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Chapter 24
1 Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
2 Because their mind studies 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 devises to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9 The thought of a fool is sin: and the detractor is the abomination of men.
10 If you lose hope being weary in the day of distress, your 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 you say: I have not strength enough: he that sees into the heart, he understands, and nothing deceives the keeper of your soul, end 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 your throat:
14 So also is the doctrine of wisdom to your soul: which when you have found, you shall have hope in the end, and your 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 mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17 When your enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not your 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 detractors.
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who know 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: you are 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 answers right words.
27 Prepare your work without, and diligently till your ground: that afterward you may build your house.
28 Be not witness without cause against your neighbour: and deceive not any man with your lips.
29 Say not: I will do to him as he has 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 You will sleep a little, said I, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to rest:
34 And poverty shall come to you as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.