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