Verse 1
Be not thou enuious to folow wicked men, and desire not to be among them:
Verse 2
For their heart imagineth to do hurt, and their lippes talke mischiefe.
Verse 3
Thorowe wysdome is an house buylded, & with vnderstanding is it set vp.
Verse 4
Thorowe discretion shall the chaumbers be filled with all costly and pleasaunt riches.
Verse 5
A wise man is euer strong: yea a man of vnderstanding increaseth strength.
Verse 6
For with discretion must warres be taken in hand: and where as are many that can geue counsaile, there is health.
Verse 7
Wysdome is to hye a thyng for a foole: for he dare not open his mouth in the gate.
Verse 8
He that imagineth mischiefe, maye well be called an vngratious person.
Verse 9
The wicked thought of the foolishe is sinne: and the scornefull is an abhomination vnto men.
Verse 10
If thou be faynt in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.
Verse 11
Deliuer them that are drawen vnto death, and ceasse not to preserue them that are led to be slayne:
Verse 12
If thou wylt say, beholde I knewe not of it: doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? And he that kepeth thy soule, knoweth he it not? Shall not he also recompence euery man according to his workes?
Verse 13
My sonne, eate thou hony because it is good, and the hony combe, for it is sweete vnto thy mouth:
Verse 14
So sweete shal the knowledge of wysdome be vnto thy soule when thou hast found it: and there shalbe hope, and thy hope shall not be cut of.
Verse 15
Laye no priuie wayte (O wicked man) against the house of the righteous, and spoyle not his resting place.
Verse 16
For a iust man falleth seuen tymes, and ryseth vp agayne: but the vngodly fall into mischiefe.
Verse 17
Reioyce not thou at the fall of thyne enemie, and let not thyne heart be glad when he stumbleth:
Verse 18
Lest the Lorde when he seeth it be angry, and turne his wrath from hym vnto thee.
Verse 19
Fret not thy selfe because of the malitious, neither be enuious at the wicked:
Verse 20
For the wicked shall haue no posteritie, and the candle of the vngodly shalbe put out.
Verse 21
My sonne, feare thou the Lorde and the kyng, and kepe no company with them that slide backe from his feare:
Verse 22
For their destruction shall rise sodainlye: and who knoweth the aduersitie that may come from them both?
Verse 23
It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement.
Verse 24
He that saith to the vngodly thou art righteous, hym shall the people curse, yea the comminaltie shall abhorre him:
Verse 25
But they that rebuke the vngodly in them doth God delight, and a rych blessing shall come vpon them.
Verse 26
Euery man shall kisse his lippes that geueth a good aunswere.
Verse 27
Make redie thy worke that is without, and looke well vnto that whiche thou hast in the fielde: and then buylde thyne house.
Verse 28
Be not a false witnesse against thy neighbour, and speake no falsehood with thy lippes.
Verse 29
Say not, I wyll handle hym euen as he hath dealt with me: and wyll rewarde euery man according to his deedes.
Verse 30
I went by the fielde of the slouthfull, and by the vineyarde of the foolishe man:
Verse 31
And lo, it was all couered with nettles, and stoode full of thornes, and the stone wall was broken downe.
Verse 32
This I sawe, and considered it well: I looked vpon it, and toke it for a warning.
Verse 33
Yea sleepe on styll I say a litle, slumber a litle, folde thy handes together yet a litle:
Verse 34
So shall pouertie come vnto thee as one that trauayleth by the way, and necessitie lyke a weaponed man.