^{1 Ref} Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:

^{2 Ref} For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.

^{3 Ref} The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:

^{4 Ref} And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.

^{5 Ref} A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.

^{6 Ref} For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.

^{7 Ref} Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.

^{8 Ref} He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.

^{9 Ref} The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.

^{10 Ref} If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.

^{11 Ref} Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.

^{12 Ref} If you say, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?

^{13 Ref} My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:

^{14 Ref} So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

^{15 Ref} Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:

^{16 Ref} For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.

^{17 Ref} Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:

^{18 Ref} For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.

^{19 Ref} Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:

^{20 Ref} For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.

^{21 Ref} My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:

^{22 Ref} For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?

^{23 Ref} These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.

^{24 Ref} He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.

^{25 Ref} But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.

^{26 Ref} He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.

^{27 Ref} Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.

^{28 Ref} Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.

^{29 Ref} Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.

^{30 Ref} I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;

^{31 Ref} And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.

^{32 Ref} Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.

^{33 Ref} A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:

^{34 Ref} So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.

^{1 Ref} Be not envious of evil men, And desire not to be with them.

^{2 Ref} For destruction doth their heart meditate, And perverseness do their lips speak.

^{3 Ref} By wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding it establisheth itself.

^{4 Ref} And by knowledge the inner parts are filled, `With' all precious and pleasant wealth.

^{5 Ref} Mighty `is' the wise in strength, And a man of knowledge is strengthening power,

^{6 Ref} For by plans thou makest for thyself war, And deliverance `is' in a multitude of counsellors.

^{7 Ref} Wisdom `is' high for a fool, In the gate he openeth not his mouth.

^{8 Ref} Whoso is devising to do evil, Him they call a master of wicked thoughts.

^{9 Ref} The thought of folly `is' sin, And an abomination to man `is' a scorner.

^{10 Ref} Thou hast shewed thyself weak in a day of adversity, Straitened is thy power,

^{11 Ref} If `from' delivering those taken to death, And those slipping to the slaughter -- thou keepest back.

^{12 Ref} When thou sayest, `Lo, we knew not this.' Is not the Ponderer of hearts He who understandeth? And the Keeper of thy soul He who knoweth? And He hath rendered to man according to his work.

^{13 Ref} Eat my son, honey that `is' good, And the honeycomb -- sweet to thy palate.

^{14 Ref} So `is' the knowledge of wisdom to thy soul, If thou hast found that there is a posterity And thy hope is not cut off.

^{15 Ref} Lay not wait, O wicked one, At the habitation of the righteous. Do not spoil his resting-place.

^{16 Ref} For seven `times' doth the righteous fall and rise, And the wicked stumble in evil.

^{17 Ref} In the falling of thine enemy rejoice not, And in his stumbling let not thy heart be joyful,

^{18 Ref} Lest Jehovah see, and `it be' evil in His eyes, And He hath turned from off him His anger.

^{19 Ref} Fret not thyself at evil doers, Be not envious at the wicked,

^{20 Ref} For there is not a posterity to the evil, The lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

^{21 Ref} Fear Jehovah, my son, and the king, With changers mix not up thyself,

^{22 Ref} For suddenly doth their calamity rise, And the ruin of them both -- who knoweth!

^{23 Ref} These also are for the wise: -- To discern faces in judgment is not good.

^{24 Ref} Whoso is saying to the wicked, `Thou `art' righteous,' Peoples execrate him -- nations abhor him.

^{25 Ref} And to those reproving it is pleasant, And on them cometh a good blessing.

^{26 Ref} Lips he kisseth who is returning straightforward words.

^{27 Ref} Prepare in an out-place thy work, And make it ready in the field -- go afterwards, Then thou hast built thy house.

^{28 Ref} Be not a witness for nought against thy neighbour, Or thou hast enticed with thy lips.

^{29 Ref} Say not, `As he did to me, so I do to him, I render to each according to his work.'

^{30 Ref} Near the field of a slothful man I passed by, And near the vineyard of a man lacking heart.

^{31 Ref} And lo, it hath gone up -- all of it -- thorns! Covered its face have nettles, And its stone wall hath been broken down.

^{32 Ref} And I see -- I -- I do set my heart, I have seen -- I have received instruction,

^{33 Ref} A little sleep -- a little slumber -- A little folding of the hands to lie down.

^{34 Ref} And thy poverty hath come `as' a traveller, And thy want as an armed man!

^{1 Ref} Be not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them:

^{2 Ref} For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.

^{3 Ref} Through wisdom is a house builded; And by understanding it is established;

^{4 Ref} And by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and pleasant riches.

^{5 Ref} A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might,

^{6 Ref} For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war; And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

^{7 Ref} Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.

^{8 Ref} He that deviseth to do evil, Men shall call him a mischief-maker.

^{9 Ref} The thought of foolishness is sin; And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

^{10 Ref} If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small.

^{11 Ref} Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.

^{12 Ref} 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?

^{13 Ref} My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:

^{14 Ref} 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.

^{15 Ref} Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:

^{16 Ref} For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

^{17 Ref} Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;

^{18 Ref} Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.

^{19 Ref} Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:

^{20 Ref} For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

^{21 Ref} My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; `And' company not with them that are given to change:

^{22 Ref} For their calamity shall rise suddenly; And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?

^{23 Ref} These also are `sayings' of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.

^{24 Ref} He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him:

^{25 Ref} But to them that rebuke `him' shall be delight, And a good blessing shall come upon them.

^{26 Ref} He kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer.

^{27 Ref} Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.

^{28 Ref} Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips.

^{29 Ref} Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.

^{30 Ref} I went by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

^{31 Ref} And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, The face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.

^{32 Ref} Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction:

^{33 Ref} `Yet' a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep;

^{34 Ref} So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.