1 Do not envy wicked men,
do not desire their company;
2 for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making
trouble.
3 By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is
established;
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.
5 A wise man has great power,
and a man of knowledge increases
strength;
6 for waging war you need guidance,
and for victory many advisers.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool;
in the assembly at the gate he has
nothing to say.
8 He who plots evil
will be known as a schemer.
9 The schemes of folly are sin,
and men detest a mocker.
10 If you falter in times of trouble,
how small is your strength!
11 Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward
slaughter.
12 If you say, "But we knew nothing
about this,"
does not he who weighs the heart
perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know
it?
Will he not repay each person according
to what he has done?
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
honey from the comb is sweet to your
taste.
14 Know also that wisdom is sweet to
your soul;
if you find it, there is a future hope
for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait like an outlaw
against a righteous man's house,
do not raid his dwelling place;
16 for though a righteous man falls
seven times, he rises again,
but the wicked are brought down by
calamity.
17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
when he stumbles, do not let your heart
rejoice,
18 or the LORD will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from him.
19 Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no future hope,
and the lamp of the wicked will be
snuffed out.
21 Fear the LORD and the king, my son,
and do not join with the rebellious,
22 for those two will send sudden
destruction upon them,
and who knows what calamities they can
bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise
23 These also are sayings of the wise:
To show partiality in judging is not
good:
24 Whoever says to the guilty, "You are
innocent"—
peoples will curse him and nations
denounce him.
25 But it will go well with those who
convict the guilty,
and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 An honest answer
is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Finish your outdoor work
and get your fields ready;
after that, build your house.
28 Do not testify against your neighbor
without cause,
or use your lips to deceive.
29 Do not say, "I'll do to him as he has
done to me;
I'll pay that man back for what he did."
30 I went past the field of the
sluggard,
past the vineyard of the man who lacks
judgment;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
the ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest-
34 and poverty will come on you like a
bandit
and scarcity like an armed man.
