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 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

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

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.

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

[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.

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

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 that keepeth his soul shall be 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 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

(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

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

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,
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

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 thou envious against evil men;
Neither desire to be with them:
For their heart studieth oppression,
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 thou Jehovah and the king;
And company not with them that are given to change:
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly;
And the destruction [a]from them both, who knoweth it?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:22 Or, of their years