New International Version NIV
Lexham English Bible LEB
1 Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company;
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Do not envy men of evil, and do not desire to be with them.
2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.
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For their minds will devise violence, and their lips will speak mischief.
3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;
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By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
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And by knowledge, rooms are filled [with] all riches, precious and pleasant.
5 The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength.
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The warrior of wisdom [is] in strength, and a man of knowledge is strong [in] power.
6 Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.
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For with wise guidance you shall make war for yourself, and victory [is] in an abundance of counsel.
7 Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.
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Wisdom [is too] high for fools; at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer.
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He who plans to do evil for himself, they will call [him] "master of mischief."
9 The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker.
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Devising folly [is] a sin, and an abomination to humankind [is] a scoffer.
10 If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!
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[If] you faint on the day of adversity, little [is] your strength.
11 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
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Rescue those who are led away to the death and those who stagger to the slaughter. If you hold back,
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?
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if you say, "Look, we do not know this," does not he who weighs hearts perceive [it]? And he who keeps your soul, he knows and will repay humankind according to his deeds.
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
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My child, eat honey, for [it is] good, and the dripping of the honeycomb [is] sweet to your taste.
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.
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Thus know wisdom for [the sake of] your soul, if you find [it], then there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place;
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Do not lie in wait [like] an outlaw against the home of the righteous; do not do violence [to] his dwelling place.
16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.
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For seven [times] the righteous will fall, but he will rise, but the wicked will be overthrown by calamity.
17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,
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While your enemies are falling, do not rejoice; when he trips himself, may your heart not be glad
18 or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.
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lest Yahweh see and [it] be evil in his eyes, and turn his anger away from him.
19 Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked,
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Do not fret because of the evildoers; do not envy the wicked.
20 for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
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For there will not be a future for the evil; the lamp of the wicked will die out.
21 Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials,
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Fear Yahweh, my son, and the king; with those who change, do not associate.
22 for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?
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For suddenly their disaster will come, and the ruin of {both of them}, who knows?
23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:
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These [sayings] are also for the wise: {Partiality} in judgment is not good.
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
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Whoever says to the guilty, "You are righteous," the people will curse him; the nations will abhor him.
25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.
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But they who rebuke will have delight, and upon them blessings of goodness will come.
26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
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He will kiss [the] lips, he who gives an honest answer.
27 Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.
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Prepare your work in the street and get it ready for yourself in the field; afterward, then you shall build your house.
28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause— would you use your lips to mislead?
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Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor nor deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.”
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Do not say, "Just as he has done to me, so shall I do to him; I will pay back the man according to his deed."
30 I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
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I passed by the field of a lazy person, and over the vineyard of a person lacking {sense};
31 thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.
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and behold, it was overgrown--all of it was covered [with] thorns, its surface with nettles, and {its stone wall} was broken down.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:
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Then I myself saw and my heart considered; I looked, and I took hold of instruction:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
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A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands for rest,
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
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and your poverty will come running, and your lack like an armed warrior.