More sayings of the wise
Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength. Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers. Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker. If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength. Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter. If you say, But we knew nothing about this, does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?
Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company;
Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
The wise prevail through great power, and those who have knowledge muster their strength.
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer.
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker.
The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength.
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter.
If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
If you say, But we knew nothing about this, does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place;
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.
Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked,
Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials,
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
Further sayings
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good: Whoever says to the guilty, You are innocent, will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them. An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. Do not testify against your neighbour without cause — would you use your lips to deceive? Do not say, I'll do to them as they have done to me; I'll pay them back for what they did. I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest — and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:
These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
Whoever says to the guilty, You are innocent, will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.
But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.
Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
Do not testify against your neighbour without cause — would you use your lips to deceive?
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
Do not say, I'll do to them as they have done to me; I'll pay them back for what they did.
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 past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:
Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest —
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.