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My son, envy not bad men, Nor desire to be with them.
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For their heart meditates falsehoods, And their lips speak mischiefs.
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A house is built by wisdom, And is set up by understanding.
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By discretion the chambers are filled With all precious and excellent wealth.
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A wise man is better than a strong man; And a man who has prudence than a large estate.
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War is carried on with generalship, And aid is supplied to the heart of a counselor.
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Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: The wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord,
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But deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed men.
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The fool also dies in sins; And uncleanness attaches to a pestilent man.
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He shall be defiled in the evil day, And in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.
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Deliver them that are led away to death, And redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not thy help.
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But if thou shouldest say, I know not this man; Know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; And he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, Who renders to every man according to his works.
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My son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, That thy throat may be sweetened.
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Thus shalt thou perceive wisdom in thy soul: For if thou find it, thine end shall be good, And hope shall not fail thee.
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Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: Neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly.
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For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise again: But the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.
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If thine enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, Neither be elated at his overthrow.
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For the Lord will see it, and it will not please him, And he will turn away his wrath from him.
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Rejoice not in evildoers, Neither be envious of sinners.
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For the evil man shall have no posterity: And the light of the wicked shall be put out.
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My son, fear God and the king; And do not disobey either of them.
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For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, And who can know the vengeance inflicted by both? For such a one has fully received it. Yea, let no falsehood proceed from his tongue. And whosoever shall be given up to it shall be destroyed: He destroys men with cords, And burns them up as a flame, So that they are not even fit to be eaten by the young eagles. My son, reverence my words, And receive them, and repent. These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease. And there is not in me the wisdom of men. And I know the knowledge of the holy. Who has gathered the winds in his bosom? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? What is his name? or what is the name of his children? And he defends those that reverence him. Lest he reprove thee, and thou be made a liar. Take not favor from me before I die. And give me not wealth or poverty; But appoint me what is needful and sufficient: Or be poor and steal, and swear vainly by the name of God. Lest he curse thee, and thou be utterly destroyed. And do not bless their mother. But do not cleanse their way. And exalt themselves with their eyelids. for teeth and jaw teeth as knives, So as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, And the poor of them from among men.
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for you to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
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Shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations.
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him shall appear more excellent, And blessing shall come upon them;
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men will kiss lips that answer well.
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thy going forth, And prepare thyself for the field; And come after me, And thou shalt rebuild thy house.
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fellow citizen, Neither exaggerate with thy lips.
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And I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me.
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And a senseless man is like a vineyard.
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And he becomes destitute, And his stone walls are broken down.
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I looked that I might receive instruction.
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The sluggard says, I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, And for a little while I fold my arms across my breast.
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And thy want like a swift courier.
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And these three did not satisfy her; And the fourth was not contented so as to say, Enough.
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And the earth not filled with water; Water also and fire will not say, It is enough.
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Let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, And let the young eagles devour it.
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And the fourth I know not:
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And the ways of a serpent on a rock; And the paths of a ship passing through the sea; And the ways of a man in youth.
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Who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing amiss.
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And the fourth it cannot bear:
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Or a fool be filled with food;
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And if a hateful woman should marry a good man.
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there are four very little things upon the earth, But these are wiser than the wise:
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And yet prepare their food in summer;
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are a feeble race, Who make their houses in the rocks.
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And yet march orderly at one command.
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its hands, and is easily taken, Dwells in the fortresses of kings.
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And a fourth which passes along finely.
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all other beasts, Which turns not away, nor fears any beast;
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And a goat leading the herd; And a king publicly speaking before a nation.
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And stretch forth thy hand in a quarrel, thou shalt be disgraced.
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And if thou wring one’s nostrils there shall come out blood: So if thou extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes.
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The oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.
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My firstborn son, I speak to thee: What? son of my womb? What? son of my vows?
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Nor thy mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: Drink wine with counsel.
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Let them then not drink wine:
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And be not able to judge the poor rightly.
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And the wine to drink to those in pain:
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And may not remember their troubles anymore.
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And judge all fairly.
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And plead the cause of the poor and weak.