.

9 Any scheme a fool thinks up is sinful. People hate a person who has nothing but scorn for others.

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10 If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed.

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11 Don’t hesitate to rescue someone who is about to be executed unjustly.

12 You may say that it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch on you; he knows. And he will reward you according to what you do.

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13 My child, eat honey; it is good. And just as honey from the comb is sweet on your tongue,

14 you may be sure that wisdom is good for the soul. Get wisdom and you have a bright future.

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15 Don’t be like the wicked who scheme to rob honest people or to take away their homes.

16 No matter how often honest people fall, they always get up again; but disaster destroys the wicked.

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17 Don’t be glad when your enemies meet disaster, and don’t rejoice when they stumble.

18 The Lord will know if you are gloating, and he will not like it; and then maybe he won’t punish them.

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19 Don’t let evil people worry you; don’t be envious of them.

20 A wicked person has no future—nothing to look forward to.

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21 Have reverence for the Lord, my child, and honor the king. Have nothing to do with people who rebel against them;

22 such people could be ruined in a moment. Do you realize the disaster that God or the king can cause?

More Wise Sayings

23 The wise have also said these things:

It is wrong for judges to be prejudiced.

24 If they pronounce a guilty person innocent, they will be cursed and hated by everyone.

25 Judges who punish the guilty, however, will be prosperous and enjoy a good reputation.

26 An honest answer is a sign of true friendship.

27 Don’t build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living.

28 Don’t give evidence against others without good reason, or say misleading things about them.

29 Don’t say, “I’ll do to them just what they did to me! I’ll get even with them!”

30 I walked through the fields and vineyards of a lazy, stupid person.

31 They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds. The stone wall around them had fallen down.

32 I looked at this, thought about it, and learned a lesson from it:

33 Go ahead and take your nap; go ahead and sleep. Fold your hands and rest awhile,

34 but while you are asleep, poverty will attack you like an armed robber.

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More of Solomon’s Proverbs

1 Here are more of Solomon’s proverbs, copied by scribes at the court of King Hezekiah of Judah.

2 We honor God for what he conceals; we honor kings for what they explain.

3 You never know what a king is thinking; his thoughts are beyond us, like the heights of the sky or the depths of the ocean.

4 Take the impurities out of silver and the artist can produce a thing of beauty.

5 Keep evil advisers away from the king and his government will be known for its justice.

6 When you stand before the king, don’t try to impress him and pretend to be important.

7 It is better to be asked to take a higher position than to be told to give your place to someone more important.

8 Don’t be too quick to go to court about something you have seen. If another witness later proves you wrong, what will you do then?

9 If you and your neighbor have a difference of opinion, settle it between yourselves and do not reveal any secrets.

10 Otherwise everyone will learn that you can’t keep a secret, and you will never live down the shame.

11 An idea well-expressed is like a design of gold, set in silver.

12 A warning given by an experienced person to someone willing to listen is more valuable than gold rings or jewelry made of the finest gold.

13 A reliable messenger is refreshing to the one who sends him, like cold water in the heat of harvest time.

14 People who promise things that they never give are like clouds and wind that bring no rain.

15 Patient persuasion can break down the strongest resistance and can even convince rulers.

16 Never eat more honey than you need; too much may make you vomit.

17 Don’t visit your neighbors too often; they may get tired of you and come to hate you.

18 A false accusation is as deadly as a sword, a club, or a sharp arrow.

19 Depending on an unreliable person in a crisis is like trying to chew with a loose tooth or walk with a crippled foot.

20 Singing to a person who is depressed is like taking off a person’s clothes on a cold day or like rubbing salt in a wound.

21 If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink.

22 You will make them burn with shame, and the Lord will reward you.

23 Gossip brings anger just as surely as the north wind brings rain.

24 Better to live on the roof than share the house with a nagging wife.

25 Finally hearing good news from a distant land is like a drink of cold water when you are dry and thirsty.

26 A good person who gives in to someone who is evil reminds you of a polluted spring or a poisoned well.

27 Too much honey is bad for you, and so is trying to win too much praise.

28 If you cannot control your anger, you are as helpless as a city without walls, open to attack.

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1 Praise for a fool is out of place, like snow in summer or rain at harvest time.

2 Curses cannot hurt you unless you deserve them. They are like birds that fly by and never light.

3 You have to whip a horse, you have to bridle a donkey, and you have to beat a fool.

4 If you answer a silly question, you are just as silly as the person who asked it.

5 Give a silly answer to a silly question, and the one who asked it will realize that he’s not as smart as he thinks.

6 If you let a fool deliver a message, you might as well cut off your own feet; you are asking for trouble.

7 A fool can use a proverb about as well as crippled people can use their legs.

8 Praising someone who is stupid makes as much sense as tying a stone in a sling.

9 A fool quoting a wise saying reminds you of a drunk trying to pick a thorn out of his hand.

10 An employer who hires any fool that comes along is only hurting everybody concerned.

11 A fool doing some stupid thing a second time is like a dog going back to its vomit.

12 The most stupid fool is better off than those who think they are wise when they are not.

13 Why don’t lazy people ever get out of the house? What are they afraid of Lions?

14 Lazy people turn over in bed. They get no farther than a door swinging on its hinges.

15 Some people are too lazy to put food in their own mouths.

16 A lazy person will think he is smarter than seven men who can give good reasons for their opinions.

17 Getting involved in an argument that is none of your business is like going down the street and grabbing a dog by the ears.

18-19 Someone who tricks someone else and then claims that he was only joking is like a crazy person playing with a deadly weapon.

20 Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, quarreling stops.

21 Charcoal keeps the embers glowing, wood keeps the fire burning, and troublemakers keep arguments alive.

22 Gossip is so tasty! How we love to swallow it!

23 Insinceretalk that hides what you are really thinking is like a fine glazeon a cheap clay pot.

24 A hypocrite hides hate behind flattering words.

25 They may sound fine, but don’t believe him, because his heart is filled to the brim with hate.

26 He may disguise his hatred, but everyone will see the evil things he does.

27 People who set traps for others get caught themselves. People who start landslides get crushed.

28 You have to hate someone to want to hurt him with lies. Insincere talk brings nothing but ruin.

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1 Never boast about tomorrow. You don’t know what will happen between now and then.

2 Let other people praise you—even strangers; never do it yourself.

3 The weight of stone and sand is nothing compared to the trouble that stupidity can cause.

4 Anger is cruel and destructive, but it is nothing compared to jealousy.

5 Better to correct someone openly than to let him think you don’t care for him at all.

6 Friends mean well, even when they hurt you. But when an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder—watch out!

7 When you are full, you will refuse honey, but when you are hungry, even bitter food tastes sweet.

8 Anyone away from home is like a bird away from its nest.

9 Perfume and fragrant oils make you feel happier, but trouble shatters your peace of mind.

10 Do not forget your friends or your father’s friends. If you are in trouble, don’t ask a relative for help; a nearby neighbor can help you more than relatives who are far away.

11 Be wise, my child, and I will be happy; I will have an answer for anyone who criticizes me.

12 Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.

13 Any people stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger’s debtsdeserve to have their own property held to guarantee payment.

14 You might as well curse your friends as wake them up early in the morning with a loud greeting.

15 A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip on a rainy day.

16 How can you keep her quiet? Have you ever tried to stop the wind or ever tried to hold a handful of oil?

17 People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.

18 Take care of a fig tree and you will have figs to eat. Servants who take care of their master will be honored.

19 It is your own face that you see reflected in the water and it is your own self that you see in your heart.

20 Human desires are like the world of the dead—there is always room for more.

21 Fire tests gold and silver; a person’s reputation can also be tested.

22 Even if you beat fools half to death, you still can’t beat their foolishness out of them.

23 Look after your sheep and cattle as carefully as you can,

24 because wealth is not permanent. Not even nations last forever.

25 You cut the hay and then cut the grass on the hillsides while the next crop of hay is growing.

26 You can make clothes from the wool of your sheep and buy land with the money you get from selling some of your goats.

27 The rest of the goats will provide milk for you and your family, and for your servant women as well.

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1 The wicked run when no one is chasing them, but an honest person is as brave as a lion.

2 When a nation sins, it will have one ruler after another. But a nation will be strong and endure when it has intelligent, sensible leaders.

3 Someone in authority who oppresses poor people is like a driving rain that destroys the crops.

4 If you have no regard for the law, you are on the side of the wicked; but if you obey it, you are against them.

5 Evil people do not know what justice is, but those who worship the Lord understand it well.

6 Better to be poor and honest than rich and dishonest.

7 Young people who obey the law are intelligent. Those who make friends with good-for-nothings are a disgrace to their parents.

8 If you get rich by charging interest and taking advantage of people, your wealth will go to someone who is kind to the poor.

9 If you do not obey the law, God will find your prayers too hateful to hear.

10 If you trick an honest person into doing evil, you will fall into your own trap.

The innocent will be well rewarded.

11 Rich people always think they are wise, but a poor person who has insight into character knows better.

12 When good people come to power, everybody celebrates, but when bad people rule, people stay in hiding.

13 You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you.

14 Always obey the Lord and you will be happy. If you are stubborn, you will be ruined.

15 Poor people are helpless against a wicked ruler; he is as dangerous as a growling lion or a prowling bear.

16 A ruler without good sense will be a cruel tyrant. One who hates dishonesty will rule a long time.

17 Someone guilty of murder is digging his own grave as fast as he can. Don’t try to stop him.

18 Be honest and you will be safe. If you are dishonest, you will suddenly fall.

19 A hard-working farmer has plenty to eat. People who waste time will always be poor.

20 Honest people will lead a full, happy life. But if you are in a hurry to get rich, you are going to be punished.

21 Prejudice is wrong. But some judges will do wrong to get even the smallest bribe.

22 Selfish people are in such a hurry to get rich that they do not know when poverty is about to strike.

23 Correct someone, and afterward he will appreciate it more than flattery.

24 Anyone who thinks it isn’t wrong to steal from his parents is no better than a common thief.

25 Selfishness only causes trouble. You are much better off to trust the Lord.

26 It is foolish to follow your own opinions. Be safe, and follow the teachings of wiser people.

27 Give to the poor and you will never be in need. If you close your eyes to the poor, many people will curse you.

28 People stay in hiding when the wicked come to power. But when they fall from power, the righteous will rule again.

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1 If you get more stubborn every time you are corrected, one day you will be crushed and never recover.

2 Show me a righteous ruler and I will show you a happy people. Show me a wicked ruler and I will show you a miserable people.

3 If you appreciate wisdom, your parents will be proud of you.

It is a foolish waste to spend money on prostitutes.

4 When the king is concerned with justice, the nation will be strong, but when he is only concerned with money, he will ruin his country.

5 If you flatter your friends, you set a trap for yourself.

6 Evil people are trapped in their own sins, while honest people are happy and free.

7 A good person knows the rights of the poor, but wicked people cannot understand such things.

8 People with no regard for others can throw whole cities into turmoil. Those who are wise keep things calm.

9 When an intelligent person brings a lawsuit against a fool, the fool only laughs and becomes loud and abusive.

10 Bloodthirsty people hate anyone who’s honest, but righteous people will protectthe life of such a person.

11 Stupid people express their anger openly, but sensible people are patient and hold it back.

12 If a ruler pays attention to false information, all his officials will be liars.

13 A poor person and his oppressor have this in common—the Lord gave eyes to both of them.

14 If a king defends the rights of the poor, he will rule for a long time.

15 Correction and discipline are good for children. If they have their own way, they will make their mothers ashamed of them.

16 When evil people are in power, crime increases. But the righteous will live to see the downfall of such people.

17 Discipline your children and you can always be proud of them. They will never give you reason to be ashamed.

18 A nation without God’s guidance is a nation without order. Happy are those who keep God’s law!

19 You cannot correct servants just by talking to them. They may understand you, but they will pay no attention.

20 There is more hope for a stupid fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.

21 If you give your servants everything they want from childhood on, some day they will take over everything you own.

22 People with quick tempers cause a lot of quarreling and trouble.

23 Arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.

24 A thief’s partner is his own worst enemy. He will be punished if he tells the truth in court, and God will curse him if he doesn’t.

25 It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.

26 Everybody wants the good will of the ruler, but only from the Lord can you get justice.

27 The righteous hate the wicked, and the wicked hate the righteous.

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