Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
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Do not envy the wicked, nor desire to be with them;
2 Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
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for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
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By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;
4 By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
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by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
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Wise warriors are mightier than strong ones, and those who have knowledge than those who have strength;
6 Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
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for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
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Wisdom is too high for fools; in the gate they do not open their mouths.
8 He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
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Whoever plans to do evil will be called a mischief-maker.
9 The thought of a fool is sin: and the detractor is the abomination of men.
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The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to all.
10 If thou lose hope, being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
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If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength being small;
11 Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death, forbear not to deliver.
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if you hold back from rescuing those taken away to death, those who go staggering to the slaughter;
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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if you say, "Look, we did not know this"— does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it? And will he not repay all according to their deeds?
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 drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your 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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Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, you will find a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
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Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against the home of the righteous; do no violence to the place where the righteous 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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for though they fall seven times, they will rise again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17 When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
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Do not rejoice when your enemies fall, and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble,
18 Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
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or else the Lord will see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from them.
19 Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly.
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Do not fret because of evildoers. Do not 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 the evil have no future; the lamp of the wicked will go 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, and do not disobey either of them;
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
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for disaster comes from them suddenly, and who knows the ruin that both can bring?
23 These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
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These also are sayings of the wise: Partiality in judging is not good.
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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Whoever says to the wicked, "You are innocent," will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations;
25 They that rebuke him shall be praised: and a blessing shall 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 He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
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One who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
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Prepare your work outside, get everything ready for you in the field; and after that build your house.
28 Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
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Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
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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Do not say, "I will do to others as they have done to me; I will pay them back for what they have done."
30 I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
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I passed by the field of one who was lazy, by the vineyard of a stupid person;
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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and see, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was 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 I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction.
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 sleep, a little 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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and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want, like an armed warrior.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.