1Do not envy the wicked or desire their company, 2for their hearts dream only of violence and their lips speak nothing but evil.
3With wisdom a house is built. 4It is strengthened by prudence. Its granaries are filled by knowledge with all that is good, precious and desirable.
5The wise man is powerful; the one of knowledge adds to his strength. 6Be cause of this, he goes into battle with wise plans, since success depends on many advisers.
7Wisdom is beyond the reach of the fool; let him not open his mouth in the assembly.
8The plotter of evil is called an unscrupulous mastermind.
9The fool dreams only of sin, the mocker deserves only contempt.
10If you lose heart when misfortune comes, miserable is your strength.
11Rescue those who are being carried away to die; save those who are being dragged away to torture. 12Afterwards you will say, “We did not know.” But he who weighs the heart, does he not understand? He who watches over the soul is aware and he will give to each one according to his deeds.
13Eat honey, my son, because it is good; the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. 14So also will wisdom be to your soul. If you find it, you have a future and your hope will not be in vain.
15Evildoer, do not spy on the house of the virtuous man, do not disturb his home. 16Because even though the virtuous man falls seven times, he gets up again, while the wicked sink in their adversity.
17Do not rejoice if your enemy falls or let your heart be glad if he stumbles, 18lest Yahweh see and be displeased and his anger be turned on you.
19Do not be incensed by the wicked or envious of the ungodly, 20since there is no future in evil and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
21Fear Yahweh and the king, my son; make no deals with agitators, 22for disaster will befall them without warning and who knows when their ruin will come?
Other proverbs of the wise
23It is not good for judges to show partiality. People curse and nations hate him 24who says to the wicked man, “You are just.” 25But those who punish the evildoer can boast; blessing and happiness will be theirs.
26An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
27Finish your work out-of-doors and plan your work in the fields; afterwards, you can think of building your house.
28Do not lightly bear witness against your neighbor lest you lie.
29Do not say, “I will do to him what he did to me; I will repay him for his deeds.”
30I passed by the lazy man’s field, near the vineyard of the senseless man. 31Everywhere it was full of weeds; thistles covered the ground and the stonewall was fallen apart. 32Seeing all this, I reflected and drew this lesson from what I saw. 33A little sleep, a little drowsiness and 34your laziness creeps upon you and then, like a tramp, poverty comes, bringing misery like a vagabond.
