¹ Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;

Saying 21

² for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.

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

Saying 22

⁴ through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.

⁵ A wise man is strong,¹ and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.

1. LXX The wise are mightier than the strong

Saying 23

⁶ Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.

Saying 24

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

⁸ He who plots evil will be called a schemer.

Saying 25

⁹ A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.

¹⁰ If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!

¹¹ Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.

Saying 26

¹² If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?

¹³ Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.

Saying 27

¹⁴ Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.

¹⁵ Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.

Saying 28

¹⁶ For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

¹⁷ Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,

Saying 29

¹⁸ or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.

¹⁹ Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.

Saying 30

²⁰ For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

²¹ My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.

²² For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

²³ These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.

²⁴ Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;

²⁵ but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.

²⁶ An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.

²⁷ Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.

²⁸ Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

²⁹ Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”

³⁰ I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.

³¹ Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.

³² I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:

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

³⁴ and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.