1 B e not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;

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

2 f or their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

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

3 T hrough wisdom is a house 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 are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance.

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

5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

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

6 F or with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is 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 will not open his mouth in the gate.

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

8 H e that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues.

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

9 T he purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.

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

10 t hou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.

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

11 D eliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.

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

12 I f thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work.

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 E at honey, my son, for it is good; and a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste:

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

14 s o consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine 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 ay not wait, O wicked, against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste 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 the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.

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

17 R ejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;

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

18 l est Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him.

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

19 F ret not thyself because of evil-doers, be not 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 future to the evil; 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 Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that 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 knoweth the ruin of them both?

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

23 T hese things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

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

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

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

25 b ut to them that rebuke shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them.

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

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

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

27 P repare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterwards build thy house.

¶ 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 thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?

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

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 a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a 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 lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, 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 looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I received instruction:

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

33 — A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest!

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

34 S o shall thy poverty come a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.

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