| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, | 1Don't envy evil men or desire to be with them, |
| 2for their hearts 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; |
| 4by 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 full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, | 5A wise warrior is better than a strong one, and a man of knowledge than one of strength; |
| 6for by wise guidance you can wage your 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 high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth. | 7Wisdom is inaccessible to a fool; he does not open his mouth at the gate. |
| 8Whoever plans to do evil will be called 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 mankind. | 9A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to people. |
| 10If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. | 10If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited. |
| 11Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. | 11Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling 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 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, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. | 13Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate; |
| 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. | 14realize that wisdom is the same for you. If you find it, you will have a future, and your hope will never fade. |
| 15Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home; | 15Wicked man, don't set an ambush, at the camp of the righteous man; don't destroy his dwelling. |
| 16for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times 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 let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, | 17Don't gloat when your enemy falls, and don't let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, |
| 18lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him. | 18or the LORD will see, be displeased, and turn His wrath away from him. |
| 19Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, | 19Don't be agitated by evildoers, and don't envy the wicked. |
| 20for the evil man has no future; 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, and do not join with those who do otherwise, | 21My son, fear the LORD, as well as the king, and don't associate with rebels, |
| 22for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both? | 22for destruction from them will come suddenly; who knows what distress these two can bring? |
| 23These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good. | 23These sayings also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. |
| 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"-- people will curse him, and tribes will denounce him; |
| 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 a generous blessing will come to them. |
| 26Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips. | 26He who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips. |
| 27Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. | 27Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field; afterward, build your house. |
| 28Be not 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, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.” | 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 a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, | 30I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense. |
| 31and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground 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. |
| 32Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. | 32I saw, and took it to heart; I looked, and received instruction: |
| 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 arms to rest, |
| 34and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. | 34and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit. |
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