Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
[My] son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.
2 for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs.
3 Through wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established;
A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding.
4 and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance.
By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth.
5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate.
6 For with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
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 will not open his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord,
8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues.
but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed [men].
9 The purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.
The fools also dies in sins; and uncleanness [attaches] to a pestilent man.
10 [If] thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.
He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.
11 Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.
Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not [your help].
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work.
But if you should 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 a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste:
[My] son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that your throat may be sweetened.
14 so consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
Thus shall you perceive wisdom in your soul: for if you find it, your end shall be good, and hope shall not fail you.
15 Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste 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 the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.
For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise [again]: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
If your enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow.
18 lest Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him.
For the Lord will see [it], and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, [and] be not envious of the wicked:
Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners.
20 for there shall be no future to the evil [man]; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.
[My] son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance [inflicted] by both?
23 These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
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 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations.
25 but to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them.
But they that reprove [him] shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them;
26 He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
and [men] will kiss lips that answer well.
27 Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterwards build thy house.
Prepare your works for [your] going forth, and prepare yourself for the field; and come after me, and you shall rebuild your house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?
Be not a false witness against your [fellow] citizen, neither exaggerate with your lips.
29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to 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 by the field of a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding;
A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard.
31 and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down.
If you let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down.
32 Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I 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 So shall thy poverty come [as] a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
But if you do this, your poverty will come speedily; and your lack like a swift courier.
