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My Son, Fear Yahweh

¹ Do not be ^(C1)jealous of evil men,
And do not desire to ^(C2)be with them;

² For their heart meditates on ^(C1)destruction,
And their lips ^(C2)talk of mischief.

^3 (C1)By wisdom a house is built,
And by discernment it is firmly established;

⁴ And by knowledge the rooms are ^(C1)filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

⁵ A ^(C1)wise man is ^(F1)strong,
And a man of knowledge strengthens his power.

⁶ For ^(C1)by guidance you will make war,
And ^(C2)in abundance of counselors there is salvation.

⁷ Wisdom is ^(C1)too exalted for an ignorant fool,
He does not open his mouth ^(C2)in the gate.

⁸ One who ^(C1)deliberately thinks to do evil,
Men will call a ^(F1)schemer.

⁹ The ^(C1)scheming of folly is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

¹⁰ If you ^(C1)are slack in the day of trouble,
Your strength is in trouble.

^11 (C1)Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.

¹² If you say, "Behold, we did not know this,"
Does not He ^(C1)who weighs the hearts ^(C2)understand?
And ^(C3)does not He who ^(C4)guards your soul know?
And will not He ^(F1)(C5)render to man according to his work?

¹³ Eat ^(C1)honey, my son, for it is good,
Indeed, the ^(C2)honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

¹⁴ Know that ^(C1)wisdom is thus for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a ^(F1)(C2)future,
And your hope will not be cut off.

^15 (C1)Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the abode of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;

¹⁶ For a ^(C1)righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the ^(C2)wicked will stumble in ^(F1)calamity.

¹⁷ When your enemy falls, ^(C1)do not be glad,
And when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice;

¹⁸ Lest Yahweh see it and it be evil in His eyes,
And turn His anger away from him.

^19 (C1)Do not fret because of evildoers
Do not be ^(C2)jealous of the wicked;

²⁰ For ^(C1)there will be no ^(F1)(C2)future for the evil one;
The ^(C3)lamp of the wicked will go out.

²¹ My son, ^(F1)(C1)fear Yahweh and the king;
Do not associate with those who change,

²² For suddenly their ^(C1)disaster will rise,
And who knows the upheaval that comes from both of them?

²³ These also are ^(C1)sayings of the wise.
To ^(F1)(C2)show partiality in judgment is not good.

²⁴ He ^(C1)who says to the wicked, "You are righteous,"
^(C2)Peoples will curse him, nations will be indignant with him;

²⁵ But ^(C1)to those who reprove the wicked, it will be pleasant,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

²⁶ He kisses the lips
Who responds with right words.

²⁷ Establish your work outside
And ^(C1)make it ready for yourself in the field;
And afterwards, you shall build your house.

²⁸ Do not be a ^(C1)witness against your neighbor without cause,
Nor ^(C2)deceive with your lips.

^29 (C1)Do not say, "As he did to me so I shall do to him;
I will ^(F1)render to the man according to his work."

³⁰ I passed by the field of the sluggard
And by the vineyard of the man ^(C1)lacking a heart of wisdom,

³¹ And behold, it was completely ^(F1)(C1)overgrown with thistles;
^(F2)(C2)Nettles have covered its surface,
And its stone ^(C3)wall has been torn down.

³² And I beheld, I set my heart upon it;
I saw, I received discipline.

³³ "^(C1)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,"

³⁴ Then your poverty will come as ^(F1)a robber
And your want like ^(F2)an armed man.