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

Don’t 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 hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief.

3 T hrough wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established;

Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;

4 a nd by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance.

by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.

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

A wise man has great power; and a knowledgeable man increases strength;

6 F or with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

for by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors.

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 doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.

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

One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.

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

The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.

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

If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.

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

Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!

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 you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this”; doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?

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

My son, eat honey, for it is good; the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your 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 you shall know wisdom to be to your soul; if you have found it, then there will be a reward, your hope will not be cut off.

15 L ay not wait, O wicked, against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place.

Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place:

16 F or the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.

for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up 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 stumbleth;

Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown;

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

lest Yahweh 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:

Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers; 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 there will be no reward to the evil man; and the lamp of the wicked shall be snuffed out.

21 M y son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.

My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious:

22 F or their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

for their calamity will rise suddenly; the destruction from them both—who knows?

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

These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment 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”; peoples shall curse him, and nations shall abhor him—

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

but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.

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

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

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

Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.

28 B e not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?

Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive 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.

Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to 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 sluggard, 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.

Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, 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 well. I saw, and received instruction:

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

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