Do Not Envy Saying 20 1 Brenton My son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.BSB BSB: Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
2 Brenton For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs. BSB BSB: for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
Saying 21 3 Brenton A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding. BSB BSB: By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
4 Brenton By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth. BSB BSB: through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
Saying 22 5 Brenton A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate. BSB BSB: A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
6 Brenton War is carried on with generalship, and aid is supplied to the heart of a counsellor. BSB BSB: Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
Saying 23 7 Brenton Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord, BSB BSB: Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
Saying 24 8 Brenton but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed men . BSB BSB: He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
9 Brenton The fool also dies in sins; and uncleanness attaches to a pestilent man. BSB BSB: A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
Saying 25 10 Brenton He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed. BSB BSB: If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
11 Brenton Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not thy help . BSB BSB: Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
12 Brenton But if thou shouldest say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders to every man according to his works. BSB BSB: If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
Saying 26 13 Brenton My son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that thy throat may be sweetened.BSB BSB: Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
14 Brenton Thus shalt thou perceive wisdom in thy soul: for if thou find it, thine end shall be good, and hope shall not fail thee. BSB BSB: Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
Saying 27 15 Brenton Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly. BSB BSB: Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.
16 Brenton For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise again : but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles. BSB BSB: For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
Saying 28 17 Brenton If thine enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow. BSB BSB: Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
18 Brenton For the Lord will see it , and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him. BSB BSB: or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
Saying 29 19 Brenton Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners. BSB BSB: Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
20 Brenton For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out. BSB BSB: For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
Saying 30 21 Brenton My son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.BSB BSB: My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
22 Brenton For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance inflicted by both? BSB BSB: For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise 23 Brenton And this thing I say to you that are wise for you to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. BSB BSB: These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 Brenton He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations. BSB BSB: Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
25 Brenton But they that reprove him shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them; BSB BSB: but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 Brenton and men will kiss lips that answer well. BSB BSB: An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Brenton Prepare thy works for thy going forth, and prepare thyself for the field; and come after me, and thou shalt rebuild thine house. BSB BSB: Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
28 Brenton Be not a false witness against thy fellow citizen, neither exaggerate with thy lips. BSB BSB: Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Brenton Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me. BSB BSB: Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
30 Brenton A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard. BSB BSB: I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
31 Brenton If thou let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down. BSB BSB: Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Brenton Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction. BSB BSB: I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
33 Brenton The sluggard says , I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across my breast.BSB BSB: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 Brenton But if thou do this, thy poverty will come speedily; and thy want like a swift courier. BSB BSB: and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.