1My son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.2For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs.3A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding.4By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth.5A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate.6War is carried on with generalship, and aid is supplied to the heart of a counsellor.7Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord,8but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed men.9The fool also dies in sins; and uncleanness attaches to a pestilent man.10He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.11Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not thy help.12But 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.13My son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that thy throat may be sweetened.14Thus shalt thou perceive wisdom in thy soul: for if thou find it, thine end shall be good, and hope shall not fail thee.15Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly.16For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise again: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.17If thine enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow.18For the Lord will see it, and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him.19Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners.20For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out.21My son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.22For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance inflicted by both?23A son that keeps the commandment shall escape destruction; for such an one has fully received it.24Let no falsehood be spoken by the king from the tongue; yea, let no falsehood proceed from his tongue.25The king's tongue is a sword, and not one of flesh; and whosoever shall be given up to it shall be destroyed:26for if his wrath should be provoked, he destroys men with cords,27and devours men's bones, and burns them up as a flame, so that they are not even fit to be eaten by the young eagles.28My son, reverence my words, and receive them, and repent. These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease.29For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men.30God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy.31Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? 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?32For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him.33Add not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be made a liar.34Two things I ask of thee; take not favour from me before I die.35Remove far from me vanity and falsehood: and give me not wealth or poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient:36lest I be filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear vainly by the name of God.37Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be utterly destroyed.38A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother.39A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way.40A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids.41A wicked generation have swords 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.42And this thing I say to you that are wise for you to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.43He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations.44But they that reprove him shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them;45and men will kiss lips that answer well.46Prepare thy works for thy going forth, and prepare thyself for the field; and come after me, and thou shalt rebuild thine house.47Be not a false witness against thy fellow citizen, neither exaggerate with thy lips.48Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me.49A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard.50If thou let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down.51Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction.52The sluggard says, I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across my breast.53But if thou do this, thy poverty will come speedily; and thy want like a swift courier.54The horse-leech had three dearly-beloved daughters: and these three did not satisfy her; and the fourth was not contented so as to say, Enough.55The grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, It is enough.56The eye that laughs to scorn a father, and dishonours the old age of a mother, let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, and let the young eagles devour it.57Moreover there are three things impossible for me to comprehend, and the fourth I know not:58the track of a flying eagle; 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.59Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing amiss.60By three things the earth is troubled, and the fourth it cannot bear:61if a servant reign; or a fool be filled with food;62or if a maid-servant should cast out her own mistress; and if a hateful woman should marry a good man.63And there are four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise:64the ants which are weak, and yet prepare their food in summer;65the rabbits also are a feeble race, who make their houses in the rocks.66The locusts have no king, and yet march orderly at one command.67And the eft, which supports itself by its hands, and is easily taken, dwells in the fortresses of kings.68And there are three things which go well, and a fourth which passes along finely.69A lion's whelp, stronger than all other beasts, which turns not away, nor fears any beast;70and a cock walking in boldly among the hens, and a goat leading the herd; and a king publicly speaking before a nation.71If thou abandon thyself to mirth, and stretch forth thine hand in a quarrel, thou shalt be disgraced.72Milk out milk, and there shall be butter, and if thou wring one's nostrils there shall come out blood: so if thou extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes.73My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.74What wilt thou keep, my son, what? the words of God. My firstborn son, I speak to thee: what? son of my womb? what? son of my vows?75Give not thy wealth to women, nor thy mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: drink wine with counsel.76Princes are prone to anger: let them then not drink wine:77lest they drink, and forget wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly.78Give strong drink to those that are in sorrow, and the wine to drink to those in pain:79that they may forget their poverty, and may not remember their troubles any more.80Open thy mouth with the word of God, and judge all fairly.81Open thy mouth and judge justly, and plead the cause of the poor and weak.
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