| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Do not envy evil people, do not desire to be with them; | 1Don't envy evil men or desire to be with them, |
| 2for their hearts contemplate violence, and their lips speak harm. | 2for their hearts plan violence, and their words stir up trouble. |
| 3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; | 3A house is built by wisdom, and it is established by understanding; |
| 4by knowledge its rooms are filled with all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures. | 4by knowledge the rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure. |
| 5A wise warrior is strong, and a man of knowledge makes his strength stronger; | 5A wise warrior is better than a strong one, and a man of knowledge than one of strength; |
| 6for with guidance you wage your war, and with numerous advisers there is victory. | 6for you should wage war with sound guidance-- victory comes with many counselors. |
| 7Wisdom is unattainable for a fool; in court he does not open his mouth. | 7Wisdom is inaccessible to a fool; he does not open his mouth at the gate. |
| 8The one who plans to do evil will be called a scheming person. | 8The one who plots evil will be called a schemer. |
| 9A foolish scheme is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to people. | 9A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to people. |
| 10If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small! | 10If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited. |
| 11Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter. | 11Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter. |
| 12If you say, "But we did not know about this," does not the one who evaluates hearts consider? Does not the one who guards your life know? Will he not repay each person according to his deeds? | 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? |
| 13Eat honey, my child, for it is good, and honey from the honeycomb is sweet to your taste. | 13Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate; |
| 14Likewise, know that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, you will have 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 like the wicked against the place where the righteous live; do not assault his home. | 15Wicked man, don't set an ambush, at the camp of the righteous man; don't destroy his dwelling. |
| 16Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will be brought down by 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 when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice, | 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 his wrath away from him. | 18or the LORD will see, be displeased, and turn His wrath away from him. |
| 19Do not fret because of evil people or be envious of wicked people, | 19Don't be agitated by evildoers, and don't envy the wicked. |
| 20for the evil person has no future, and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. | 20For the evil have no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out. |
| 21Fear the LORD, my child, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels, | 21My son, fear the LORD, as well as the king, and don't associate with rebels, |
| 22for suddenly their destruction will overtake them, and who knows the ruinous judgment both the LORD and the king can bring? | 22for destruction from them will come suddenly; who knows what distress these two can bring? |
| 23These sayings also are from the wise: To show partiality in judgment is terrible: | 23These sayings also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. |
| 24The one who says to the guilty, "You are innocent," peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him. | 24Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent"-- people will curse him, and tribes will denounce him; |
| 25But there will be delight for those who convict the guilty, and a pleasing blessing will come on them. | 25but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a generous blessing will come to them. |
| 26Like a kiss on the lips is the one who gives an honest answer. | 26He who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips. |
| 27Establish your work outside and get your fields ready; afterward 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 words. | 28Don't testify against your neighbor without cause. Don't deceive with your lips. |
| 29Do not say, "I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will pay him back according to 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 one who lacks wisdom. | 30I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense. |
| 31I saw that thorns had grown up all over it, the ground was covered with weeds, 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 this, I gave careful consideration to it; I received instruction from what I saw: | 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 relax, | 33a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, |
| 34and your poverty will come like a bandit, and your need like an armed robber." | 34and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit. |
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