Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious against evil men, nor desire to be with them.
Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.
2 For their heart meditates oppression, and their lips talk of mischief.
For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions.
3 Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established,
By wisdom shall a house be built, and by prudence shall it be strengthened.
4 and by knowledge the chambers are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful.
5 A wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge increases might.
A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant.
6 For by wise guidance thou shall make thy war, and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
For war is undertaken in an orderly manner, and safety shall be where there are many counsels.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool. He opens not his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is beyond the foolish; at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 He who devises to do evil, men shall call him a mischief-maker.
Whoever intends to do evil shall be called foolish.
9 The thought of folly is sin. And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
The intention of the foolish is sin. And the detractor is an abomination among men.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
If you despair, being weary in the day of anguish, your strength will be diminished.
11 Deliver those who are carried away to death, and hold thou back those who are ready to be slain.
Rescue those who are led away to death. And do not cease from delivering those who are dragged away to a violent death.
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?
If you would say: “I do not have sufficient strength.” He who inspects the heart, the same one understands, and nothing slips past the one who preserves your soul. And he shall repay a 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, because it is good, and the honeycomb, because it is so sweet to your throat.
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.
So, too, is the doctrine of wisdom to your soul. When you have found it, you will have hope in the end, and your hope shall not perish.
15 Lay not in wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Do not destroy his resting place.
Do not lie in wait, and do not seek impiety in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
For the just one will fall seven times, and he shall rise again. But the impious will fall into evil.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown,
When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,
18 lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, nor be thou envious at the wicked.
Do not contend with the most wicked, and do not be a rival to the impious.
20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
For the evil hold no hope in the future, and the lamp of the impious will be extinguished.
21 My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king, and do not associate with those who are given to change.
My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king. And do not mingle with detractors.
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and the destruction from them both, who knows it?
For their perdition shall rise up suddenly. And who knows what ruin will be for each of them?
23 These also are from the wise: To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
Likewise, these things are for the wise. It is not good to base judgment on knowledge of character.
24 He who says to a wicked man, Thou are righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him.
Those who say to the impious, “You are just,” shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall detest them.
25 But to those who rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
Those who argue against the impious shall be praised, and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
He shall kiss the lips, who responds with upright words.
27 Prepare thy work outside, and make it ready for thee in the field, and afterwards build thy house.
Prepare your outdoor work, and diligently cultivate your field, so that afterward, you may build your house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, and deceive not with thy lips.
Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone 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.
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me.” I will repay each one according to his work.
30 I went by the field of the sluggard, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.
I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man,
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.
and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed.
32 Then I beheld, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline.
33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,
You will sleep a little,” I said. “You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest.
34 so thy poverty shall come as a robber, and thy want as an armed man.
And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man.”
