Proverbs 24
1 Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
[My] son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.
2 for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs.
3 By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding.
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth.
5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate.
6 Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
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 does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
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 plots evil will be called a schemer.
but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed [men].
9 A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
The fools also dies in sins; and uncleanness [attaches] to a pestilent man.
10 If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.
11 Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not [thy help].
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
But if thou shouldest 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 Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
[My] son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that thy throat may be sweetened.
14 Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
Thus shalt thou perceive wisdom in thy soul: for if thou find it, thine end shall be good, and hope shall not fail thee.
15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling 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 though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise [again]: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.
17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
If thine enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow.
18 or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
For the Lord will see [it], and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him.
19 Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners.
20 For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
[My] son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.
22 For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance [inflicted] by both?
23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality 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 judgment.
24 Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations.
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
But they that reprove [him] shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them;
26 An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
and [men] will kiss lips that answer well.
27 Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
Prepare thy works for [thy] going forth, and prepare thyself for the field; and come after me, and thou shalt rebuild thine house.
28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
Be not a false witness against thy [fellow] citizen, neither exaggerate with thy lips.
29 Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay 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 past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard.
31 Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
If thou let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down.
32 I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
[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 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
But if thou do this, thy poverty will come speedily; and thy want like a swift courier.
