1 B e not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them;

¶ Do not be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.

2 F or their minds plot oppression and devise violence, and their lips talk of causing trouble and vexation.

For their heart studies robbery, and their lips speak evil.

3 T hrough skillful and godly Wisdom is a house (a life, a home, a family) built, and by understanding it is established,

¶ Through wisdom the house shall be built, and with intelligence it shall be established:

4 A nd by knowledge shall its chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and beautiful riches.

5 A wise man is strong and is better than a strong man, and a man of knowledge increases and strengthens his power;

The wise man is strong; and the man of understanding is a mighty man of valour.

6 F or by wise counsel you can wage your war, and in an abundance of counselors there is victory and safety.

For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war, and in the multitude of counsellors there is saving health.

7 W isdom is too high for a fool; he opens not his mouth in the gate.

¶ Wisdom, is too high for a fool; he shall not open his mouth in the gate.

8 H e who plans to do evil will be called a mischief-maker.

He that devises to do evil shall be called a man of evil designs.

9 T he plans of the foolish and the thought of foolishness are sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men.

The thought of the foolish is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.

10 I f you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

¶ If thou art slack in the day of tribulation, thy strength shall be reduced.

11 D eliver those who are drawn away to death, and those who totter to the slaughter, hold them back.

¶ If thou forbear to deliver those that are drawn unto death and those that are ready to be slain,

12 I f you say, Behold, we did not know this, does not He Who weighs and ponders the heart perceive and consider it? And He Who guards your life, does not He know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?

if thou should say, Behold, we knew it not; shall not he that weighs the hearts understand it? and he that keeps thy soul, does he not know it? and shall he not render to every man according to his works?

13 M y son, eat honey, because it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

¶ My son, eat of the honey, because it is good, and of the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

14 S o shall you know skillful and godly Wisdom to be thus to your life; if you find it, then shall there be a future and a reward, and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off.

So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: if thou shalt find it, and in the end thy hope shall not be cut off.

15 L ie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God); destroy not his resting-place;

¶ Do not lay in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; do not spoil his resting place.

16 F or a righteous man falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

For a just man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked shall fall into evil.

17 R ejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles or is overthrown,

¶ Do not rejoice when thy enemy falls, and do not let thy heart be glad when he stumbles

18 L est the Lord see it and it be evil in His eyes and displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.

lest the LORD see it and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19 F ret not because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked,

¶ Do not meddle with those who are evil, neither be envious of the wicked;

20 F or there shall be no reward for the evil man; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

for the evil man shall not come to a good end; the fire of the wicked shall be put out.

21 M y son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not associate with those who are given to change,

¶ My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not meddle with those that are given to change,

22 F or their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knows the punishment and ruin which both will bring upon ?

for their calamity shall rise suddenly; and the ruin of them both, who shall know it?

23 T hese also are sayings of the wise: To discriminate and show partiality, having respect of persons in judging, is not good.

¶ These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

24 H e who says to the wicked, You are righteous and innocent—peoples will curse him, nations will defy and abhor him.

He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the peoples curse, nations shall abhor him:

25 B ut to those who rebuke the wicked, it will go well with them and they will find delight, and a good blessing will be upon them.

But unto those that rebuke him shall be delight, and a blessing of good shall come upon them.

26 H e kisses the lips who give a right answer.

The lips of the one that gives a right answer shall be kissed.

27 P repare your work outside and get it ready for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house and establish a home.

¶ Prepare thy work without and make it fit for thyself in thine inheritance, and afterwards thou shalt build thine house.

28 B e not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and deceive not with your lips.

¶ Do not be a false witness against thy neighbour, and do not flatter with thy lips.

29 S ay not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for his deed.

Do not say, I will do unto him as he has done unto me; I will render to the man according to his work.

30 I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

¶ I went by the field of the slothful and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding,

31 A nd, behold, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles were covering its face, and its stone wall was broken down.

and, behold, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered its face, and its stone wall was broken down.

32 T hen I beheld and considered it well; I looked and received instruction.

Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it and received chastening.

33 Y et a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

34 S o shall your poverty come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.

So shall thy poverty come as one that travels and thy want as an armed man.