Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou enuious against euill men, neither desire to be with them.
Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long to be with them.
2 For their heart imagineth destruction, and their lippes speake mischiefe.
For their heart meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
3 Through wisdome is an house builded, and with vnderstanding it is established.
Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
4 And by knowledge shall the chambers bee filled with all precious, and pleasant riches.
And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
5 A wise man is strong: for a man of vnderstanding encreaseth his strength.
A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] strength.
6 For with counsel thou shalt enterprise thy warre, and in the multitude of them that can giue counsell, is health.
For by wise counsel canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
7 Wisdome is hie to a foole: therefore he can not open his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: in the gate can he not open his mouth.
8 Hee that imagineth to doe euill, men shall call him an autour of wickednes.
Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
9 The wicked thought of a foole is sinne, and the scorner is an abomination vnto men.
The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
10 If thou bee faint in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.
If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
11 Deliuer them that are drawen to death: wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slaine?
Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
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 shouldst say, Behold, we know not this man: lo, he that weigheth hearts will truly regard it, and he that keepeth thy soul will surely know it; and he will give a recompense to man according to his doing.
13 My sonne, eate hony, for it is good, and the hony combe, for it is sweete vnto thy mouth.
Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
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 obtain the knowledge of wisdom for thy soul: when thou hast found her, then shall there be a [happy] 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; waste not his resting-place;
16 For a iust man falleth seuen times, and riseth againe: but the wicked fall into mischiefe.
For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
17 Bee thou not glad when thine enemie falleth, and let not thine heart reioyce when hee stumbleth,
At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
18 Least the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turne his wrath from him.
Lest the Lord see it and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn away from him his wrath.
19 Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious, neither be enuious at the wicked.
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of 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 [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
21 My sonne feare the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are sedicious.
My son, fear the Lord and the king: with those that are desirous to change do not mingle thyself;
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both?
For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
23 ALSO THESE THINGS PERTEINE TO THE WISE, It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement.
These things also are for 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.
Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
25 But to them that rebuke him, shall be pleasure, and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse.
But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
26 They shall kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright wordes.
Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
27 Prepare thy worke without, and make readie thy thinges in the fielde, and after, builde thine house.
Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
28 Be not a witnes against thy neighbour without cause: for wilt thou deceiue with thy lippes?
Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile 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, As he hath done to me so will I do to him: I will recompense every man according to his doing.
30 I passed by the fielde of the slouthfull, and by the vineyarde of the man destitute of vnderstanding.
By the field of a slothful man I once passed along, and by the vineyard of a man void of sense:
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 thorns, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
32 Then I behelde, and I considered it well: I looked vpon it, and receiued instruction.
And when I had indeed beheld [this] I took it to my heart: I saw it, and received a warning.
33 Yet a litle sleepe, a litle slumber, a litle folding of the handes to sleepe.
“A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
34 So thy pouertie commeth as one that traueileth by the way, and thy necessitie like an armed man.
But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
