Proverbs 4:14-19
Expanded Bible
14 Don’t ·follow the ways [go in the way] of the wicked;
don’t ·do what evil people do [L walk straight on to the path of evil people].
15 Avoid their ways, and don’t ·follow [cross over to] them.
Stay away from them and keep on going,
16 because they cannot sleep until they do evil.
·They cannot rest until they harm someone [L They are robbed of sleep unless they cause people to stumble].
17 They feast on wickedness as if they were eating bread.
They drink violence as if they were drinking wine.
18 The way of the ·good [righteous] person is like the ·light of dawn [L shining light],
growing brighter and brighter until full daylight.
19 But the ·wicked walk around in the dark [L path of the wicked is like deep darkness];
they ·can’t even see what makes them [L don’t know where they will] stumble.
Proverbs 4:14-19
Amplified Bible
14
Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not go the way of evil men.
15
Avoid it, do not travel on it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16
For the wicked cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And they are deprived of sleep unless they make someone stumble and fall.
17
For they eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence.
18
But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day.(A)
19
The way of the wicked is like [deep] darkness;
They do not know over what they stumble.(B)
Proverbs 13:20
Expanded Bible
20 ·Spend time [L Walk; Go] with the wise and you will become wise,
but the friends of fools will ·suffer [or get into trouble].
Proverbs 13:20
Amplified Bible
20
He who walks [as a companion] with wise men will be wise,
But the companions of [conceited, dull-witted] fools [are fools themselves and] will experience harm.(A)
Proverbs 14:7
Expanded Bible
7 Stay away from fools,
because they ·can’t teach you anything [L don’t have knowledgeable lips].
Proverbs 14:7
Amplified Bible
7
Leave the presence of a [shortsighted] fool,
For you will not find knowledge or hear godly wisdom from his lips.
Proverbs 16:19
Expanded Bible
19 It is better to be humble and ·be with those who suffer [with the needy]
than ·to share stolen property [dividing plunder/spoil] with the proud.
Proverbs 16:19
Amplified Bible
19
It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to divide the spoil with the proud (haughty, arrogant).
Proverbs 20:19
Expanded Bible
19 Gossips ·can’t keep [reveal] secrets,
so avoid people who ·talk too much [L are foolish with their lips].
Proverbs 20:19
Amplified Bible
19
He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with a gossip [who talks freely or flatters].(A)
Proverbs 22:5
Expanded Bible
5 Evil people’s lives are like paths covered with thorns and ·traps [nets].
People who guard themselves ·don’t have such problems [L stay far from them].
Proverbs 22:5
Amplified Bible
5
Thorns and snares are in the way of the obstinate [for their lack of honor and their wrong-doing traps them];
He who guards himself [with godly wisdom] will be far from them and avoid the consequences they suffer.
Proverbs 22:24-25
Expanded Bible
24 Don’t make friends with ·quick-tempered people [people controlled by anger]
or ·spend time [associate] with those who have bad tempers.
25 If you do, you will ·be like them [learn their ways].
Then you will ·be in real danger [L get yourself trapped].
Proverbs 22:24-25
Amplified Bible
24
Do not even associate with a man given to angry outbursts;
Or go [along] with a hot-tempered man,
25
Or you will learn his [undisciplined] ways
And get yourself trapped [in a situation from which it is hard to escape].
Proverbs 23:6-8
Expanded Bible
6 Don’t eat the food of ·selfish [stingy; L evil eye] people;
don’t ·be greedy [long] for their ·fine foods [delicacies].
7 ·Selfish people are always worrying
about how much the food costs [L They calculate in their minds; or They are like a hair in the throat].
They tell you, “Eat and drink,”
but ·they don’t really mean it [L their heart is not with you].
8 You will ·throw up [vomit] the ·little [L crust] you have eaten,
and you will have wasted your ·kind [pleasant] words.
Proverbs 23:6-8
Amplified Bible
6
Do not eat the bread of a selfish man,
Or desire his delicacies;
7
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he [in behavior—one who manipulates].
He says to you, “Eat and drink,”
Yet his heart is not with you [but it is begrudging the cost].
8
The morsel which you have eaten you will vomit up,
And you will waste your compliments.
Proverbs 23:20-21
Expanded Bible
20 Don’t ·drink too much [get drunk on] wine
or ·eat too much food [L stuff yourself with meat].
21 Those who ·drink [get drunk] and ·eat too much [stuff themselves] ·become poor [lose possessions].
They ·sleep too much [or are in a stupor] and end up wearing rags.
Proverbs 23:20-21
Amplified Bible
20
Do not associate with heavy drinkers of wine,
Or with gluttonous eaters of meat,(A)
21
For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,
And the drowsiness [of overindulgence] will clothe one with rags.
Proverbs 24:1-2
Expanded Bible
24 Don’t envy evil people
or ·try to be friends [L long to be] with them.
2 Their ·minds [L hearts] are ·always planning [focused/fixated on] violence,
and ·they always [L their lips] talk about making trouble [Ps. 37; 73].
Proverbs 24:1-2
Amplified Bible
Precepts and Warnings
24 Do not be envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
2
For their minds plot violence,
And their lips talk of trouble [for the innocent].
Proverbs 24:21-22
Expanded Bible
21 My ·child [L son], ·respect [fear] the Lord and the king.
Don’t join those people who ·refuse to obey them [rebel].
22 ·The Lord and the king [L They] will quickly destroy such people.
·Those two can cause great disaster! [L Who knows the disaster that both can bring?]
Proverbs 24:21-22
Amplified Bible
21
My son, fear the Lord and the king;
And do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary],
22
For their tragedy will rise suddenly,
And who knows the punishment that both [the Lord and the king] will bring on the rebellious?
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
