Musar zu Ijow 40:1

The ninth section: One who honors evildoers in a way of peace. However he does not speak well about the evildoer and does not act to honor him in a way in which people will think that he is honoring him because he is honorable and precious in his eyes. Rather he only shows him respect in the way that people honor the rich, in the way of dignification; and with the hope of benefit, since their path has been successful - and not because of the grace of his arrangement. Nevertheless there is a sin and guilt in this thing. If it is permitted to honor the rich, it is not so with the evildoers - as it is stated (Job 40:11-12), “see every proud man and bring him low. See every proud man and humble him, and bring down the evildoers where they stand.” Nevertheless this section is permitted in the case of worry about something - lest the evildoer injure him and cause him a loss, at the time when the evildoer is strong and his time is brazen; and we do not have the ability to humble him, and to put him him down [with our soldiers]. Hence it is permitted to honor him in the way we honor very intimidating people out of fear and terror, by rising for them, noting them and that which is similar to these. However, one should not praise him, nor speak well about him to people. And likewise did our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, say (Sotah 41b), “It is permissible to flatter evildoers in this world.”

As he ages, let him pray every night and let him arrange his prayers as petition. Let him restrain himself from approaching a woman, and let him eat less meat, and drink less wine, and let him occupy himself with the needs of the poor and the sick. Let him accompany the dead to their burial. Let him go to the graves of the dead each week, and let him stand alone among them, and let him remind his soul of that estate, just as a certain man did who was most depraved and lawless. People told of his abominable deeds in the presence of the king, and one man among them spoke up and said, “Your Majesty, know that now he has done much more evil than he has previously done, for I testify before you that I heard him in the middle of the night going to the graves to steal the shrouds of the dead, for my home is in the wall of this city.” The king commanded two of his faithful servants to search into the matter, and they followed the man in the night until they saw him enter a certain tomb, and from there he removed a chain of iron, and he bound this chain around his neck and he pulled it mightily with his hand, and he said, “Woe to you, O bruised body, O wretched substance, O desolate soul, O dejected spirit, O foolish reason, O incurable mortal, O man of earth, what is your hope, and what will your repentance be in the day that you lie down in this place and what will your answer be, you who are the enemy of His own soul, you who are the troubler of His spiritual good, why have you sold yourself to evil and dealt presumptuously, and concerning this state you did not think, and on whom did you rely, and where are your helpers, and where are those who are supposed to love you and be faithful to you, and where are your acquaintances now? Let them arise if they can help you at this evil time. You did the evil and now you must bear its consequences. You sowed and now you must reap. You rejected and now you will be rejected. Humble yourself, O foolish soul who blasphemes its Rock and profanes its glory. Know your foundation and discern your source. Behold now your home and your glory. The clod and the worm will subdue you and worms will divide you and bolts of flaming fire will devour you, and what will you do when you come to this place, a house of darkness and the shadow of death, a house of terror and confusion, a house of sorrow and wrath? The heavens will grow dark over you and the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood and the stars will withhold their light from you. Whither will you flee, whither will you escape? This is your home and your dwelling place. What need have you of the houses of men and magnificent temples? You thought spacious upper chambers to be your legacy; do you not know that just as others go forth from them, so will you go forth from them? O, my heart, my heart! Behold your house, narrow and dark and without light. Its lamps are extinguished as stars are extinguished. Here you will be as though you never were. You will die as though you never lived. You have done enough! Return to your God! Keep this hour in mind, for if you were able to escape from it, you would surely do so. And I too would praise you that your right hand has been able to help you (Job 40:14), but since your end is to be in this state and here you will lie in sorrow, know that there is no fruit for your labor except repentance.” When the king heard about this matter, he was astounded, and he wondered exceedingly concerning this man’s repentance, and the king humbled himself because of his evil deeds, and he and many men among the outlaws of his people repented.

This is what Shlomo said: "those who forsake the Torah praise the wicked, but those who keep the Torah contend with them" (Mishlei 28:4). For those who praise the wicked on his wickedness and do not rebuke his deeds to his face, behold, they are the "forsakers of Torah" who abandon it to be desecrated, G-d forbid. But the guardians of the Torah who strengthen themselves to strengthen it, will certainly contend with the wicked and be unable to restrain themselves and be silent. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Iyov: "Scatter forth the wrath of your anger; see every arrogant man and submit him; tread down the wicked in their place; press them in the earth together, push their faces in the ground" (Iyov 40:11-13). For this is the intense love that he who truly loves His Creator can demonstrate, and it is written: "those who love G-d hate evil" (Tehilim 97:10).