24 Do not envy men of evil,
    and do not desire to be with them.
² For their minds will devise violence,
    and their lips will speak mischief.
³ By wisdom a house is built,
    and by understanding it is established.
⁴ And by knowledge, rooms are filled
    with all riches, precious and pleasant.
⁵ The warrior of wisdom is in strength,
    and a man of knowledge is strong in power.
⁶ For with wise guidance you shall make war for yourself,
    and victory is in an abundance of counsel.
⁷ Wisdom is too high for fools;
    at the gate he will not open his mouth.
⁸ He who plans to do evil for^[a] himself,
    they will call him “master^[b] of mischief.”
⁹ Devising folly is a sin,
    and an abomination to humankind is a scoffer.
¹⁰ If you faint on the day of adversity,
    little is your strength.
¹¹ Rescue those who are led away to the death
    and those who stagger to the slaughter. If you hold back,
¹² if you say, “Look, we do not know this,”
    does not he who weighs hearts perceive it?
    And he who keeps your soul,^[c]
    he knows and will repay humankind according to his deeds.
¹³ My child, eat honey, for it is good,
    and the dripping of the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
¹⁴ Thus know wisdom for the sake of your soul,^[d]
    if you find it, then there is a future,
    and your hope will not be cut off.
¹⁵ Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against the home of the righteous;
    do not do violence to his dwelling place.
¹⁶ For seven times the righteous will fall, but he will rise,
    but the wicked will be overthrown by calamity.
¹⁷ While your enemies are falling, do not rejoice;
    when he trips himself, may your heart^[e] not be glad
¹⁸ lest Yahweh see and it be evil in his eyes,
    and turn his anger away from him.
¹⁹ Do not fret because of the evildoers;
    do not envy the wicked.
²⁰ For there will not be a future for the evil;
    the lamp of the wicked will die out.
²¹ Fear Yahweh, my son, and the king;
    with those who change, do not associate.
²² For suddenly their disaster will come,
    and the ruin of both of them,^[f] who knows?
²³ These sayings are also for the wise:
    Partiality^[g] in judgment is not good.
²⁴ Whoever says to the guilty, “You are righteous,” the people will curse him;
    the nations will abhor him.
²⁵ But they who rebuke will have delight,
    and upon them blessings of goodness will come.
²⁶ He will kiss the lips,
    he who gives an honest answer.
²⁷ Prepare your work in the street and get it ready for yourself in the field;
    afterward, then^[h] you shall build your house.
²⁸ Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor
    nor deceive with your lips.
²⁹ Do not say, “Just as he has done to me, so shall I do to him;
    I will pay back the man according to his deed.”
³⁰ I passed by the field of a lazy person,
    and over the vineyard of a person lacking sense;^[i]
31 and behold, it was overgrown—all of it was covered with thorns, its surface with nettles,
    and its stone wall^[j] was broken down.
³² Then I myself saw and my heart^[k] considered;
    I looked, and I took hold of instruction:
³³ A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands for rest,
³⁴ and your poverty will come running,
    and your lack like an armed warrior.