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