¹Do not envy the men of evil, and do not desire to be with them.

²For destruction meditates their heart, and their lips speak trouble.

³By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.

⁴And by knowledge the inner chambers are filled with all wealth, rare and lovely.

⁵A wise man is in strength, and a man of knowledge makes firm strength.

⁶For by steering you make war for yourself, and victory comes in the abundance of those who advise.

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

⁸One who plans to do evil, people will call him a lord of schemes.

⁹The plan of folly is sin, and the mocker is an abomination to people.

¹⁰If you slacken in the day of distress, your strength is narrow.

¹¹Rescue those being taken to death, and those staggering to the slaughter: do not hold back.

¹²If you say, "Look, we did not know this," does not the one who weighs hearts himself discern it? And the one who guards your being, he knows, and he repays a person according to his work.

¹³Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the dripping of the comb is sweet on your palate.

¹⁴So know wisdom for your being: if you find it, then there is a latter end, and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁵Do not lie in wait, wicked one, at the dwelling of the righteous; do not devastate his resting place.

¹⁶For seven times the righteous falls and rises, but the wicked stumble in evil.

¹⁷When your enemy falls, do not rejoice, and when he stumbles, let not rejoice your heart.

¹⁸Lest Yahweh see, and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn back his anger from him.

¹⁹Do not burn against the evil-doers; do not envy the wicked.

²⁰For there will be no latter end for the evil; the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

²¹Fear Yahweh, my son, and the king; do not mix with those who change.

²²For suddenly their calamity will rise, and the ruin of both of them — who knows?

²³These also belong to the wise: to recognize faces in justice is not good.

²⁴One who says to the wicked, "You are righteous," peoples will curse him; communities will denounce him.

²⁵But for those who rebuke, it will be pleasant, and upon them will come the blessing of good.

²⁶Lips will kiss the one who gives back straight words.

²⁷Establish your work outside, and make it ready in the field for yourself; after that you will build your house.

²⁸Do not be a witness against your neighbor for nothing, or would you deceive with your lips?

²⁹Do not say, "Just as he has done to me, so I will do to him; I will pay back the man according to his deed."

³⁰I passed by the field of a sluggish man, and by the vineyard of a person lacking heart.

³¹And look, all of it had come up in thistles; brambles covered its face, and the wall of its stones was broken down.

³²And I myself looked; I set my heart; I saw, I took discipline.

³³A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down,

³⁴And your poverty will come walking about, and your needs like a man of shield.