New Living Translation NLT
Common English Bible CEB
1 Don’t envy evil people or desire their company.
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Don't envy evil people, and don't long to be with them.
2 For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble.
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Their hearts are focused on violence, and their lips speak of trouble.
3 A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.
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By wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established.
4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.
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By knowledge rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant wealth.
5 The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
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A wise person is mightier than a strong one; a knowledgeable person than a powerful one.
6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.
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You should make war with guidance; victory comes with many counselors.
7 Wisdom is too lofty for fools. Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.
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Wisdom is beyond foolish people. They don't open their mouths in the gate.
8 A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker.
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Those who plot evil will be called master schemers.
9 The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker.
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The scheming of fools is sin; people detest mockers.
10 If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.
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If you show yourself weak on a day of distress, your strength is too small.
11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death.
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Rescue those being taken off to death; and from those staggering to the slaughter, don't hold back.
12 Don’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.
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If you say, "Look, we didn't know about it," the one who weighs hearts—doesn't he understand? The one who protects your life—he knows. He makes people pay for their actions.
13 My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.
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My child, eat honey, for it is good. The honeycomb is sweet in your mouth.
14 In 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.
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Know that wisdom is like that for your whole being. If you find it, there is a future. Your hope won't be cut off.
15 Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly, and don’t raid the house where the godly live.
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Wicked one, don't wait secretly at the home of the righteous. Don't destroy their dwelling.
16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
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The righteous may fall seven times but still get up, but the wicked will stumble into trouble.
17 Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble.
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When your enemies fall, don't rejoice. When they stumble, don't let your heart be glad,
18 For the LORD will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them.
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or the LORD will see it and be displeased, and he will turn his anger from them.
19 Don’t fret because of evildoers; don’t envy the wicked.
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Don't get fighting mad at evil people; don't be envious of the wicked.
20 For evil people have no future; the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.
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Indeed, there is no future for the evil; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My child, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t associate with rebels,
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Fear the LORD, my child, as well as the king. Don't associate with those who are rebellious.
22 for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the LORD and the king?
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Disaster comes suddenly from them. Who can know the ruin that both can bring?
23 Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.
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These are also the sayings of the wise: Partiality in judgment isn't good.
24 A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.
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Those who say to the guilty, "You are innocent"— the people will curse them. Nations will condemn them.
25 But it will go well for those who convict the guilty; rich blessings will be showered on them.
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But it will go well for those who rebuke them. A rich blessing will come to them.
26 An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship.
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Those who speak honestly are like those who kiss on the lips.
27 Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.
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Get your outside work done; make preparations in the field; then you can build your house.
28 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause; don’t lie about them.
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Don't be a witness against your neighbor without reason; don't deceive with your lips.
29 And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me! I’ll get even with them!”
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Don't say, "I'll do to them what they did to me. I'll pay them back for their actions."
30 I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense.
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I happened upon the field of a lazy person, by the vineyard of one with no sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down.
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Thorns grew all over it; weeds covered the ground, and the stone wall was falling down.
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson:
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I observed this and took it to heart; I saw it and learned a lesson.
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
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"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little lying down with folded arms"—
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
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and poverty will come on you like a prowler, deprivation like a man with a shield.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible