| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Do not envy evil people, do not desire to be with them; | 1Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; |
| 2for their hearts contemplate violence, and their lips speak harm. | 2for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. |
| 3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; | 3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; |
| 4by knowledge its rooms are filled with all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures. | 4through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. |
| 5A wise warrior is strong, and a man of knowledge makes his strength stronger; | 5The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. |
| 6for with guidance you wage your war, and with numerous advisers there is victory. | 6Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers. |
| 7Wisdom is unattainable for a fool; in court he does not open his mouth. | 7Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. |
| 8The one who plans to do evil will be called a scheming person. | 8Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. |
| 9A foolish scheme is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to people. | 9The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker. |
| 10If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small! | 10If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! |
| 11Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter. | 11Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering 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 knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? |
| 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; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. |
| 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. | 14Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. |
| 15Do not lie in wait like the wicked against the place where the righteous live; do not assault his home. | 15Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; |
| 16Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will be brought down by calamity. | 16for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. |
| 17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice, | 17Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, |
| 18lest the LORD see it, and be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him. | 18or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. |
| 19Do not fret because of evil people or be envious of wicked people, | 19Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, |
| 20for the evil person has no future, and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. | 20for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. |
| 21Fear the LORD, my child, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels, | 21Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, |
| 22for suddenly their destruction will overtake them, and who knows the ruinous judgment both the LORD and the king can bring? | 22for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? |
| 23These sayings also are from the wise: To show partiality in judgment is terrible: | 23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good: |
| 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," will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. |
| 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 rich blessing will come on them. |
| 26Like a kiss on the lips is the one who gives an honest answer. | 26An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. |
| 27Establish your work outside and get your fields ready; afterward build your house. | 27Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. |
| 28Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your words. | 28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause-- would you use your lips to mislead? |
| 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." | 29Do not say, "I'll do to them as they have done to me; I'll pay them back for what they did." |
| 30I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of one who lacks wisdom. | 30I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; |
| 31I saw that thorns had grown up all over it, the ground was covered with weeds, and its stone wall was broken down. | 31thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. |
| 32When I saw this, I gave careful consideration to it; I received instruction from what I saw: | 32I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: |
| 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 hands to rest-- |
| 34and your poverty will come like a bandit, and your need like an armed robber." | 34and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man. |
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