1 B e not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them:

Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them;

2 F or their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.

For their minds plot oppression and devise violence, and their lips talk of causing trouble and vexation.

3 T hrough wisdom is a house builded; And by understanding it is established;

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

4 A nd by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and pleasant riches.

And by knowledge shall its chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might,

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

6 F or by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war; And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

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

7 W isdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.

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

8 H e that deviseth to do evil, Men shall call him a mischief-maker.

He who plans to do evil will be called a mischief-maker.

9 T he thought of foolishness is sin; And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

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

10 I f thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small.

If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

11 D eliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.

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

12 I f thou sayest, Behold, we knew not this; Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?

If 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?

13 M y son, eat thou honey, for it is good; And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:

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

14 S o shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul; If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, And thy hope shall not be cut off.

So 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.

15 L ay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:

Lie 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;

16 F or a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

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

17 R ejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;

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

18 L est Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.

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

19 F ret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:

Fret not because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked,

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

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

21 M y son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; And company not with them that are given to change:

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

22 F or their calamity shall rise suddenly; And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?

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

23 T hese also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.

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

24 H e that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him:

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

25 B ut to them that rebuke him shall be delight, And a good blessing shall come upon them.

But 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.

26 H e kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer.

He kisses the lips who give a right answer.

27 P repare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.

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

28 B e not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips.

Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and deceive not with your lips.

29 S ay not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.

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

30 I went by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

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

31 A nd, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, The face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.

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

32 T hen I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction:

Then I beheld and considered it well; I looked and received instruction.

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 thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.

So shall your poverty come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.