The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
King James Version KJV
1 Don't be envious of evil people, and don't desire to be with them.
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Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 For their minds are occupied with violence, and their lips speak of making trouble.
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For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 By wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is made secure,
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Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
4 and by knowledge its rooms are filled with all kinds of costly and pleasant possessions.
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And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong; yes, a man of knowledge grows in strength.
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A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 For with clever strategy you wage your war, and victory comes from having many advisers.
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For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; he keeps his mouth shut at the city gate.
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Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 He who plans to do evil people call a schemer.
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He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
9 The evil plans of the foolish are sin, and people detest a scorner.
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The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 If you slack off on a day of distress, your strength is small indeed.
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If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
11 Yes, rescue those being dragged off to death -won't you save those about to be killed?
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If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
12 If you say, "We knew nothing about it,"won't he who weighs hearts discern it? Yes, he who guards you will know it and repay each one as his deeds deserve.
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If 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?
13 My son, eat honey, for it is good; honeycomb drippings are sweet to your taste.
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My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
14 Know that wisdom is similar[ly sweet] to your soul; if you find it, then you will have a future, what you hope for will not be cut off.
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So 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.
15 Don't lurk like an outlaw near the home of the righteous, don't raid the place where he lives.
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Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
16 For though he falls seven times, he will get up again; it's the wicked who fail under stress.
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For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Don't rejoice when your enemy falls; don't let your heart be glad when he stumbles.
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Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
18 For ADONAI might see it, and it would displease him; he might withdraw his anger from your foe.
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Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Don't get upset because of evildoers; don't be envious of the wicked.
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Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
20 For the evil person has no future -the lamp of the wicked will go out.
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For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, don't get involved with revolutionaries, but fear ADONAI and the king.
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My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
22 For disaster from them will suddenly appear, and who knows what ruin they both can cause?
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For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
23 These also are sayings of the wise: Showing partiality in judgment is not good.
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These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 He who tells the guilty, "You are innocent,"will be cursed by peoples, reviled by nations;
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He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
25 but with those who condemn him, things will go well, and a good blessing will come upon them.
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But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 Giving an honest answer is like giving a kiss.
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Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Prepare your outside work, and get things ready for yourself on the land; after that, build your house.
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Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
28 Don't be a witness against your neighbor for no reason -would you use your lips to deceive?
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Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
29 Don't say, "I'll do to him what he did to me, I'll pay him back what his deeds deserve."
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Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
30 I passed by the field of the lazy man and the vineyard of the man lacking sense.
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I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 There it was, overgrown with thistles; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
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And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 I looked, and I thought about it; I saw, and I learned this lesson:
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Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
33 "I'll just lie here a bit, rest a little longer, just fold my hands for a little more sleep"-
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Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34 and poverty comes marching in on you, scarcity hits you like an invading soldier.
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So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The King James Version is in the public domain.