The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New King James Version NKJV
1 Don't be envious of evil people, and don't desire to be with them.
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Do not be envious of evil men, Nor 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 devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.
3 By wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is made secure,
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Through wisdom a house is built, 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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By knowledge the rooms are 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, Yes, a man of knowledge increases 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 you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors 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 lofty for a fool; He does not open his mouth in the gate.
8 He who plans to do evil people call a schemer.
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He who plots to do evil Will be called a schemer.
9 The evil plans of the foolish are sin, and people detest a scorner.
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The devising of foolishness is sin, And the scoffer 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 you faint in the day of adversity, Your 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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Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
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 you say, "Surely we did not know this," Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
13 My son, eat honey, for it is good; honeycomb drippings are sweet to your taste.
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My son, eat honey because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your 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 to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will 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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Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not plunder 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 righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
17 Don't rejoice when your enemy falls; don't let your heart be glad when he stumbles.
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Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
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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Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the wicked;
20 For the evil person has no future -the lamp of the wicked will go out.
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For there will be no prospect for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will 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 the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those 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 will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin those two can bring?
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 show partiality in judgment.
24 He who tells the guilty, "You are innocent,"will be cursed by peoples, reviled by nations;
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He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous," Him the people will curse; Nations will 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 those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 Giving an honest answer is like giving a kiss.
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He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
27 Prepare your outside work, and get things ready for yourself on the land; after that, build your house.
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Prepare your outside work, Make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward build your house.
28 Don't be a witness against your neighbor for no reason -would you use your lips to deceive?
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Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with your 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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Do not say, "I will do to him just as he has 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 lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid 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 there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down.
32 I looked, and I thought about it; I saw, and I learned this lesson:
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When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on 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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A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest;
34 and poverty comes marching in on you, scarcity hits you like an invading soldier.
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So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.