English: Easy to Read Version

[1] 1:1 proverb A wise saying or short story that teaches a lesson.

[2] 1:1 Israel Another name for Jacob (see Gen. 32:24-28) and for the nation God chose to accomplish his plan of blessing the world through the Messiah (see "Messiah"). The people of Israel were the descendants of Jacob's twelve sons.

[3] 1:8 My son The proverbs in this section may have been directed originally to a teenage boy, perhaps a prince, who was becoming a young man. They are intended to teach him how to be a responsible person and leader who loves and respects God.

[4] 1:9 Literally, "They are like a wreath of favor to your head and a necklace around your neck."

[5] 1:20 Wisdom Wisdom is pictured here as a good woman trying to get the attention of this young man, calling him to be wise and obey God. In a later passage (9:13-18) Foolishness is represented as another woman who is urging him toward a life of sin.

[6] 3:29 who . trusts you Or, "After all, you live near one another for protection."

[7] 4:3 dear son Or, "only son."

[8] 5:8 adultery Breaking a marriage promise by committing sexual sin.

[9] 5:19 fawn A baby deer.

[10] 6:32 adultery Breaking a marriage promise by committing sexual sin.

[11] 7:14 fellowship offering An offering to God that was also eaten by the person giving the sacrifice and shared with others, especially during New Moon celebrations.

[12] 7:17 myrrh Sweet-smelling sap from the bark of trees or other plants that was used for perfume and also to prepare bodies for burial. Mixed with wine, it was probably used to relieve pain (Mk. 15:23).

[13] 7:17 aloes The oil from a sweet-smelling wood that was used to make perfume (Ps. 45:8; Prov. 7:17) or the bitter juice from a cactus-like plant that was used to prepare bodies for burial (Jn. 19:39).

[14] 7:20 won't be . weeks Literally, "will not come home until the full moon." The fellowship meal shows that this happened at the time of the new moon, the first day of the Hebrew month.

[15] 8:16 and important . decisions Or, "as well as important officials, all the judges on earth."

[16] 8:30 I grew . his side Or, "I was beside him like a skilled worker."

[17] 9:1 seven columns In ancient Israel, a good house was one that had four main rooms with seven columns to support the roof.

[18] 9:3 Or, "She has sent out her servant girls and invited people to come to the highest hill in the city to eat with her."

[19] 10:1 proverb A wise saying or short story that teaches a lesson.

[20] 10:10 This is from the ancient Greek version. The Hebrew repeats the second half of verse 8.

[21] 10:11 spring of fresh water Or, "the source of life."

[22] 10:13 Literally, "Wisdom can be found on the lips of the intelligent, but a rod on the back of the senseless." This is a wordplay. In Hebrew, "lip" sounds like "rod."

[23] 10:18 Or, "Sometimes it would be foolish to say something negative, but the only way to hide your opposition would be to lie."

[24] 10:22 Or, "A blessing from the Lord will bring you true wealth-wealth without troubles."

[25] 10:28 good people . happiness Or, "Good people can look forward to happiness."

[26] 10:31 Or, "The mouth of a good man speaks wisdom, but the tongue of a troublemaker will be cut off."

[27] 11:9 hypocrite A person with wrong motives who pretends to be good.

[28] 11:12 Stupid people . neighbors Or, "The neighbors hate a stupid person."

[29] 11:18 This is a wordplay in Hebrew. The word "lies" sounds like the word "reward."

[30] 11:30 Or, according to one ancient version, "The fruit of a good man is a tree of life, but a violent man takes lives."

[31] 12:10 Or, "even the 'kindness' of the wicked is still cruelty."

[32] 12:12 The Hebrew here is hard to understand.

[33] 12:28 that is . forever Or, "but there is a path that leads to death."

[34] 13:9 Or, "The light of those who do right is happy; the lamp of the wicked goes out."

[35] 13:23 Or, "The fields of the poor might produce plenty of food, but the unjust often take it away."

[36] 14:1 Or, "Wisdom builds her house, but Foolishness tears hers down with her own hands."

[37] 14:32 Or, "The wicked will be crushed by their evil, and those who hope for their destruction are right to do so."

[38] 15:24 here on earth Literally, "above," that is, "above the ground."

[39] 15:30 smile Literally, "a sparkle in the eyes."

[40] 16:6 remove your guilt Or, "make atonement." The Hebrew word means "to cover or erase a person's sins."

[41] 16:12 Kings . wrong Or, "It is disgusting when kings do wrong,"

[42] 16:33 lots Stones, sticks, or bones used like dice for making decisions. See Prov. 16:33.

[43] 17:27 remain calm Literally, "have a cool spirit."

[44] 18:14 help Literally, "lift up" or "heal."

[45] 18:18 lots Stones, sticks, or bones used like dice for making decisions. See Prov. 16:33.

[46] 18:24 Some friends . with Or, "Some friends can bring disaster."

[47] 20:20 curse To ask for bad things to happen to a person or thing. As a noun it is a request for or warning about bad things to come.

[48] 20:21 Or, "An inheritance greedily guarded in the beginning will not be blessed in the end."

[49] 20:24 Or, "A man's steps are from the Lord, and people don't understand his way."

[50] 20:27 Or, "The Lord examines your breath and searches your deepest thoughts."

[51] 20:30 The Hebrew here is hard to understand.

[52] 21:11 Or, "Punish a rude, arrogant person and the others will become wise."

[53] 22:14 adultery Breaking a marriage promise by committing sexual sin.

[54] 22:20 I have . for you Or, "I wrote this for you earlier."

[55] 22:28 ancestors Literally, "fathers," meaning a person's parents, grandparents, and all the other people that person is descended from. In the New Testament it usually refers to people who lived during Old Testament times.

[56] 23:34 mast The tall pole to which the sail is tied on a sailboat.

[57] 25:1 proverb A wise saying or short story that teaches a lesson.

[58] 25:13 drink . day Literally, "as the cold snow at harvest time." This probably refers to snow or ice brought down from Mt. Hermon in Lebanon.

[59] 25:22 This . shame Literally, "for you will heap coals of fire on his head."

[60] 26:8 sling A strip of leather used for throwing rocks.

[61] 28:3 Or, "A poor person who takes advantage of beggars is like a hard rain and no food."

[62] 30:1 He says, "God, ... keep going?" Or, "This is his message to Ithiel and Ucal."

[63] 30:3 Holy One Literally, "the holy ones."

[64] 30:15 Literally, "A leech has two daughters."

[65] 30:17 vulture Or "eagle," a bird of prey that eats dead animals.

[66] 30:31 a rooster walking proudly Or possibly, "a greyhound" or "a warhorse."

[67] 31:10 Verses 10-31 In Hebrew, each verse of this poem starts with the next letter of the alphabet, so this poem shows all the good qualities of a woman, "from A to Z."

[68] 31:10 the perfect wife Or, "a noble woman."

[69] 31:13 flax A plant used to make linen cloth.

[70] 31:24 merchant A person who earns a living by buying and selling things.

[71] 31:25 She is a strong person Or, "She is praised."