Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou enuious against euill men, neither desire to be with them.
Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 For their heart imagineth destruction, and their lippes speake mischiefe.
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Through wisdome is an house builded, and with vnderstanding it is established.
Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;
4 And by knowledge shall the chambers bee filled with all precious, and pleasant riches.
And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong: for a man of vnderstanding encreaseth his strength.
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 For with counsel thou shalt enterprise thy warre, and in the multitude of them that can giue counsell, is health.
For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Wisdome is hie to a foole: therefore he can not open his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 Hee that imagineth to doe euill, men shall call him an autour of wickednes.
He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
9 The wicked thought of a foole is sinne, and the scorner is an abomination vnto men.
The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 If thou bee faint in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.
11 Deliuer them that are drawen to death: wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slaine?
Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?
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 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 works?
13 My sonne, eate hony, for it is good, and the hony combe, for it is sweete vnto thy mouth.
My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy taste;
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 know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
15 Laye no waite, O wicked man, against the house of the righteous, and spoyle not his resting place.
Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;
16 For a iust man falleth seuen times, and riseth againe: but the wicked fall into mischiefe.
For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.
17 Bee thou not glad when thine enemie falleth, and let not thine heart reioyce when hee stumbleth,
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
18 Least the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turne his wrath from him.
Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
19 Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious, neither be enuious at the wicked.
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
20 For there shall bee none ende of plagues to the euill man: the light of the wicked shall bee put out.
For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My sonne feare the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are sedicious.
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?
23 ALSO THESE THINGS PERTEINE TO THE WISE, It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement.
These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24 He that saith to the wicked, Thou art righteous, him shall the people curse, and the multitude shall abhorre him.
He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;
25 But to them that rebuke him, shall be pleasure, and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse.
But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 They shall kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright wordes.
He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Prepare thy worke without, and make readie thy thinges in the fielde, and after, builde thine house.
Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
28 Be not a witnes against thy neighbour without cause: for wilt thou deceiue with thy lippes?
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
29 Say not, I wil doe to him, as he hath done to mee, I will recompence euery man according to his worke.
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 passed by the fielde of the slouthfull, and by the vineyarde of the man destitute of vnderstanding.
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
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, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Then I behelde, and I considered it well: I looked vpon it, and receiued instruction.
Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.
33 Yet a litle sleepe, a litle slumber, a litle folding of the handes to sleepe.
'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —
34 So thy pouertie commeth as one that traueileth by the way, and thy necessitie like an armed man.
So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.
