Do Not Envy Saying 20 1 ULT Do not be envious of men of evil, and do not desire to be with them. BSB BSB: Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
2 ULT For their heart plots violence, and their lips speak trouble. BSB BSB: for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
Saying 21 3 ULT By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established. BSB BSB: By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
4 ULT And by knowledge the rooms are filled{ with} all precious and pleasant wealth. BSB BSB: through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
Saying 22 5 ULT A man of wisdom{ is} with strength and a man of knowledge strengthens power. BSB BSB: A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
6 ULT For by guidance you make war for yourself and salvation{ is} in an abundance of counsel. BSB BSB: Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
Saying 23 7 ULT Wise things{ are too} high for a fool; at the gate he will not open his mouth. BSB BSB: Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
Saying 24 8 ULT One who plans to do evil, they will call him an owner of schemes. BSB BSB: He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
9 ULT A scheme of folly{ is} sin, and a mocker{ is} an abomination to man. BSB BSB: A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
Saying 25 10 ULT { If} you make yourself slack in the day of distress, your strength{ is} narrow. BSB BSB: If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
11 ULT Rescue those being taken for the death, and those staggering to the slaughter if you hold back! BSB BSB: Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
12 ULT If you say,“Behold, we did not know this,” does not he, the examiner of hearts, understand, and he, the guard of your life, know, and he, give back to a man according to his work? 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 ULT My son, eat honey because{ it is} good and the fresh honey{ is} sweet on your palate. BSB BSB: Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
14 ULT Know wisdom{ is} thus for your soul; if you find{ it}, then there will be a future and your hope will not be cut off. 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 ULT Do not lie in wait{ like} a wicked{ one} against the abode of the righteous; do not assault his resting place. BSB BSB: Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.
16 ULT For seven{ times} a righteous{ one} falls and rises up, but the wicked stumble into calamity. 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 ULT When your enemy falls, do not be glad, and when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, BSB BSB: Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
18 ULT lest Yahweh see, and{ it be} evil in his eyes, and he turn away his nose from upon him. BSB BSB: or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
Saying 29 19 ULT Do not make yourself hot because of evildoers; do not envy wicked ones. BSB BSB: Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
20 ULT For a future is not for an evil{ one}, the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. BSB BSB: For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
Saying 30 21 ULT My son, fear Yahweh and the king; do not associate with ones who change. BSB BSB: My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
22 ULT For suddenly their calamity will arise, and who{ is} knowing the destruction of the two of them? BSB BSB: For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise 23 ULT These also{ are} of the wise ones: Recognizing faces in judgment{ is} not good. BSB BSB: These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 ULT One saying to a wicked{ one},“You{ are} righteous,” peoples will curse him, nations will denounce him. BSB BSB: Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
25 ULT But for the rebukers it will be pleasant, and over them will come a blessing of goodness. BSB BSB: but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 ULT He kisses lips who returns straightforward words. BSB BSB: An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
27 ULT Prepare your work in the outdoors, and make it ready for yourself in the field, and after, you will build your house. BSB BSB: Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
28 ULT Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And would you deceive with your lips? BSB BSB: Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
29 ULT Do not say,“Just as he did to me, so I will do to him; I will return to the man according to his deed.” 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 ULT I passed over the field of a lazy man and over the vineyard of a man lacking of heart. BSB BSB: I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
31 ULT And behold, all of it went up{ with} thorns, its face was covered{ with} weeds, and the wall of its stones was torn down. BSB BSB: Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 ULT And I myself looked, I set my heart, I saw, I received instruction: BSB BSB: I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
33 ULT A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down, BSB BSB: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 ULT and your poverty will come{ like} one who walks around, and your needs like a man of shield. 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.