24 Do not be envious of bad men,+ and do not show yourself craving to get in with them.+ ² For despoiling is what their heart keeps meditating, and trouble is what their own lips keep speaking.+

³ By wisdom a household will be built up,+ and by discernment it will prove firmly established.+ ⁴ And by knowledge will the interior rooms be filled with all precious and pleasant things of value.+

⁵ One wise in strength is an able-bodied man,+ and a man of knowledge is reinforcing power.*+ ⁶ For by skillful direction you will carry on your war,+ and in the multitude of counselors there is salvation.+

⁷ For a foolish one true wisdom is too high;*+ in the gate he will not open his mouth.

⁸ As for anyone scheming to do bad, he will be called a mere master at evil ideas.+

⁹ The loose conduct of foolishness is sin,+ and a ridiculer is something detestable to mankind.+

¹⁰ Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress?+ Your power will be scanty.

¹¹ Deliver those who are being taken away to death; and those staggering to the slaughter, O may you hold [them] back.+ ¹² In case you should say: “Look! We did not know of this,”+ will not he himself that is making an estimate of hearts discern it,+ and he himself that is observing your soul know+ and certainly pay back to earthling man according to his activity?+

¹³ My son, eat honey, for it is good; and let sweet comb honey be upon your palate.+ ¹⁴ In the same way, do know wisdom for your soul.+ If you have found [it], then there exists a future, and your own hope will not be cut off.+

¹⁵ Do not, as a wicked one, lie in wait for the abiding place of the righteous one;+ do not despoil his resting-place.+ ¹⁶ For the righteous one may fall even seven times, and he will certainly get up;+ but the wicked ones will be made to stumble by calamity.+

¹⁷ When your enemy falls, do not rejoice; and when he is caused to stumble, may your heart not be joyful,+ ¹⁸ that Jehovah may not see and it be bad in his eyes and he certainly turn back his anger from against him.+

¹⁹ Do not show yourself heated up at evildoers. Do not become envious of wicked people.+ ²⁰ For there will prove to be no future for anyone bad;+ the very lamp of wicked people will be extinguished.+

²¹ My son, fear Jehovah and the king.*+ With those who are for a change, do not intermeddle.+ ²² For their disaster will arise so suddenly,+ that who is aware of the extinction of those who are for a change?+

²³ These [sayings] also are for the wise ones:+ The showing of partiality* in judgment is not good.+

²⁴ He that is saying to the wicked one: “You are righteous,”+ the peoples will execrate him, national groups will denounce him. ²⁵ But for those reproving [him] it will be pleasant,+ and upon them there will come the blessing of good.+ ²⁶ Lips will he kiss who is replying in a straightforward way.+

²⁷ Prepare your work out of doors, and make it ready for yourself in the field.+ Afterward you must also build up your household.

²⁸ Do not become a witness against your fellowman without grounds.+ Then you would have to be foolish with your lips.+ ²⁹ Do not say: “Just as he did to me, so I am going to do to him.+ I shall repay to each one according to his acting.”+

³⁰ I passed along by the field of the lazy individual+ and by the vineyard of the man in need of heart.*+ ³¹ And, look! all of it produced weeds.+ Nettles covered its very surface, and its stone wall itself had been torn down.+

³² So I proceeded to behold, I myself; I began taking [it] to heart;+ I saw, I took the discipline:+ ³³ A little sleeping, a little slumbering, a little folding of the hands to lie down,+ ³⁴ and as a highwayman your poverty will certainly come and your neediness as an armed man.*+