| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Do not envy wicked men or desire their company; | 1Do not envy evil people, do not desire to be with them; |
| 2for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble. | 2for their hearts contemplate violence, and their lips speak harm. |
| 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. | 4by knowledge its rooms are filled with all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures. |
| 5A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength. | 5A wise warrior is strong, and a man of knowledge makes his strength stronger; |
| 6Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors. | 6for with guidance you wage your war, and with numerous advisers there is victory. |
| 7Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place. | 7Wisdom is unattainable for a fool; in court he does not open his mouth. |
| 8He who plots evil will be called a schemer. | 8The one who plans to do evil will be called a scheming person. |
| 9A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men. | 9A foolish scheme is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to people. |
| 10If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength! | 10If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small! |
| 11Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter. | 11Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the 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 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? |
| 13Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste. | 13Eat honey, my child, for it is good, and honey from the honeycomb 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. | 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. |
| 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 like the wicked against the place where the righteous live; do not assault his home. |
| 16For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times. | 16Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will be brought down by 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 when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice, |
| 18or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him. | 18lest the LORD see it, and be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him. |
| 19Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked. | 19Do not fret because of evil people or be envious of wicked people, |
| 20For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. | 20for the evil person has no future, and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. |
| 21My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious. | 21Fear the LORD, my child, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels, |
| 22For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring? | 22for suddenly their destruction will overtake them, and who knows the ruinous judgment both the LORD and the king can bring? |
| 23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good. | 23These sayings also are from the wise: To show partiality in judgment is terrible: |
| 24Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him; | 24The one who says to the guilty, "You are innocent," peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him. |
| 25but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them. | 25But there will be delight for those who convict the guilty, and a pleasing blessing will come on them. |
| 26An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips. | 26Like a kiss on the lips is the one who gives an honest answer. |
| 27Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house. | 27Establish your work outside and get your fields ready; afterward 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 words. |
| 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 will do to him just as he has done to me; I will pay him back according to what he has done." |
| 30I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. | 30I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of one who lacks wisdom. |
| 31Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall 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. |
| 32I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction: | 32When I saw this, I gave careful consideration to it; I received instruction from what I saw: |
| 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 relax, |
| 34and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit. | 34and your poverty will come like a bandit, and your need like an armed robber." |
|
