King James Bible

New Living Translation

Don't Be Envious of Evil Men

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

1

Don’t envy evil people
or desire their company.

2

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

2

For their hearts plot violence,
and their words always stir up trouble.

3

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

3

A house is built by wisdom
and becomes strong through good sense.

4

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

4

Through knowledge its rooms are filled
with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

5

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

5

The wise are mightier than the strong,a
and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.

6

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

6

So don’t go to war without wise guidance;
victory depends on having many advisers.

7

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

7

Wisdom is too lofty for fools.
Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.

8

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

8

A person who plans evil
will get a reputation as a troublemaker.

9

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

9

The schemes of a fool are sinful;
everyone detests a mocker.

10

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

10

If you fail under pressure,
your strength is too small.

11

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

11

Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
save them as they stagger to their death.

12

If 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?

12

Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”
For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

13

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

13

My child,b eat honey, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.

14

So 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.

14

In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.
If you find it, you will have a bright future,
and your hopes will not be cut short.

15

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

15

Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly,
and don’t raid the house where the godly live.

16

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

16

The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.

17

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

17

Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall;
don’t be happy when they stumble.

18

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

18

For the LORD will be displeased with you
and will turn his anger away from them.

19

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

19

Don’t fret because of evildoers;
don’t envy the wicked.

20

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

20

For evil people have no future;
the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.

21

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

21

My child, fear the LORD and the king.
Don’t associate with rebels,

22

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

22

for disaster will hit them suddenly.
Who knows what punishment will come
from the LORD and the king?

23

Further Sayings of the Wise

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

23

More Sayings of the Wise

Here are some further sayings of the wise:
It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.

24

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

24

A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”
will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.

25

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

25

But it will go well for those who convict the guilty;
rich blessings will be showered on them.

26

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

26

An honest answer
is like a kiss of friendship.

27

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

27

Do your planning and prepare your fields
before building your house.

28

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

28

Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;
don’t lie about them.

29

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

29

And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me!
I’ll get even with them!”

30

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

30

I walked by the field of a lazy person,
the vineyard of one with no common sense.

31

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

31

I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
It was covered with weeds,
and its walls were broken down.

32

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

32

Then, as I looked and thought about it,
I learned this lesson:

33

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

33

A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest —

34

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

34

then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

Parallel

King James Bible

New Living Translation

Proverbs 24

Proverbs 24