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
New American Standard Bible
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:16 Lit their sleep is robbed
- Proverbs 4:19 Or may stumble
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
New American Standard Bible
20 (A)One who walks with wise people will be wise,
But a companion of fools will suffer harm.
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
New American Standard Bible
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:7 Lit know
- Proverbs 14:7 Lit 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
New American Standard Bible
19 It is better to be (A)humble in spirit with the needy
Than to (B)divide the spoils with the proud.
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
New American Standard Bible
19 One who (A)goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with [a](B)a gossip.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:19 Lit one who opens his lips
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
New American Standard Bible
5 (A)Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
One who guards himself will be far from them.
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
New American Standard Bible
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:25 Lit take
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
New American Standard Bible
6 (A)Do not eat the bread of [a]a (B)selfish person;
Or desire his delicacies;
7 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.
8 You will (D)vomit up [c]the morsel you have eaten
And waste your [d]compliments.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 23:6 Lit an evil eye
- Proverbs 23:7 Lit reckons in his soul
- Proverbs 23:8 Lit your
- Proverbs 23:8 Lit pleasant words
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
New American Standard Bible
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.
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
New American Standard Bible
Precepts and Warnings
24 Do not be (A)envious of evil people,
Nor desire to (B)be with them;
2 For their [a]minds plot (C)violence,
And their lips (D)talk of trouble.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:2 Lit hearts
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
New American Standard Bible
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?
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:21 Or revere
- Proverbs 24:21 Or who change
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
