Proverbs - The Old Testament

¹ Do not be envious of the wicked or wish for their company,

² for their hearts are scheming violence, their lips talking mischief.

³ By wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is made strong;

⁴ by knowledge its storerooms are filled with riches of every kind, rare and desirable.

⁵ The wise is mighty in power, strength is reinforced by science;

⁶ for it is by strategy that you wage war, and victory depends on having many counsellors.

⁷ For a fool wisdom is an inaccessible fortress: at the city gate he does not open his mouth.

⁸ Anyone intent on evil-doing is known as a master in cunning.

⁹ Folly dreams of nothing but sin, the mocker is abhorrent.

¹⁰ If you lose heart when things go wrong, your strength is not worth much.

¹¹ Save those being dragged towards death, but can you rescue those on their way to execution?

¹² If you say, 'But look, we did not know,' will the Weigher of the heart pay no attention? Will not the Guardian of your soul be aware and repay you as your deeds deserve?

¹³ Eat honey, my child, since it is good; honey that drips from the comb is sweet to the taste:

¹⁴ and so, for sure, will wisdom be to your soul: find it and you will have a future and your hope will not be cut short.

¹⁵ Do not lurk, wicked man, round the upright man's dwelling, do not despoil his house.

¹⁶ For though the upright falls seven times, he gets up again; the wicked are the ones who stumble in adversity.

¹⁷ Should your enemy fall, do not rejoice, when he stumbles do not let your heart exult:

¹⁸ for fear that Yahweh will be displeased at the sight and turn his anger away from him.

¹⁹ Do not be indignant about the wicked, do not be envious of the evil,

²⁰ for there is no future for the evil, the lamp of the wicked will go out.

²¹ Fear Yahweh, my child, and fear the king; do not ally yourself with innovators;

²² for suddenly disaster will loom for them, and who knows what ruin will seize them and their friends?

²³ The following are also taken from the sages: To show partiality in judgement is not good.

²⁴ Whoever tells the wicked, 'You are upright,' peoples curse him, nations revile him;

²⁵ but those who correct him, come out of it well, on them will come a happy blessing.

²⁶ Whoever returns an honest answer, plants a kiss on the lips.

²⁷ Plan what you want on the open ground, make your preparation in the field; then go and build your house.

²⁸ Do not bear witness lightly against your neighbour, nor deceive with your lips.

²⁹ Do not say, 'I will treat my neighbour as my neighbour treated me; I will repay everyone what each has earned.'

³⁰ By the idler's field I was passing, by the vineyard of a man who had no sense,

³¹ there it all lay, deep in thorns, entirely overgrown with weeds, and its stone wall broken down.

³² And as I gazed I pondered, I drew this lesson from the sight,

³³ 'A little sleep, a little drowsiness, a little folding of the arms to lie back

³⁴ and poverty comes like a vagrant, and, like a beggar, dearth.'