| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, | 1Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; |
| 2for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble. | 2for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. |
| 3By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; | 3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; |
| 4by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. | 4through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. |
| 5A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, | 5The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. |
| 6for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. | 6Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers. |
| 7Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth. | 7Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. |
| 8Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer. | 8Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. |
| 9The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind. | 9The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker. |
| 10If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. | 10If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! |
| 11Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. | 11Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. |
| 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, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? |
| 13My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. | 13Eat honey, my son, for it is good; 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 also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, 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 lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; |
| 16for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. | 16for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. |
| 17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, | 17Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, |
| 18lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him. | 18or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. |
| 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 the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. |
| 21My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise, | 21Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, |
| 22for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both? | 22for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? |
| 23These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good. | 23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good: |
| 24Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,” will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations, | 24Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent," will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. |
| 25but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them. | 25But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them. |
| 26Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips. | 26An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. |
| 27Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. | 27Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. |
| 28Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. | 28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause-- would you use your lips to mislead? |
| 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, "I'll do to them as they have done to me; I'll pay them back for what they did." |
| 30I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, | 30I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; |
| 31and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. | 31thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. |
| 32Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. | 32I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: |
| 33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, | 33A 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. | 34and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity 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 International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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