Proverbs 24
1 Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.
Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:
2 For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions.
For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.
3 By wisdom shall a house be built, and by prudence shall it be strengthened.
The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:
4 By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful.
And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.
5 A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant.
A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.
6 For war is undertaken in an orderly manner, and safety shall be where there are many counsels.
For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.
7 Wisdom is beyond the foolish; at the gate he will not open his mouth.
Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.
8 Whoever intends to do evil shall be called foolish.
He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.
9 The intention of the foolish is sin. And the detractor is an abomination among men.
The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.
10 If you despair, being weary in the day of anguish, your strength will be diminished.
If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.
11 Rescue those who are led away to death. And do not cease from delivering those who are dragged away to a violent death.
Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.
12 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.
If you say, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?
13 My son, eat honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, because it is so sweet to your throat.
My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:
14 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.
So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait, and do not seek impiety in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:
16 For the just one will fall seven times, and he shall rise again. But the impious will fall into evil.
For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.
17 When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,
Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:
18 lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.
For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.
19 Do not contend with the most wicked, and do not be a rival to the impious.
Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:
20 For the evil hold no hope in the future, and the lamp of the impious will be extinguished.
For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
21 My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king. And do not mingle with detractors.
My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
22 For their perdition shall rise up suddenly. And who knows what ruin will be for each of them?
For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
23 Likewise, these things are for the wise. It is not good to base judgment on knowledge of character.
These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.
24 Those who say to the impious, “You are just,” shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall detest them.
He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 Those who argue against the impious shall be praised, and a blessing shall come upon them.
But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.
26 He shall kiss the lips, who responds with upright words.
He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.
27 Prepare your outdoor work, and diligently cultivate your field, so that afterward, you may build your house.
Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.
28 Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone with your lips.
Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.
29 Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me.” I will repay each one according to his work.
Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.
30 I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man,
I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;
31 and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed.
And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline.
Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.
33 You will sleep a little,” I said. “You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest.
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
34 And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man.”
So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
