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 heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.

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

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

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

4 B y 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, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;

A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

6 F or by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

7 W isdom is too lofty 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 H e who plots to do evil Will be called a schemer.

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

9 T he devising of foolishness 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 faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.

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

11 D eliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.

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

12 I f you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

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 because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

14 S o shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, 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 plunder 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 may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by 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 L est the Lord see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath 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, Nor 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 prospect 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 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 those two can bring? Further Sayings of the Wise

For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

23 T hese things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment.

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,” Him the people will curse; 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 those who rebuke the wicked will have 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 who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

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

27 P repare your outside work, Make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward 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, For would you deceive with your lips?

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

29 D o not say, “I will do to him just 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 went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;

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

31 A nd there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; 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 it, I considered it well; I looked on it 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 S o shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.

So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.