Chapter 24

  Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;  

--

  for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.  

--

  Through wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established;  

--

  and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance.  

--

  A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.  

--

  For with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.  

--

  Wisdom is too high for a fool: he will not open his mouth in the gate.  

--

  He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues.  

--

  The purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.  

--

  [If] thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.  

--

  Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.  

--

  If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work.  

--

  Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste:  

--

  so consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.  

--

  Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place.  

--

  For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.  

--

  Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;  

--

  lest Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him.  

--

  Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, [and] be not envious of the wicked:  

--

  for there shall be no future to the evil [man]; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.  

--

  My son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.  

--

  For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?  

--

  These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.  

--

  He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;  

--

  but to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them.  

--

  He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.  

--

  Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterwards build thy house.  

--

  Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?  

--

  Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his work.  

--

  I went by the field of a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding;  

--

  and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down.  

--

  Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I received instruction:  

--

  -- A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest!  

--

  So shall thy poverty come [as] a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.  

--