Verse 1
Be not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them:
Verse 2
For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.
Verse 3
Through wisdom is a house builded; And by understanding it is established;
Verse 4
And by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and pleasant riches.
Verse 5
A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might.
Verse 6
For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war; And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Verse 7
Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.
Verse 8
He that deviseth to do evil, Men shall call him a mischief-maker.
Verse 9
The thought of foolishness is sin; And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
Verse 10
If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small.
Verse 11
Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
Verse 12
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew not this; Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
Verse 13
My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:
Verse 14
So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul; If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, And thy hope shall not be cut off.
Verse 15
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:
Verse 16
For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
Verse 17
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;
Verse 18
Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.
Verse 19
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:
Verse 20
For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
Verse 21
My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; [And] company not with them that are given to change:
Verse 22
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?
Verse 23
These also are [sayings] of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
Verse 24
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him:
Verse 25
But to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, And a good blessing shall come upon them.
Verse 26
He kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer.
Verse 27
Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.
Verse 28
Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips.
Verse 29
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.
Verse 30
I went by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Verse 31
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, The face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
Verse 32
Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction:
Verse 33
[ Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep;
Verse 34
So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.