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

Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

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

For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

3 B y wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established;

Through wisdom is an house builded; 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 the 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; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

6 F or by wise guidance you will wage war, And in abundance of counselors there is victory.

For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is 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 openeth not his mouth in the gate.

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

He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

9 T he devising of folly is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

10 I f you are slack in the day of distress, Your strength is limited.

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy 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.

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

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 thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth 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 thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy 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 the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy 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;

Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil 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 just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

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

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

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 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 thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at 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 to the evil man; the candle 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 thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that 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 knoweth the ruin of them both?

23 T hese also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.

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

24 H e who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” Peoples will curse him, nations will abhor him;

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

25 B ut to those who rebuke the wicked will be delight, And a good blessing will come upon them.

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

26 H e kisses the lips Who gives a right answer.

Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

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

Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

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

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy 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 so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

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 slothful, 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, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

32 W hen I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction.

Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, 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 thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.