Do Not Envy

1Bee not thou enuious against euill men, neither desire to be with them.

2For their heart imagineth destruction, and their lippes speake mischiefe.

Saying 21

3Through wisdome is an house builded, and with vnderstanding it is established.

4And by knowledge shall the chambers bee filled with all precious, and pleasant riches.

Saying 22

5A wise man is strong: for a man of vnderstanding encreaseth his strength.

6For with counsel thou shalt enterprise thy warre, and in the multitude of them that can giue counsell, is health.

Saying 23

7Wisdome is hie to a foole: therefore he can not open his mouth in the gate.

Saying 24

8Hee that imagineth to doe euill, men shall call him an autour of wickednes.

9The wicked thought of a foole is sinne, and the scorner is an abomination vnto men.

Saying 25

10If thou bee faint in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.

11Deliuer them that are drawen to death: wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slaine?

12If thou say, Beholde, we knew not of it: he that pondereth the heartes, doeth not hee vnderstand it? And hee that keepeth thy soule, knoweth he it not? Will not he also recompense euery man according to his workes?

Saying 26

13My sonne, eate hony, for it is good, and the hony combe, for it is sweete vnto thy mouth.

14So shall the knowledge of wisdome be vnto thy soule, if thou finde it, and there shall be an ende, and thine hope shall not be cut off.

Saying 27

15Laye no waite, O wicked man, against the house of the righteous, and spoyle not his resting place.

16For a iust man falleth seuen times, and riseth againe: but the wicked fall into mischiefe.

Saying 28

17Bee thou not glad when thine enemie falleth, and let not thine heart reioyce when hee stumbleth,

18Least the Lorde see it, and it displease him, and he turne his wrath from him.

Saying 29

19Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious, neither be enuious at the wicked.

20For there shall bee none ende of plagues to the euill man: the light of the wicked shall bee put out.

Saying 30

21My sonne feare the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are sedicious.

22For their destruction shal rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both?

Further Sayings of the Wise

23Also these things perteine to the wise, It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement.

24He that saith to the wicked, Thou art righteous, him shall the people curse, and the multitude shall abhorre him.

25But to them that rebuke him, shall be pleasure, and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse.

26They shall kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright wordes.

27Prepare thy worke without, and make readie thy thinges in the fielde, and after, builde thine house.

28Be not a witnes against thy neighbour without cause: for wilt thou deceiue with thy lippes?

29Say not, I wil doe to him, as he hath done to mee, I will recompence euery man according to his worke.

30I passed by the fielde of the slouthfull, and by the vineyarde of the man destitute of vnderstanding.

31And lo, it was al growen ouer with thornes, and nettles had couered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken downe.

32Then I behelde, and I considered it well: I looked vpon it, and receiued instruction.

33Yet a litle sleepe, a litle slumber, a litle folding of the handes to sleepe.

34So thy pouertie commeth as one that traueileth by the way, and thy necessitie like an armed man.