¹Don’t be envious of evil men ,

neither desire to be with them ;

²for their hearts plot violence

and their lips talk about mischief .

³Through wisdom a house is built ;

by understanding it is established ;

⁴by knowledge the rooms are filled

with all rare and beautiful treasure.

⁵A wise man has great power .

A knowledgeable man increases strength ,

⁶for by wise guidance you wage your war ,

and victory is in many advisors.

⁷Wisdom is too high for a fool.

He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate .

⁸One who plots to do evil

will be called a schemer .

⁹The schemes of folly are sin .

The mocker is detested by men.

¹⁰If you falter in the time of trouble ,

your strength is small .

¹¹Rescue those who are being led away to death !

Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter !

¹²If you say , “Behold , we didn’t know this ,”

doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it ?

He who keeps your soul , doesn’t he know it ?

Shall he not give to every man according to his work ?

¹³My son , eat honey , for it is good ,

the droppings of the honeycomb , which are sweet to your taste ;

¹⁴so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul .

If you have found it , then there will be a reward:

Your hope will not be cut off .

¹⁵Don’t lay in wait, wicked man , against the habitation of the righteous .

Don’t destroy his resting place ;

¹⁶for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again ,

but the wicked are overthrown by calamity .

¹⁷Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls .

Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown ,

¹⁸lest the LORD see it , and it displease him ,

and he turn away his wrath from him .

¹⁹Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers ,

neither be envious of the wicked ;

²⁰for there will be no reward to the evil man .

The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out .

²¹My son , fear the LORD and the king .

Don’t join those who are rebellious,

²²for their calamity will rise suddenly .

Who knows what destruction may come from them both ?

²³These also are sayings of the wise :

To show partiality in judgement is not good .

²⁴He who says to the wicked , “You are righteous ,”

peoples will curse him, and nations will abhor him—

²⁵but it will go well with those who convict the guilty,

and a rich blessing will come on them .

²⁶An honest answer

is like a kiss on the lips .

²⁷Prepare your work outside ,

and get your fields ready .

Afterwards, build your house .

²⁸Don’t be a witness against your neighbour without cause .

Don’t deceive with your lips .

²⁹Don’t say , “I will do to him as he has done to me ;

I will repay the man according to his work .”

³⁰I went by the field of the sluggard ,

by the vineyard of the man void of understanding .

³¹Behold , it was all grown over with thorns .

Its surface was covered with nettles ,

and its stone wall was broken down .

³²Then I saw , and considered well .

I saw , and received instruction :

³³a little sleep , a little slumber ,

a little folding of the hands to sleep ,

³⁴so your poverty will come as a robber

and your want as an armed man.