Chapter 24

¹Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them: ²Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits. ³By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened. ⁴By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth. ⁵A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant. ⁶Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels. ⁷Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth. ⁸He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool. ⁹The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men. ¹⁰If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished. ¹¹Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver. ¹²If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, end he shall render to a man according to his works. ¹³Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat: ¹⁴So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish. ¹⁵Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest. ¹⁶For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil. ¹⁷When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice: ¹⁸Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. ¹⁹Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly: ²⁰For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. ²¹My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters. ²²For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both? ²³These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment. ²⁴They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them. ²⁵They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them. ²⁶He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words. ²⁷Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house. ²⁸Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips. ²⁹Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work. ³⁰I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man: ³¹And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down. ³²Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction. ³³Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest: ³⁴And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.