14 (A)Do not enter the path of the wicked
And do not proceed in the way of evil people.
15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they (B)cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And [a]they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
17 For they (C)eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
18 But the (D)path of the righteous is like the (E)light of dawn
That (F)shines brighter and brighter until the (G)full day.
19 The (H)way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they [b](I)stumble.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 4:16 Lit their sleep is robbed
  2. Proverbs 4:19 Or may stumble

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
    and do not walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it;
    turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made some one stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
    which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know over what they stumble.

Read full chapter

20 (A)One who walks with wise people will be wise,
But a companion of fools will suffer harm.

Read full chapter

20 He who walks with wise men becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Read full chapter

Leave the (A)presence of a fool,
Or you will not [a]discern [b]words of knowledge.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:7 Lit know
  2. Proverbs 14:7 Lit lips

Leave the presence of a fool,
    for there you do not meet words of knowledge.

Read full chapter

19 It is better to be (A)humble in spirit with the needy
Than to (B)divide the spoils with the proud.

Read full chapter

19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
    than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Read full chapter

19 One who (A)goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with [a](B)a gossip.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:19 Lit one who opens his lips

19 He who goes about gossiping reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with one who speaks foolishly.

Read full chapter

(A)Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
One who guards himself will be far from them.

Read full chapter

Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
    he who guards himself will keep far from them.

Read full chapter

24 Do not make friends with a person given to anger,
Or go with a (A)hot-tempered person,
25 Or you will (B)learn his ways
And [a]find a snare for yourself.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:25 Lit take

24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
    nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
    and entangle yourself in a snare.

Read full chapter

(A)Do not eat the bread of [a]a (B)selfish person;
Or desire his delicacies;
For as he [b]thinks within himself, so he is.
He says to you, “Eat and drink!”
But (C)his heart is not with you.
You will (D)vomit up [c]the morsel you have eaten
And waste your [d]compliments.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:6 Lit an evil eye
  2. Proverbs 23:7 Lit reckons in his soul
  3. Proverbs 23:8 Lit your
  4. Proverbs 23:8 Lit pleasant words

Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy;
    do not desire his delicacies;
for he is like one who is inwardly reckoning.[a]
    “Eat and drink!” he says to you;
    but his heart is not with you.
You will vomit up the morsels which you have eaten,
    and waste your pleasant words.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:7 Heb obscure

20 Do not be with (A)heavy drinkers of wine,
Or with (B)gluttonous eaters of meat;
21 For the (C)heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,
And (D)drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

Read full chapter

20 Be not among winebibbers,
    or among 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

Precepts and Warnings

24 Do not be (A)envious of evil people,
Nor desire to (B)be with them;
For their [a]minds plot (C)violence,
And their lips (D)talk of trouble.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:2 Lit hearts

24 Be not envious of evil men,
nor desire to be with them;
for their minds devise violence,
    and their lips talk of mischief.

Read full chapter

21 My son, [a](A)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not get involved with those [b]of high rank,
22 For their (B)disaster will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin that can come from both of them?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:21 Or revere
  2. Proverbs 24:21 Or who change

21 My son, fear the Lord and the king,
    and do not disobey either of them;[a]
22 for disaster from them will rise suddenly,
    and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:21 Gk: Heb do not associate with those who change