ESV 1 Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, NIV 1 Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; ESV 2 for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble. NIV 2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. ESV 3 By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; NIV 3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; ESV 4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. NIV 4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. ESV 5 A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, NIV 5 The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. ESV 6 for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. NIV 6 Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers. ESV 7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth. NIV 7 Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. ESV 8 Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer. NIV 8 Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. ESV 9 The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind. NIV 9 The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker. ESV 10 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. NIV 10 If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! ESV 11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. NIV 11 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. ESV 12 If 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? NIV 12 If 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? ESV 13 My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. NIV 13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. ESV 14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. NIV 14 Know 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. ESV 15 Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home; NIV 15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; ESV 16 for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. NIV 16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. ESV 17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, NIV 17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, ESV 18 lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him. NIV 18 or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. ESV 19 Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, NIV 19 Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, ESV 20 for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out. NIV 20 for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. ESV 21 My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise, NIV 21 Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, ESV 22 for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both? NIV 22 for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? ESV 23 These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good. NIV 23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good: ESV 24 Whoever says to the wicked, "You are in the right," will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations, NIV 24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. ESV 25 but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them. NIV 25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them. ESV 26 Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips. NIV 26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. ESV 27 Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. NIV 27 Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. ESV 28 Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. NIV 28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause— would you use your lips to mislead? ESV 29 Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done." NIV 29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.” ESV 30 I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, NIV 30 I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; ESV 31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. NIV 31 thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. ESV 32 Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. NIV 32 I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: ESV 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, NIV 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— ESV 34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. NIV 34 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
NIV 1 Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; NIV 2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. NIV 3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; NIV 4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. NIV 5 The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. NIV 6 Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers. NIV 7 Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. NIV 8 Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. NIV 9 The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker. NIV 10 If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! NIV 11 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. NIV 12 If 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? NIV 13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. NIV 14 Know 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. NIV 15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; NIV 16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. NIV 17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, NIV 18 or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. NIV 19 Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, NIV 20 for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. NIV 21 Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, NIV 22 for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? NIV 23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good: NIV 24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. NIV 25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them. NIV 26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. NIV 27 Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. NIV 28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause— would you use your lips to mislead? NIV 29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.” NIV 30 I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; NIV 31 thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. NIV 32 I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: NIV 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— NIV 34 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.