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Revised Fenton

The Holy Bible in Modern English. Revised Edition.
God's word is swift and powerful.



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   Work on the 'The Holy Bible in Modern English' began in 1853 by a London businessman named Ferrar Fenton (1832–1920). The complete Bible was first published in 1903, though some individual bible 'books' were published as separate volumes during the preceding 11 years.
   Fenton is well known for a rearranging of the books of the Bible into what the author believed was the correct chronological order. In the Old Testament, this order follows that of the Hebrew Bible. The name of God was translated throughout the Old Testament as "The Ever-Living".
   Fenton is an exciting translation that shows respect and gives clarity in many areas where other translations fall short. This Bible is described as being "translated into English direct from the original Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek languages."

Blog entry: September 17, 2016


   Welcome to the new blog section. Join us in this exciting effort to display the works of Ferrar Fenton! The Holy Bible in Modern English is now fully digitized and can be seen for it's creative and artistic beauty as well as for the spiritual edification that we all need through the daily study of the scriptures.


   This project actually began in 2012 when the conversion of scanned images, using OCR software, revived a very beautiful but tangled digital version of Ferrar Fenton's work. The major part of the editing, including verse alignment, OCR errors and chapter breaks took over one year. Still, as we go there are minor fixes to punctuation and a few odd necessary edits.

   In its very raw form, 'The Holy Bible in Modern English' went online with a free but very undependable web hosting service in 2014, where it has been ever since.
   With thanks to the generosity of others, just recently, the site has been moved to its current home. This hosting service is by far superior to the previous but costs are high so we are maintaining an ad service to help offset the costs.

   
RF PRO 23:1

On Temperance.
If you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider well what is before you;—
   
RF PRO 23:2 And put a knife to your throat,
If you are a man of keen taste,
   
RF PRO 23:3 And do not desire his dainties,
For they are a food that deceives.
   
RF PRO 23:4 On to eager a pursuit of Wealth.
Exhaust not yourself to be rich,
Take a rest, that you may reflect,
   
RF PRO 23:5 That wealth flies from your sight, and is not.
For it grows;—then spreads wings for itself,
Like an eagle, and flies to the skies.
   
RF PRO 23:6 On unwilling Hosts.
Eat not the bread of the grudger
And desire none of his sweets;—
   
RF PRO 23:7 He is like the thoughts of his soul
Though he asks you "to eat and to drink!"
Yet his heart is never with yours.
   
RF PRO 23:8 You will vomit the mouthful you eat,
And be sick of your pleasant discourse.
   
RF PRO 23:9 On the Folly of trying to teach Fools.
Speak not to the ears of a fool,
Who despises instructive discourse.
   
RF PRO 23:10 On Honesty.
The ancient landmark remove not,
Nor encroach on the orphan's land,
   
RF PRO 23:11 For their Defender has power,—
And conducts their defence against you.
   
RF PRO 23:12 Advice to Parents.
Present your heart to instruction,
And your ears to the teachings of fact,
   
RF PRO 23:13 Refrain not correcting your child,
Whom the strokes of a rod will not kill.
   
RF PRO 23:14 You can flog him yourself with a rod,
And rescue his life from the grave.
   
RF PRO 23:15 An Appeal to his Son.
My son! if your heart will be wise,
My heart will be glad,—yes, my own!—
   
RF PRO 23:16 And the depths of my breast will exult,
When I hear of your lips speaking right.
   
RF PRO 23:17 And let not your heart envy sinners;
But be always in fear of the LORD,—
   
RF PRO 23:18 For a future condition is certain,
Therefore cut not yourself from your hopes.
   
RF PRO 23:19 So listen, my son, and be wise,
And proceed with your heart in my way.
   
RF PRO 23:20 Go not with deep drinkers of wine,
Nor join in their riotous feasts,
   
RF PRO 23:21 For the drunkard and glutton make poor,
And sleeping will clothe you in rags.
   
RF PRO 23:22 So attend to the father who got you,
And despise not your mother when old.
   
RF PRO 23:23 Buy Truth, and sell it not again,
With Wisdom, Instruction, and Sense.
   
RF PRO 23:24 For the father of the good will be glad,
Who has a wise son can rejoice.—
   
RF PRO 23:25 Make your father and mother content,
That they may be glad you were born.
   
RF PRO 23:26 A Warning against Vice.
My son! give your heart up to me,
And let your eyes look on my ways,
   
RF PRO 23:27 For a loose woman is a deep ditch,
And a whore is a pit of distress;
   
RF PRO 23:28 For she lies in wait for her plunder,
And increases the vices of men.
   
RF PRO 23:29 Against Drunkenness.
Who have woe? who have misery and brawls?
Who have wounds? who have objectless strife?
With whom are the red gleaming eyes?
   
RF PRO 23:30 Are they not with the seekers of wine,
Who go out to search for the best?
   
RF PRO 23:31 Look not on the wine that is red,
When its eye dances right in the cup;
   
RF PRO 23:32 For it afterwards stings like a snake,
And its bite like an adder inflames!
   
RF PRO 23:33 Loose women your eyes will regard,
And your heart vomit out what disgusts,
   
RF PRO 23:34 As though laid in the heart of the sea,
And stretched on the deck of a ship.
   
RF PRO 23:35 "Let them strike me! I suffer no pain!
Let them beat me;—I never shall care!—
When I wake, I will seek it again!"
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