New Living Translation

1 Don’t envy evil people<br>or desire their company.<br> 2 For their hearts plot violence,<br>and their words always stir up trouble.<br> 3 A house is built by wisdom<br>and becomes strong through good sense.<br> 4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled<br>with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.<br> 5 The wise are mightier than the strong,<br>and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.<br> 6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance;<br>victory depends on having many advisers.<br> 7 Wisdom is too lofty for fools.<br>Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.<br> 8 A person who plans evil<br>will get a reputation as a troublemaker.<br> 9 The schemes of a fool are sinful;<br>everyone detests a mocker.<br> 10 If you fail under pressure,<br>your strength is too small.<br> 11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;<br>save them as they stagger to their death.<br> 12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”<br>For God (Elohim) understands all hearts, and he sees you.<br>He who guards your soul knows you knew.<br>He will repay all people as their actions deserve.<br> 13 My child, eat honey, for it is good,<br>and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.<br> 14 In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.<br>If you find it, you will have a bright future,<br>and your hopes will not be cut short.<br> 15 Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly,<br>and don’t raid the house where the godly live.<br> 16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.<br>But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.<br> 17 Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall;<br>don’t be happy when they stumble.<br> 18 For the LORD will be displeased with you<br>and will turn his anger away from them.<br> 19 Don’t fret because of evildoers;<br>don’t envy the wicked.<br> 20 For evil people have no future;<br>the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.<br> 21 My child, fear the LORD and the king.<br>Don’t associate with rebels,<br> 22 for disaster will hit them suddenly.<br>Who knows what punishment will come<br>from the LORD and the king?<br> 23 Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.<br> 24 A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”<br>will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.<br> 25 But it will go well for those who convict the guilty;<br>rich blessings will be showered on them.<br> 26 An honest answer<br>is like a kiss of friendship.<br> 27 Do your planning and prepare your fields<br>before building your house.<br> 28 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;<br>don’t lie about them.<br> 29 And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me!<br>I’ll get even with them!”<br> 30 I walked by the field of a lazy person,<br>the vineyard of one with no common sense.<br> 31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.<br>It was covered with weeds,<br>and its walls were broken down.<br> 32 Then, as I looked and thought about it,<br>I learned this lesson:<br> 33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,<br>a little folding of the hands to rest —<br> 34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;<br>scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.<br>