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

Don’t be envious of evil men; neither desire to be with them:

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

for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief.

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

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

4 A nd by knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.

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

5 A wise man is strong, And a man of knowledge increases power.

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

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

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

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 doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.

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

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

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

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

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

If you falter in the time of trouble, 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.

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

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 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 M y son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

My son, eat honey, for it is good; the droppings of the honeycomb, which 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 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 D o not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not destroy 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 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 up 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;

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

18 O r the Lord will see it and be displeased, And turn His anger away from him.

lest Yahweh 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;

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

21 M y son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those who are given to change,

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

22 F or their calamity will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?

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

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 show partiality in judgment 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”; peoples shall curse him, and 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 it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.

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

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

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 your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.

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

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

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 passed by the field of the sluggard And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense,

I went by the field of the sluggard, 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.

Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

32 W hen I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and 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 T hen your poverty will come as a robber And your want like an armed man.

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