Proverbs 24

1 Be not thou envious against evil men, nor desire to be with them.

2 For their heart meditates oppression, and their lips talk of mischief.

3 Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established,

4 and by knowledge the chambers are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge increases might.

6 For by wise guidance thou shall make thy war, and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

7 Wisdom is too high for a fool. He opens not his mouth in the gate.

8 He who devises to do evil, men shall call him a mischief-maker.

9 The thought of folly is sin. And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

11 Deliver those who are carried away to death, and hold thou back those who are ready to be slain.

12 If thou say, Behold, we did not know this, Does not he who weighs the hearts consider it? And he who keeps thy soul, does he not know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?

13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste,

14 so the knowledge of wisdom is to thy soul. If thou have found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy hope shall not be cut off.

15 Lay not in wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Do not destroy his resting place.

16 For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown,

18 lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, nor be thou envious at the wicked.

20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

21 My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king, and do not associate with those who are given to change.

22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and the destruction from them both, who knows it?

23 These also are from the wise: To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.

24 He who says to a wicked man, Thou are righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him.

25 But to those who rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

27 Prepare thy work outside, and make it ready for thee in the field, and afterwards build thy house.

28 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, and deceive not with thy lips.

29 Say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.

30 I went by the field of the sluggard, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.

31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns. The face of it was covered with nettles, and the stone wall of it was broken down.

32 Then I beheld, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:

33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,

34 so thy poverty shall come as a robber, and thy want as an armed man.