14 (A)Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not walk in the way of evil.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16 (B)For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;
And their sleep is [a]taken away unless they make someone fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.

18 (C)But the path of the just (D)is like the shining [b]sun,
That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
19 (E)The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know what makes them stumble.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:16 Lit. robbed
  2. Proverbs 4:18 Lit. light

14 Enter not into the path of the wicked,
And walk not in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it;
Turn from it, and pass on.
16 For they sleep not, except they do evil;
And their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light,
That shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness:
They know not at what they stumble.

Read full chapter

14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
    or walk in the way of evildoers.(A)
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
    turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;(B)
    they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.(C)

18 The path of the righteous(D) is like the morning sun,(E)
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.(F)
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;(G)
    they do not know what makes them stumble.(H)

Read full chapter

20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

Read full chapter

20 [a]Walk with wise men, and thou shalt be wise;
But the companion of fools shall [b]smart for it.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:20 According to another reading, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise.
  2. Proverbs 13:20 Hebrew be broken.

20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
    for a companion of fools suffers harm.(A)

Read full chapter

Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of (A)knowledge.

Read full chapter

[a]Go into the presence of a foolish man,
And thou shalt not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:7 Or, Go from . . . For thou wilt not etc.

Stay away from a fool,
    for you will not find knowledge on their lips.

Read full chapter

19 Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the [a]spoil with the proud.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:19 plunder

19 Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with the [a]poor,
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:19 Or, meek

19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
    than to share plunder with the proud.

Read full chapter

19 (A)He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one (B)who flatters with his lips.

Read full chapter

19 He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets;
Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips.

Read full chapter

19 A gossip betrays a confidence;(A)
    so avoid anyone who talks too much.

Read full chapter

Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards his soul will be far from them.

Read full chapter

Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse:
He that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.

Read full chapter

In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,(A)
    but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

Read full chapter

24 Make no friendship with an angry man,
And with a (A)furious man do not go,
25 Lest you learn his ways
And set a snare for your soul.

Read full chapter

24 Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger;
And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go:
25 Lest thou learn his ways,
And get a snare to thy soul.

Read full chapter

Saying 3

24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,
    do not associate with one easily angered,
25 or you may learn their ways
    and get yourself ensnared.(A)

Read full chapter

Do not eat the bread of (A)a[a] miser,
Nor desire his delicacies;
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” (B)he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
And waste your pleasant words.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:6 Lit. one who has an evil eye

Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye,
Neither desire thou his dainties:
For [a]as he thinketh within himself, so is he:
Eat and drink, saith he to thee;
But his heart is not with thee.
The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up,
And lose thy sweet words.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:7 Or, as one that reckoneth

Saying 9

Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
    do not crave his delicacies;(A)
for he is the kind of person
    who is always thinking about the cost.[a]
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten
    and will have wasted your compliments.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is

20 (A)Do not mix with winebibbers,
Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

Read full chapter

20 Be not among winebibbers,
Among gluttonous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty;
And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

Read full chapter

20 Do not join those who drink too much wine(A)
    or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,(B)
    and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Read full chapter