1 D o not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;

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

2 F or their minds devise violence, And their lips talk of trouble.

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

3 B y wisdom a house is built, 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 the rooms are 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, And a man of knowledge increases power.

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 you will wage war, And in abundance of counselors there is victory.

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 exalted for a fool, He does not open his mouth in the gate.

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

8 O ne who plans to do evil, Men will call a schemer.

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

9 T he devising of folly 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 you are slack in the day of distress, Your strength is limited.

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

11 D eliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.

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

12 I f you say, “See, we did not know this,” Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it who keeps your soul? And will He not render to 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 honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

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

14 K now that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, And your hope will 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 D o not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not destroy 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 falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.

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

17 D o not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

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

18 O r the Lord will see it and be displeased, And turn His anger away 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 D o not fret because of evildoers Or be envious of the wicked;

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

20 F or there will be no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will 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 the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those who 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 will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?

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 show partiality 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 who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” Peoples will curse him, nations will 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 those who rebuke the wicked will be delight, And a good blessing will 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 kisses the lips Who gives a right answer.

He kisses the lips who give a right answer.

27 P repare your work outside And make it ready for yourself in the field; Afterwards, then, build your house.

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

28 D o not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, And do not deceive with your lips.

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

29 D o not say, “Thus I shall do to him as he has 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 passed by the field of the sluggard And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense,

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

31 A nd behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; Its surface was covered with nettles, And its stone wall 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 W hen I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction.

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

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 T hen your poverty will come as a robber And your want like an armed man.

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