Berean Study Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;

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

2for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare 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;

4through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.

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

5A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.

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

6Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.

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

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

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

8He who plots evil will be called a schemer.

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

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

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

10If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!

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

11Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward 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 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, "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?

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

13My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the 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 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.

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

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

16For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

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

17Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,

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

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

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

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 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 associate with the rebellious.

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

22For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?

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

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 judgment is not good.

24Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;

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

25but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.

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

26An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.

26He kisses the lips Who gives a right answer.

27Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.

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

28Do not testify 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 repay the man according to his work.”

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 went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.

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

31Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the 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.

32I observed and took it to heart; 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 need like a bandit.

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

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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