The Berean Pursuit

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

These are also proverbs of Solomon which officials of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:
The glory of God conceals things,
    but the glory of kings searches out things.
As heaven is to height and the earth is to depth,
    so is the heart of kings—there is no searching.
Remove the dross from silver,
    and it will become a vessel for the smith.
Remove the wicked before a king,
    and his throne will be established in righteousness.
Do not promote yourself before the king,
    and in the place of the great ones do not stand.
For it is better that he say to you, "Ascend here,"
    than he humble you before a noble.
What your eyes have seen,
do not hastily bring out to court,
    for what will you do at its end,
    when your neighbor puts you to shame?
Argue your argument with your neighbor himself,
    the secret of another do not disclose,
lest he who hears shame you
    and your ill repute will not end.
Apples of gold in a setting of silver
    is a matter spoken at its proper time.
A ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
    is a rebuke of the wise to the ear of a listener.
Like the cold of snow on a day of harvest
    is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
    and the soul of his master is refreshed.
Like clouds and wind when there is no rain,
    so too is a man who boasts in a gift of deception.
With patience a ruler may be persuaded,
    and a soft tongue will break a bone.
If you find honey, eat what is sufficient for you,
    lest you have your fill of it and vomit it out.
Make your foot scarce in the house of your neighbor,
    lest he become weary of you and hate you.
Like a club and sword and a sharp arrow
    is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
A bad tooth and a lame foot
    is the trust of a faithless person in a time of trouble.
Like one who removes a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on natron,
    is he who sings songs to a heavy heart.
If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread,
    and if thirsty, let him drink water.
For coals of fire you will heap upon his head,
    and Yahweh will reward you.
The wind of the north produces rain,
    and a backbiting tongue, angry faces.
Better to live upon the corner of a roof
    than with a woman of contention and in a shared house.
Like cold water upon a weary soul,
    so too is good news from a distant place.
Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
    is the righteous who gives way before the wicked.
To eat much honey is not good,
    nor is seeking one’s honor honorable.
A breached city where there is no wall
    is like a man who has no self-control for his spirit.

Blessed is the one who has regard for the poor;
in the day of disaster, Yahweh delivers him.
Yahweh protects him and keeps him alive;
he is blessed in the land,
and you do not give him
into the will of his enemies.
Yahweh sustains him on his sick bed.
In his illness, you restore to health.
As for me, I said, "O Yahweh, be gracious to me.
Heal me, for I have sinned against you."
My enemies speak evil about me,
"When will he die and his name perish?"
And when one comes to see me, he speaks falsely;
his heart gathers disaster for itself.
He goes out to the street; he speaks.
All who hate me speak together against me.
Against me they assume the worst for me:
"A ruinous thing is poured out on him,
and now that he lies down, he will not rise up again."
Even my close friend, whom I trusted,
who ate my bread,
has lifted his heel against me.
But you, O Yahweh, be gracious to me and raise me up
that I may repay them.
By this I know that you delight in me:
because my enemy has not shouted in triumph over me.
As for me, you have upheld me in my integrity,
and you have set me in your presence forever.
Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.