New American Standard Bible 1995

Holman Christian Standard Bible

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

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

2For their minds devise violence, And their lips talk of trouble.

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

3By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.

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

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?

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?

13My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

19Do not fret because of evildoers Or be envious of the wicked;

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

20For there will be no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

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

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

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

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

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

23These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.

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

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

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

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

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

26He kisses the lips Who gives a right answer.

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

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

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

28Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, And do not deceive with your lips.

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

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."

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

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

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

31And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; Its surface was covered with nettles, And its stone wall was broken down.

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

32When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction.

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

33"A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest,"

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

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

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

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

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