| New International Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; | 1Don’t envy evil people or desire their company. |
| 2for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. | 2For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble. |
| 3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; | 3A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. |
| 4through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. | 4Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables. |
| 5The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. | 5The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. |
| 6Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers. | 6So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers. |
| 7Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. | 7Wisdom is too lofty for fools. Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say. |
| 8Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. | 8A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker. |
| 9The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker. | 9The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker. |
| 10If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! | 10If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small. |
| 11Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. | 11Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. |
| 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? | 12Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve. |
| 13Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. | 13My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. |
| 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. | 14In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short. |
| 15Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; | 15Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly, and don’t raid the house where the godly live. |
| 16for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. | 16The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked. |
| 17Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, | 17Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble. |
| 18or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. | 18For the LORD will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them. |
| 19Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, | 19Don’t fret because of evildoers; don’t envy the wicked. |
| 20for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. | 20For evil people have no future; the light of the wicked will be snuffed out. |
| 21Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, | 21My child, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t associate with rebels, |
| 22for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? | 22for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the LORD and the king? More Sayings of the Wise |
| 23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good: | 23Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment. |
| 24Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent," will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. | 24A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations. |
| 25But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them. | 25But it will go well for those who convict the guilty; rich blessings will be showered on them. |
| 26An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. | 26An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship. |
| 27Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. | 27Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house. |
| 28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause-- would you use your lips to mislead? | 28Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause; don’t lie about them. |
| 29Do not say, "I'll do to them as they have done to me; I'll pay them back for what they did." | 29And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me! I’ll get even with them!” |
| 30I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; | 30I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. |
| 31thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. | 31I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. |
| 32I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: | 32Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: |
| 33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-- | 33A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— |
| 34and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man. | 34then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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