| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. | 1Do not envy evil people, do not desire to be with them; |
| 2For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. | 2for their hearts contemplate violence, and their lips speak harm. |
| 3Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: | 3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; |
| 4And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. | 4by knowledge its rooms are filled with all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures. |
| 5A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. | 5A wise warrior is strong, and a man of knowledge makes his strength stronger; |
| 6For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety. | 6for with guidance you wage your war, and with numerous advisers there is victory. |
| 7Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. | 7Wisdom is unattainable for a fool; in court he does not open his mouth. |
| 8He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. | 8The one who plans to do evil will be called a scheming person. |
| 9The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. | 9A foolish scheme is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to people. |
| 10If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. | 10If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small! |
| 11If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; | 11Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter. |
| 12If 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? | 12If you say, "But we did not know about this," does not the one who evaluates hearts consider? Does not the one who guards your life know? Will he not repay each person according to his deeds? |
| 13My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: | 13Eat honey, my child, for it is good, and honey from the honeycomb is sweet to your taste. |
| 14So 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. | 14Likewise, know that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, you will have a future, and your hope will not be cut off. |
| 15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place: | 15Do not lie in wait like the wicked against the place where the righteous live; do not assault his home. |
| 16For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. | 16Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will be brought down by calamity. |
| 17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: | 17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice, |
| 18Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. | 18lest the LORD see it, and be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him. |
| 19Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; | 19Do not fret because of evil people or be envious of wicked people, |
| 20For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. | 20for the evil person has no future, and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. |
| 21My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: | 21Fear the LORD, my child, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels, |
| 22For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? | 22for suddenly their destruction will overtake them, and who knows the ruinous judgment both the LORD and the king can bring? |
| 23These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. | 23These sayings also are from the wise: To show partiality in judgment is terrible: |
| 24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: | 24The one who says to the guilty, "You are innocent," peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him. |
| 25But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. | 25But there will be delight for those who convict the guilty, and a pleasing blessing will come on them. |
| 26Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer. | 26Like a kiss on the lips is the one who gives an honest answer. |
| 27Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house. | 27Establish your work outside and get your fields ready; afterward build your house. |
| 28Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips. | 28Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your words. |
| 29Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work. | 29Do not say, "I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will pay him back according to what he has done." |
| 30I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; | 30I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of one who lacks wisdom. |
| 31And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. | 31I saw that thorns had grown up all over it, the ground was covered with weeds, and its stone wall was broken down. |
| 32Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. | 32When I saw this, I gave careful consideration to it; I received instruction from what I saw: |
| 33Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: | 33"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to relax, |
| 34So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man. | 34and your poverty will come like a bandit, and your need like an armed robber." |
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