Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious against evil men, nor desire to be with them.
Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long to be with them.
2 For their heart meditates oppression, and their lips talk of mischief.
For their heart meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
3 Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established,
Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
4 and by knowledge the chambers are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
5 A wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge increases might.
A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] strength.
6 For by wise guidance thou shall make thy war, and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
For by wise counsel canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool. He opens not his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: in the gate can he not open his mouth.
8 He who devises to do evil, men shall call him a mischief-maker.
Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
9 The thought of folly is sin. And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
11 Deliver those who are carried away to death, and hold thou back those who are ready to be slain.
Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
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 thou shouldst say, Behold, we know not this man: lo, he that weigheth hearts will truly regard it, and he that keepeth thy soul will surely know it; and he will give a recompense to man according to his doing.
13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste,
Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
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 obtain the knowledge of wisdom for thy soul: when thou hast found her, then shall there be a [happy] future, 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.
Lie not in wait, O wicked man! against the dwelling of the righteous; waste not his resting-place;
16 For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown,
At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
18 lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
Lest the Lord see it and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn away from him his wrath.
19 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, nor be thou envious at the wicked.
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
For there will be no [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
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 and the king: with those that are desirous to change do not mingle thyself;
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and the destruction from them both, who knows it?
For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
23 These also are from the wise: To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
These things also are for 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.
Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
25 But to those who rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
27 Prepare thy work outside, and make it ready for thee in the field, and afterwards build thy house.
Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, and deceive not with thy lips.
Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile 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.
Say not, As he hath done to me so will I do to him: I will recompense every man according to his doing.
30 I went by the field of the sluggard, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.
By the field of a slothful man I once passed along, and by the vineyard of a man void of sense:
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, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
32 Then I beheld, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
And when I had indeed beheld [this] I took it to my heart: I saw it, and received a warning.
33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,
“A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
34 so thy poverty shall come as a robber, and thy want as an armed man.
But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
