Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Living Translation NLT
1 Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
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Don’t envy evil people or desire their company.
2 Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
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For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble.
3 By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
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A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.
4 By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
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Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.
5 A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
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The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
6 Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
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So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
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Wisdom is too lofty for fools. Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.
8 He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
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A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker.
9 The thought of a fool is sin: and the detractor is the abomination of men.
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The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker.
10 If thou lose hope, being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
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If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.
11 Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death, forbear not to deliver.
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Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death.
12 If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
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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.
13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat.
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My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.
14 So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
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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.
15 Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
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Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly, and don’t raid the house where the godly live.
16 For a just man shall fall seven times, and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
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The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
17 When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
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Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble.
18 Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
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For the LORD will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them.
19 Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly.
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Don’t fret because of evildoers; don’t envy the wicked.
20 For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
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For evil people have no future; the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21 My son, fear the Lord, and the king: and have nothing to do with detractors.
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My child, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t associate with rebels,
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
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for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the LORD and the king?
23 These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
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Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.
24 They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
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A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.
25 They that rebuke him shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
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But it will go well for those who convict the guilty; rich blessings will be showered on them.
26 He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
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An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship.
27 Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
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Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.
28 Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
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Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause; don’t lie about them.
29 Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
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And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me! I’ll get even with them!”
30 I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
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I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
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I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down.
32 Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
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Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson:
33 Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest.
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A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
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then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
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