Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou enuious against euill men, neither desire to be with them.
Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.
2 For their heart imagineth destruction, and their lippes speake mischiefe.
For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions.
3 Through wisdome is an house builded, and with vnderstanding it is established.
By wisdom shall a house be built, and by prudence shall it be strengthened.
4 And by knowledge shall the chambers bee filled with all precious, and pleasant riches.
By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful.
5 A wise man is strong: for a man of vnderstanding encreaseth his strength.
A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant.
6 For with counsel thou shalt enterprise thy warre, and in the multitude of them that can giue counsell, is health.
For war is undertaken in an orderly manner, and safety shall be where there are many counsels.
7 Wisdome is hie to a foole: therefore he can not open his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is beyond the foolish; at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 Hee that imagineth to doe euill, men shall call him an autour of wickednes.
Whoever intends to do evil shall be called foolish.
9 The wicked thought of a foole is sinne, and the scorner is an abomination vnto men.
The intention of the foolish is sin. And the detractor is an abomination among men.
10 If thou bee faint in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.
If you despair, being weary in the day of anguish, your strength will be diminished.
11 Deliuer them that are drawen to death: wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slaine?
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 thou say, Beholde, we knew not of it: he that pondereth the heartes, doeth not hee vnderstand it? and hee that keepeth thy soule, knoweth he it not? will not he also recompense euery man according to his workes?
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 My sonne, eate hony, for it is good, and the hony combe, for it is sweete vnto thy mouth.
My son, eat honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, because it is so sweet to your throat.
14 So shall the knowledge of wisdome be vnto thy soule, if thou finde it, and there shall be an ende, and thine hope shall not 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 Laye no waite, O wicked man, against the house of the righteous, and spoyle not 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 a iust man falleth seuen times, and riseth againe: but the wicked fall into mischiefe.
For the just one will fall seven times, and he shall rise again. But the impious will fall into evil.
17 Bee thou not glad when thine enemie falleth, and let not thine heart reioyce when hee stumbleth,
When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,
18 Least the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turne his wrath from him.
lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious, neither be enuious at the wicked.
Do not contend with the most wicked, and do not be a rival to the impious.
20 For there shall bee none ende of plagues to the euill man: the light of the wicked shall bee put out.
For the evil hold no hope in the future, and the lamp of the impious will be extinguished.
21 My sonne feare the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are sedicious.
My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king. And do not mingle with detractors.
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both?
For their perdition shall rise up suddenly. And who knows what ruin will be for each of them?
23 ALSO THESE THINGS PERTEINE TO THE WISE, It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement.
Likewise, these things are for the wise. It is not good to base judgment on knowledge of character.
24 He that saith to the wicked, Thou art righteous, him shall the people curse, and the multitude shall abhorre him.
Those who say to the impious, “You are just,” shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall detest them.
25 But to them that rebuke him, shall be pleasure, and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse.
Those who argue against the impious shall be praised, and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 They shall kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright wordes.
He shall kiss the lips, who responds with upright words.
27 Prepare thy worke without, and make readie thy thinges in the fielde, and after, builde thine house.
Prepare your outdoor work, and diligently cultivate your field, so that afterward, you may build your house.
28 Be not a witnes against thy neighbour without cause: for wilt thou deceiue with thy lippes?
Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone with your lips.
29 Say not, I wil doe to him, as he hath done to mee, I will recompence euery man according to his worke.
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 passed by the fielde of the slouthfull, and by the vineyarde of the man destitute of vnderstanding.
I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man,
31 And lo, it was al growen ouer with thornes, and nettles had couered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken downe.
and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed.
32 Then I behelde, and I considered it well: I looked vpon it, and receiued instruction.
When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline.
33 Yet a litle sleepe, a litle slumber, a litle folding of the handes to sleepe.
You will sleep a little,” I said. “You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest.
34 So thy pouertie commeth as one that traueileth by the way, and thy necessitie like an armed man.
And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man.”
