1 GLT 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 GLT For their heart plots violence, and their lips speak trouble. BSB BSB: for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
3 GLT A house is built by wisdom and by understanding it is established. BSB BSB: By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
4 GLT And by knowledge the rooms are filled, all precious and pleasant wealth. BSB BSB: through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
5 GLT 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 GLT For with 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.
7 GLT Wise things{ are too} high for a fool; in 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.
8 GLT One who plans to do evil, they will call him a master of schemes. BSB BSB: He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
9 GLT A scheme of folly{ is} sin, and a mocker{ is} an abomination to mankind. BSB BSB: A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
10 GLT { 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 GLT Rescue those who are taken for the death, and if only you would hold back those who stagger to the slaughter! BSB BSB: Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
12 GLT 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 will 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?
13 GLT 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 GLT So know wisdom for yourself; 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.
15 GLT Do not lie in wait like a wicked one for the abode of the righteous one; do not destroy 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 GLT For a righteous one falls seven{ times} and rises up, but wicked ones 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.
17 GLT 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 GLT lest Yahweh see, and{ it is} evil in his eyes, and he turns away his nose from on him. BSB BSB: or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
19 GLT Do not get excited because of evildoers; do not envy wicked ones. BSB BSB: Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
20 GLT For a future is not for an evil one, the lamp of the wicked ones will be extinguished. BSB BSB: For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
21 GLT 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 GLT For suddenly their disaster will arise, and who{ is} one who knows the misfortune of the two of them? BSB BSB: For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
23 GLT These also{ are} of the wise ones: Giving recognition{ to} faces in judgment{ is} not good. BSB BSB: These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 GLT One who says to the wicked one,“You{ are} righteous,” peoples will curse him, nations will be indignant{ toward} him. BSB BSB: Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
25 GLT But for the rebukers it will be pleasant, and a blessing of goodness will come over them. BSB BSB: but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 GLT He kisses lips who responds straightforward words. BSB BSB: An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
27 GLT 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 GLT Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor, nor deceive with your lips. BSB BSB: Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
29 GLT Do not say,“Just as it was done 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 GLT I passed over the field of a lazy person and over the vineyard of the man lacking of heart. BSB BSB: I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
31 GLT 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 GLT And I myself beheld, I set my heart, I saw, I received instruction. BSB BSB: I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
33 GLT A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of hands to lie down, BSB BSB: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 GLT and your poverty will come{ as} a vagabond, 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.