1 D on’t be envious of evil men; neither desire to be with them:

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

2 f or their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief.

For their heart studies robbery, and their lips speak evil.

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

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

4 b y knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.

And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and beautiful riches.

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

The wise man is strong; and the man of understanding is a mighty man of valour.

6 f or by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors.

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

7 W isdom is too high for a fool: he doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.

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

8 O ne who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.

He that devises to do evil shall be called a man of evil designs.

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

The thought of the foolish is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.

10 I f you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.

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

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

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

12 I f 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?

if 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?

13 M y son, eat honey, for it is good; the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:

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

14 s o 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.

So 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.

15 D on’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place:

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

16 f or a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

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

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

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

18 l est Yahweh 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 on’t fret yourself because of evildoers; neither be envious of the wicked:

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

20 f or there will be no reward to the evil man; and the lamp of the wicked shall be snuffed out.

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

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

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

22 f or their calamity will rise suddenly; the destruction from them both—who knows?

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

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 shall curse him, and nations shall abhor him—

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

25 b ut it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.

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

26 A n honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

The lips of the one that gives a right answer shall be kissed.

27 P repare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.

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

28 D on’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.

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

29 D on’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.”

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

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

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

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

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

32 T hen I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:

Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it and received chastening.

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

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