Proverbs 24:1
New International Version
Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company;

New Living Translation
Don’t envy evil people or desire their company.

English Standard Version
Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them,

Berean Standard Bible
Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;

King James Bible
Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

New King James Version
Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;

New American Standard Bible
Do not be envious of evil people, Nor desire to be with them;

NASB 1995
Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;

NASB 1977
Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them;

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not be jealous of evil men, And do not desire to be with them;

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

Christian Standard Bible
Don’t envy the evil or desire to be with them,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t envy evil men or desire to be with them,

American Standard Version
Be not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them:

Contemporary English Version
Don't be jealous of crooks or want to be their friends.

English Revised Version
Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Do not envy evil people or wish you were with them,

Good News Translation
Don't be envious of evil people, and don't try to make friends with them.

International Standard Version
Don't be envious of wicked men or wish you were with them,

Majority Standard Bible
Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;

NET Bible
Do not envy evil people, do not desire to be with them;

New Heart English Bible
Do not be envious of evil men; neither desire to be with them:

Webster's Bible Translation
Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

World English Bible
Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do not be envious of evil men, "" And do not desire to be with them.

Young's Literal Translation
Be not envious of evil men, And desire not to be with them.

Smith's Literal Translation
Thou shalt not envy against men of evil, thou shalt not desire to be with them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.

New American Bible
Do not envy the wicked, nor desire to be with them;

New Revised Standard Version
Do not envy the wicked, nor desire to be with them;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
BE not envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Do not envy evil men and do not lust to be with them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Be not thou envious of evil men, Neither desire to be with them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
My son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Do not Envy
1Do not envy wicked men or desire their company; 2for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.…

Cross References
Psalm 37:1
Of David. Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong.

Psalm 73:3
For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Proverbs 3:31
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;

Proverbs 23:17
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD.

Psalm 37:7-9
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. / Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm. / For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

Psalm 49:16-17
Do not be afraid when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases. / For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.

Proverbs 1:10-15
My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them. / If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause, / let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. ...

Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.

1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

James 4:4
You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

2 Corinthians 6:14-17
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? / What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? / What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” ...

Ephesians 5:11
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

1 Peter 4:3-4
For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry. / Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you.


Treasury of Scripture

Be not you envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

neither

Proverbs 1:11-15
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: …

Proverbs 13:20
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Genesis 13:10-13
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar…

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Proverbs 24
1. Precepts and Warnings














Do not envy
The Hebrew root for "envy" is "קָנָא" (qanah), which conveys a sense of jealousy or zeal. In the biblical context, envy is often seen as a destructive emotion that can lead to sin. The command here is a caution against allowing one's heart to be consumed by a longing for what others possess, especially when those others are not living according to God's ways. Envy can distort our perception, making us desire what is ultimately harmful. The wisdom literature consistently warns against envy, as it can lead to strife and discontentment, drawing us away from the peace and contentment found in a life aligned with God's will.

wicked men
The term "wicked" in Hebrew is "רָשָׁע" (rasha), which refers to those who are morally wrong, guilty, or ungodly. In the context of Proverbs, "wicked men" are those who live in opposition to God's commandments and principles. Historically, the Israelites were surrounded by nations and individuals who did not follow Yahweh, and the temptation to adopt their practices or admire their apparent success was real. The Bible consistently portrays the wicked as ultimately facing God's judgment, despite any temporary prosperity they might enjoy. This serves as a reminder that true success and blessing come from righteousness and obedience to God.

or desire
The Hebrew word for "desire" is "בָּחַר" (bachar), which means to choose or prefer. This phrase warns against the inclination to prefer the lifestyle or companionship of those who do not follow God's ways. Desiring what the wicked have or their way of life can lead to compromising one's values and faith. The Bible encourages believers to set their desires on things above, aligning their hearts with God's purposes and seeking His kingdom first. This aligns with the New Testament teaching found in Colossians 3:2, which urges believers to set their minds on things above, not on earthly things.

their company
The Hebrew word for "company" is "אֵת" (eth), which can mean companionship or association. The warning here is against forming close associations with those who live contrary to God's laws. In the ancient world, as today, the company one keeps can greatly influence one's values and actions. The Bible frequently advises believers to choose their companions wisely, as bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). This is not a call to isolation but a reminder to be discerning about the influences we allow into our lives, ensuring they align with our commitment to God and His righteousness.

Verse 1. - We return here to the more usual form, the tetrastich. Be not thou envious against evil men (see on Proverbs 23:17, where a similar warning is given, and comp. Ver. 19 below). "Men of wickedness," wholly given over to evil. Neither desire to be with them. Their company is pollution, and association with them makes you a partner in their sinful doings. The Septuagint prefaces the paragraph with the personal address, υἱέ "son."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

envy
תְּ֭קַנֵּא (tə·qan·nê)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7065: To be, zealous, jealous, envious

wicked
רָעָ֑ה (rā·‘āh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

men
בְּאַנְשֵׁ֣י (bə·’an·šê)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

or desire
תִּ֝תְאָ֗יו (tiṯ·’āw)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular
Strong's 183: To incline, desire

their company;
לִהְי֥וֹת (lih·yō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 24:1 Don't be envious of evil men (Prov. Pro Pr)
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