Proverbs 24
1 Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.
2 for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions.
3 By 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 through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful.
5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant.
6 Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
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 does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
Wisdom is beyond the foolish; at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
Whoever intends to do evil shall be called foolish.
9 A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
The intention of the foolish is sin. And the detractor is an abomination among men.
10 If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
If you despair, being weary in the day of anguish, your strength will be diminished.
11 Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
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 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?
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 Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
My son, eat honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, because it is so sweet to your throat.
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.
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 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling 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 though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
For the just one will fall seven times, and he shall rise again. But the impious will fall into evil.
17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,
18 or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.
19 Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
Do not contend with the most wicked, and do not be a rival to the impious.
20 For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
For the evil hold no hope in the future, and the lamp of the impious will be extinguished.
21 My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king. And do not mingle with detractors.
22 For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
For their perdition shall rise up suddenly. And who knows what ruin will be for each of them?
23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
Likewise, these things are for the wise. It is not good to base judgment on knowledge of character.
24 Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
Those who say to the impious, “You are just,” shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall detest them.
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
Those who argue against the impious shall be praised, and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
He shall kiss the lips, who responds with upright words.
27 Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
Prepare your outdoor work, and diligently cultivate your field, so that afterward, you may build your house.
28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone with your 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.”
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 past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man,
31 Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed.
32 I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
You will sleep a little,” I said. “You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest.
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man.”
