English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them,

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

2for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.

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

3By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;

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

4by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

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

5A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might,

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

6for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

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

7Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth.

7Wisdom is too exalted for a fool, He does not open his mouth in the gate.

8Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer.

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

9The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

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

10If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

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

11Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

11Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.

12If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?

12If 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?

13My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

13My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

14Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

14Know 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.

15Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home;

15Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not destroy his resting place;

16for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

16For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.

17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

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

18lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

18Or the LORD will see it and be displeased, And turn His anger away from him.

19Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not 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 put out.

20For there will be no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise,

21My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those who are given to change,

22for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

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

23These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.

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

24Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,” will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,

24He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous," Peoples will curse him, nations will abhor him;

25but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them.

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

26Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips.

26He kisses the lips Who gives a right answer.

27Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.

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

28Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

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

29Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.”

29Do not say, "Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."

30I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,

30I passed by the field of the sluggard And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense,

31and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

31And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; Its surface was covered with nettles, And its stone wall was broken down.

32Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction.

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

33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

33"A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest,"

34and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

34Then your poverty will come as a robber And your want like an armed man.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org