Proverbs 24
1 Don't be jealous of evil people; don't long to spend time with them,
Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 for they think up cruel plans and discuss how to cause trouble.
For their heart studieth oppression, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 A house is built by wisdom; its foundation is made secure through understanding.
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
4 Its rooms are filled by knowledge with all kinds of valuable and beautiful objects.
And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 If you have wisdom, you are strong; if you have knowledge, your power increases,
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might.
6 for with wise guidance you can go to war; you will be victorious by having many good advisors.
For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war: and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Wisdom goes over the heads of stupid people; they have nothing to contribute when important matters are discussed.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 Anyone who plans to do evil will be seen as a troublemaker.
He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
9 Plans thought up by stupid people are sinful. Everyone hates those who are scornful of others.
The thought of the foolish is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 If you give up in times of trouble, it shows how weak you are.
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
11 Rescue those who are being led away to be executed; save those who are stumbling on their way to be slaughtered.
Deliver them that are carried away unto death, and those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
12 If you say, “Look, we didn't know anything about this,” don't you think the God who judges your motives will see what's happening? He who watches over you knows, and he will pay people back for what they've done.
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew not this: doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his work?
13 My son, eating honey is good for you; the honeycomb tastes sweet.
My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
14 In the same way, you should know that wisdom is good for you; if you find it, there will be a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul: if thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
15 Don't be like a criminal waiting to ambush the home of good people; don't attack the place where they live.
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
16 Those who do right may fall down seven times, and still get up again; but the wicked are brought down by disaster.
For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17 Don't celebrate when your enemies fall; don't be glad when they trip up,
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he is overthrown:
18 otherwise when the Lord sees it, he'll be unhappy with you and won't punish your enemies as he planned.
Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Don't get all upset over the wicked, or be jealous of those who do wrong,
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; neither be thou envious at the wicked:
20 for evil people have no future—the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
For there will be no reward to the evil man; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, honor the Lord and the king, and don't join those who are rebellious,
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: [and] meddle not with them that are given to change:
22 for disaster will suddenly fall on them. Who knows how the Lord and king will punish them?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the destruction of them both?
23 These are more sayings of the wise: Showing favoritism when passing judgment is wrong.
These also are [sayings] of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24 Those who tell the guilty, “You're innocent,” will be cursed by the people and hated by the nation,
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him:
25 while those who convict the guilty will be appreciated, and will receive a rich blessing.
But to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 An honest answer is a kiss on the lips.
He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Do the work you need to do outside first, then prepare and sow your fields, and only after that start building your house.
Prepare thy work without, and make it ready for thee in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
28 Don't testify against your neighbors without having a good reason, and don't tell lies.
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
29 Don't say to yourself, “I'm going to do to him what he did to me! I'll pay him back for what he's done!”
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.
30 I walked past the field of a lazy man, past a vineyard of someone with no sense.
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 It was all overgrown with thorns, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall had fallen down.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 As I looked I thought about it, and what I saw taught me a lesson:
Then I beheld, and considered well: I saw, and received instruction.
33 You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34 and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
So shall thy poverty come as a robber; and thy want as an armed man.
