| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1Do not envy wicked men or desire their company; | 1Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; |
| 2for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble. | 2for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. |
| 3By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established; | 3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; |
| 4through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure. | 4through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. |
| 5A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength. | 5The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. |
| 6Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors. | 6Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers. |
| 7Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place. | 7Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. |
| 8He who plots evil will be called a schemer. | 8Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. |
| 9A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men. | 9The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker. |
| 10If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength! | 10If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! |
| 11Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter. | 11Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. |
| 12If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds? | 12If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? |
| 13Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste. | 13Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. |
| 14Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off. | 14Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. |
| 15Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place. | 15Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; |
| 16For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times. | 16for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. |
| 17Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, | 17Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, |
| 18or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him. | 18or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. |
| 19Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked. | 19Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, |
| 20For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. | 20for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. |
| 21My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious. | 21Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, |
| 22For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring? | 22for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? |
| 23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good. | 23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good: |
| 24Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him; | 24Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent," will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. |
| 25but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them. | 25But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them. |
| 26An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips. | 26An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. |
| 27Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house. | 27Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. |
| 28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. | 28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause-- would you use your lips to mislead? |
| 29Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.” | 29Do not say, "I'll do to them as they have done to me; I'll pay them back for what they did." |
| 30I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. | 30I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; |
| 31Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down. | 31thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. |
| 32I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction: | 32I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: |
| 33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, | 33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-- |
| 34and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit. | 34and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man. |
|
