Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious against evil men, nor desire to be with them.
[My] son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.
2 For their heart meditates oppression, and their lips talk of mischief.
For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs.
3 Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established,
A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding.
4 and by knowledge the chambers are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth.
5 A wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge increases might.
A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate.
6 For by wise guidance thou shall make thy war, and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
War is carried on with generalship, and aid is supplied to the heart of a counsellor.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool. He opens not his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord,
8 He who devises to do evil, men shall call him a mischief-maker.
but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed [men].
9 The thought of folly is sin. And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
The fools also dies in sins; and uncleanness [attaches] to a pestilent man.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.
11 Deliver those who are carried away to death, and hold thou back those who are ready to be slain.
Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not [your help].
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?
But if you should say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders to every man according to his works.
13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste,
[My] son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that your throat may be sweetened.
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.
Thus shall you perceive wisdom in your soul: for if you find it, your end shall be good, and hope shall not fail you.
15 Lay not in wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Do not destroy his resting place.
Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly.
16 For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise [again]: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown,
If your enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow.
18 lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
For the Lord will see [it], and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, nor be thou envious at the wicked.
Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners.
20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light 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.
[My] son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and the destruction from them both, who knows it?
For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance [inflicted] by both?
23 These also are from the wise: To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
And this thing I say to you that are wise [for you] to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgement.
24 He who says to a wicked man, Thou are righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him.
He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful amongst the nations.
25 But to those who rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
But they that reprove [him] shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them;
26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
and [men] will kiss lips that answer well.
27 Prepare thy work outside, and make it ready for thee in the field, and afterwards build thy house.
Prepare your works for [your] going forth, and prepare yourself for the field; and come after me, and you shall rebuild your house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, and deceive not with thy lips.
Be not a false witness against your [fellow] citizen, neither exaggerate with your 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.
Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me.
30 I went by the field of the sluggard, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.
A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard.
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.
If you let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down.
32 Then I beheld, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction.
33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,
[The sluggard says, ]I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across [my] breast.
34 so thy poverty shall come as a robber, and thy want as an armed man.
But if you do this, your poverty will come speedily; and your lack like a swift courier.
