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

Be not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them:

2 F or their heart studies robbery, and their lips speak evil.

For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.

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

Through wisdom is a house builded; And by understanding it is established;

4 A nd by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and beautiful riches.

And by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and pleasant riches.

5 T he wise man is strong; and the man of understanding is a mighty man of valour.

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

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

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

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

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

8 H e that devises to do evil shall be called a man of evil designs.

He that deviseth to do evil, Men shall call him a mischief-maker.

9 T he thought of the foolish is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.

The thought of foolishness is sin; And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

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

If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small.

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

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

12 i f 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?

If 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?

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

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

14 S o 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.

So 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

18 l est the LORD see it and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

26 T he lips of the one that gives a right answer shall be kissed.

He kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer.

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

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

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

Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips.

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

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

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

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

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

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

32 T hen I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it and received chastening.

Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, 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 one that travels and thy want as an armed man.

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