Proverbs

Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

1Do not envy evil people. Do not wish you could be with them.

2For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

2Their minds are busy planning harm, and their talk is about causing trouble.

3Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

3A house is built by wisdom. It is made firm by understanding.

4And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

4And by knowledge its rooms are filled with every rich and lovely thing.

5A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

5A wise man is strong. A man who knows things grows stronger still.

6For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

6Fight your war only with wise advice. Safety comes from having many advisers.

7Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

7Wisdom is out of reach for a fool. He has nothing to say where leaders meet.

Note"In the gate" means the open space just inside the city gate. That is where town leaders met and court cases were settled.

8He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

8The person who plans evil will be known as a schemer.

9The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

9A foolish plan is sin, and people hate someone who mocks others.

10If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

10If you give up when trouble comes, then your strength is small.

11If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

11Do not hold back from saving people who are being led away to die, people about to be killed.

12If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

12You may say, "We did not know about it." But God weighs what is in your heart. Does he not see? He guards your life. Does he not know? Will he not pay each person back for what they did?

13My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

13My son, eat honey, because it is good. The honeycomb is sweet in your mouth.

14So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

14Know that wisdom is just like that for you. Find it, and you have a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

15You wicked man, do not hide near the home of a good man. Do not wreck the place where he rests.

16For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

16A good man may fall down seven times, and he gets up again. But the wicked are brought down by trouble.

17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

17Do not be glad when your enemy falls. Do not let your heart cheer when he trips.

18Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

18The LORD would see it and be displeased, and he might turn his anger away from your enemy.

19Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

19Do not stew over evil people. Do not envy the wicked.

20For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

20An evil man has no future. The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

21My son, respect the LORD and the king. Do not join people who are set on rebelling.

Note"Them that are given to change" does not mean people who like new things. It means people who plot against the king.

22For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

22Disaster will hit those people all at once. Who knows what ruin the two of them can bring?

23These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

23These sayings also come from the wise. It is wrong to take sides when you judge a case.

24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

24Say to a guilty man, "You are innocent," and people will curse you. Whole nations will hate you.

25But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

25But things go well for those who correct the guilty. A rich blessing comes to them.

26Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

26An honest answer is welcome, like a kiss on the lips from a friend.

NoteIn this time and place, a kiss was a normal greeting between friends. The verse says a straight answer is welcome the same way.

27Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

27First get your outdoor work ready and your fields in order. After that, build your house.

28Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

28Do not speak against your neighbor in court with no good reason. Do not lie about him.

29Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

29Do not say, "I will do to him what he did to me. I will pay him back for what he did."

30I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

30I walked past the field of a lazy man, and past the vineyard of a man with no sense.

31And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

31Look: thorns had grown all over it. Weeds covered the ground, and its stone wall had fallen down.

32Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

32So I looked, and I thought hard about it. I looked, and I learned a lesson.

33Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

33A little sleep, a little nap, a little folding of the hands to rest,

34So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

34and being poor will jump you like a robber. Being in need will come like a man with a weapon.

NoteIn 1611 English, "want" meant lack or need, not wishing for something.