| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. | 1Don't envy evil men or desire to be with them, |
| 2For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. | 2for their hearts plan violence, and their words stir up trouble. |
| 3Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: | 3A house is built by wisdom, and it is established by understanding; |
| 4And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. | 4by knowledge the rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure. |
| 5A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. | 5A wise warrior is better than a strong one, and a man of knowledge than one of strength; |
| 6For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety. | 6for you should wage war with sound guidance-- victory comes with many counselors. |
| 7Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. | 7Wisdom is inaccessible to a fool; he does not open his mouth at the gate. |
| 8He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. | 8The one who plots evil will be called a schemer. |
| 9The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men. | 9A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to people. |
| 10If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. | 10If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited. |
| 11If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; | 11Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter. |
| 12If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works? | 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 thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: | 13Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate; |
| 14So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall 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. |
| 15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place: | 15Wicked man, don't set an ambush, at the camp of the righteous man; don't destroy his dwelling. |
| 16For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. | 16Though a righteous man falls seven times, he will get up, but the wicked will stumble into ruin. |
| 17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: | 17Don't gloat when your enemy falls, and don't let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, |
| 18Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. | 18or the LORD will see, be displeased, and turn His wrath away from him. |
| 19Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; | 19Don't be agitated by evildoers, and don't envy the wicked. |
| 20For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. | 20For the evil have no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out. |
| 21My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: | 21My son, fear the LORD, as well as the king, and don't associate with rebels, |
| 22For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? | 22for destruction from them will come suddenly; who knows what distress these two can bring? |
| 23These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. | 23These sayings also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. |
| 24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: | 24Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent"-- people will curse him, and tribes will denounce him; |
| 25But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. | 25but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a generous blessing will come to them. |
| 26Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer. | 26He who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips. |
| 27Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house. | 27Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field; afterward, build your house. |
| 28Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips. | 28Don't testify against your neighbor without cause. Don't deceive with your lips. |
| 29Say not, I will do so to him as he hath 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 went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; | 30I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense. |
| 31And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. | 31Thistles had come up everywhere, weeds covered the ground, and the stone wall was ruined. |
| 32Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. | 32I saw, and took it to heart; I looked, and received instruction: |
| 33Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: | 33a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, |
| 34So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man. | 34and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit. |
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