Proverbs

1Don’t be envious of evil men,neither desire to be with them;

2for their hearts plot violenceand their lips talk about mischief.

3Through wisdom a house is built;by understanding it is established;

4by knowledge the rooms are filledwith 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 evilwill 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 answeris 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 robberand your want as an armed man.

1Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:

2Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.

3By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.

4By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.

5A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.

6Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.

7Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.

8He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.

9The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.

10If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.

11Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.

12If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.

13Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:

14So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.

15Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.

16For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.

17When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:

18Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:

20For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

21My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.

22For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?

23These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.

24They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.

25They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.

26He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.

27Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.

28Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.

29Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.

30I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:

31And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.

32Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.

33Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:

34And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.