Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hebrew Study Bible

1Don't envy evil men or desire to be with them,

1אַל־ תְּ֭קַנֵּא בְּאַנְשֵׁ֣י רָעָ֑ה וְאַל־ [תתאו] (תִּ֝תְאָ֗יו) לִהְי֥וֹת אִתָּֽם׃

2for their hearts plan violence, and their words stir up trouble.

2כִּי־ שֹׁ֭ד יֶהְגֶּ֣ה לִבָּ֑ם וְ֝עָמָ֗ל שִׂפְתֵיהֶ֥ם תְּדַבֵּֽרְנָה׃

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

3בְּ֭חָכְמָה יִבָּ֣נֶה בָּ֑יִת וּ֝בִתְבוּנָ֗ה יִתְכּוֹנָֽן׃

4by knowledge the rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.

4וּ֭בְדַעַת חֲדָרִ֣ים יִמָּלְא֑וּ כָּל־ ה֖וֹן יָקָ֣ר וְנָעִֽים׃

5A wise warrior is better than a strong one, and a man of knowledge than one of strength;

5גֶּֽבֶר־ חָכָ֥ם בַּע֑וֹז וְאִֽישׁ־ דַּ֝֗עַת מְאַמֶּץ־ כֹּֽחַ׃

6for you should wage war with sound guidance-- victory comes with many counselors.

6כִּ֣י בְ֭תַחְבֻּלוֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה־ לְּךָ֣ מִלְחָמָ֑ה וּ֝תְשׁוּעָ֗ה בְּרֹ֣ב יוֹעֵֽץ׃

7Wisdom is inaccessible to a fool; he does not open his mouth at the gate.

7רָאמ֣וֹת לֶֽאֱוִ֣יל חָכְמ֑וֹת בַּ֝שַּׁ֗עַר לֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־ פִּֽיהוּ׃

8The one who plots evil will be called a schemer.

8מְחַשֵּׁ֥ב לְהָרֵ֑עַ ל֝֗וֹ בַּֽעַל־ מְזִמּ֥וֹת יִקְרָֽאוּ׃

9A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to people.

9זִמַּ֣ת אִוֶּ֣לֶת חַטָּ֑את וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת לְאָדָ֣ם לֵֽץ׃

10If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited.

10הִ֭תְרַפִּיתָ בְּי֥וֹם צָרָ֗ה צַ֣ר כֹּחֶֽכָה׃

11Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter.

11הַ֭צֵּל לְקֻחִ֣ים לַמָּ֑וֶת וּמָטִ֥ים לַ֝הֶ֗רֶג אִם־ תַּחְשֽׂוֹךְ׃

12If you say, "But we didn't know about this," won't He who weighs hearts consider it? Won't He who protects your life know? Won't He repay a person according to his work?

12כִּֽי־ תֹאמַ֗ר הֵן֮ לֹא־ יָדַ֪עְנ֫וּ זֶ֥ה הֲ‍ֽלֹא־ תֹ֘כֵ֤ן לִבּ֨וֹת ׀ הֽוּא־ יָבִ֗ין וְנֹצֵ֣ר נַ֭פְשְׁךָ ה֣וּא יֵדָ֑ע וְהֵשִׁ֖יב לְאָדָ֣ם כְּפָעֳלֽוֹ׃

13Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate;

13אֱכָל־ בְּנִ֣י דְבַ֣שׁ כִּי־ ט֑וֹב וְנֹ֥פֶת מָ֝ת֗וֹק עַל־ חִכֶּֽךָ׃

14realize that wisdom is the same for you. If you find it, you will have a future, and your hope will never fade.

14כֵּ֤ן ׀ דְּעֶ֥ה חָכְמָ֗ה לְנַ֫פְשֶׁ֥ךָ אִם־ מָ֭צָאתָ וְיֵ֣שׁ אַחֲרִ֑ית וְ֝תִקְוָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תִכָּרֵֽת׃ פ

15Wicked man, don't set an ambush, at the camp of the righteous man; don't destroy his dwelling.

15אַל־ תֶּאֱרֹ֣ב רָ֭שָׁע לִנְוֵ֣ה צַדִּ֑יק אַֽל־ תְּשַׁדֵּ֥ד רִבְצוֹ׃‪‬‪‬

16Though a righteous man falls seven times, he will get up, but the wicked will stumble into ruin.

16כִּ֤י שֶׁ֨בַע ׀ יִפּ֣וֹל צַדִּ֣יק וָקָ֑ם וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ בְרָעָֽה׃

17Don't gloat when your enemy falls, and don't let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,

17בִּנְפֹ֣ל [אויביך] (אֽ֭וֹיִבְךָ‪‬) אַל־ תִּשְׂמָ֑ח וּ֝בִכָּשְׁל֗וֹ אַל־ יָגֵ֥ל לִבֶּֽךָ׃

18or the LORD will see, be displeased, and turn His wrath away from him.

18פֶּן־ יִרְאֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה וְרַ֣ע בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְהֵשִׁ֖יב מֵעָלָ֣יו אַפּֽוֹ׃

19Don't be agitated by evildoers, and don't envy the wicked.

19אַל־ תִּתְחַ֥ר בַּמְּרֵעִ֑ים אַל־ תְּ֝קַנֵּ֗א בָּרְשָׁעִֽים׃

20For the evil have no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

20כִּ֤י ׀ לֹֽא־ תִהְיֶ֣ה אַחֲרִ֣ית לָרָ֑ע נֵ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָֽךְ׃

21My son, fear the LORD, as well as the king, and don't associate with rebels,

21יְרָֽא־ אֶת־ יְהוָ֣ה בְּנִ֣י וָמֶ֑לֶךְ עִם־ שׁ֝וֹנִ֗ים אַל־ תִּתְעָרָֽב׃

22for destruction from them will come suddenly; who knows what distress these two can bring?

22כִּֽי־ פִ֭תְאֹם יָק֣וּם אֵידָ֑ם וּפִ֥יד שְׁ֝נֵיהֶ֗ם מִ֣י יוֹדֵֽעַ׃ ס

23These sayings also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment.

23גַּם־ אֵ֥לֶּה לַֽחֲכָמִ֑ים הַֽכֵּר־ פָּנִ֖ים בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט בַּל־ טֽוֹב׃

24Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent"-- people will curse him, and tribes will denounce him;

24אֹ֤מֵ֨ר ׀ לְרָשָׁע֮ צַדִּ֪יק אָ֥תָּה יִקְּבֻ֥הוּ עַמִּ֑ים יִזְעָמ֥וּהוּ לְאֻמִּֽים׃

25but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a generous blessing will come to them.

25וְלַמּוֹכִיחִ֥ים יִנְעָ֑ם וַֽ֝עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם תָּב֥וֹא בִרְכַּת־ טֽוֹב׃

26He who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.

26שְׂפָתַ֥יִם יִשָּׁ֑ק מֵ֝שִׁ֗יב דְּבָרִ֥ים נְכֹחִֽים׃

27Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field; afterward, build your house.

27הָ֘כֵ֤ן בַּח֨וּץ ׀ מְלַאכְתֶּ֗ךָ וְעַתְּדָ֣הּ בַּשָּׂדֶ֣ה לָ֑ךְ אַ֝חַ֗ר וּבָנִ֥יתָ בֵיתֶֽךָ׃ פ

28Don't testify against your neighbor without cause. Don't deceive with your lips.

28אַל־ תְּהִ֣י עֵד־ חִנָּ֣ם בְּרֵעֶ֑ךָ וַ֝הֲפִתִּ֗יתָ בִּשְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃

29Don't say, "I'll do to him what he did to me; I'll repay the man for what he has done."

29אַל־ תֹּאמַ֗ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָֽשָׂה־ לִ֭י כֵּ֤ן אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ לּ֑וֹ אָשִׁ֖יב לָאִ֣ישׁ כְּפָעֳלֽוֹ׃

30I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense.

30עַל־ שְׂדֵ֣ה אִישׁ־ עָצֵ֣ל עָבַ֑רְתִּי וְעַל־ כֶּ֝֗רֶם אָדָ֥ם חֲסַר־ לֵֽב׃

31Thistles had come up everywhere, weeds covered the ground, and the stone wall was ruined.

31וְהִנֵּ֨ה עָ֘לָ֤ה כֻלּ֨וֹ ׀ קִמְּשֹׂנִ֗ים כָּסּ֣וּ פָנָ֣יו חֲרֻלִּ֑ים וְגֶ֖דֶר אֲבָנָ֣יו נֶהֱרָֽסָה׃

32I saw, and took it to heart; I looked, and received instruction:

32וָֽאֶחֱזֶ֣ה אָ֭נֹכִֽי אָשִׁ֣ית לִבִּ֑י רָ֝אִ֗יתִי לָקַ֥חְתִּי מוּסָֽר׃

33a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest,

33מְעַ֣ט שֵׁ֭נוֹת מְעַ֣ט תְּנוּמ֑וֹת מְעַ֓ט ׀ חִבֻּ֖ק יָדַ֣יִם לִשְׁכָּֽב׃

34and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.

34וּבָֽא־ מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ רֵישֶׁ֑ךָ וּ֝מַחְסֹרֶ֗יךָ כְּאִ֣ישׁ מָגֵֽן׃ פ

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.