Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.
Ne zavidi opakim ljudima niti želi da budeš s njima.
2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
Jer im srce smišlja nasilje i usne govore o nedjelu.
3 Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;
Mudrošću se zida kuća i razborom utvrđuje,
4 And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
i po znanju se pune klijeti svakim blagom dragocjenim i ljupkim.
5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
Bolji je mudar od jakoga i čovjek razuman od silne ljudine.
6 For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Jer s promišljanjem se ide u boj i pobjeda je u mnoštvu savjetnika.
7 Wisdom is as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
Previsoka je bezumnomu mudrost: zato na sudu ne otvara usta svojih!
8 He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
Tko smišlja zlo zove se učitelj podmukli.
9 The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.
Ludost samo grijeh snuje, i podrugljivac je mrzak ljudima.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.
Kloneš li u dan bijede, bijedna je tvoja snaga.
11 Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?
Izbavi one koje vode u smrt; i spasavaj one koji posrćući idu na stratište.
12 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?
Ako kažeš: “Nismo za to znali”, ne razumije li onaj koji ispituje srca? I ne znade li onaj koji ti čuva dušu? I ne plaća li on svakomu po njegovim djelima?
13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy taste;
Jedi med, sine moj, jer je dobar, i saće je slatko nepcu tvome.
14 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.
Takva je, znaj, i mudrost tvojoj duši: ako je nađeš, našao si budućnost i nada tvoja neće propasti.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;
Ne postavljaj, opaki, zasjede stanu pravednikovu, ne čini nasilja boravištu njegovu;
16 For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.
jer padne li pravednik i sedam puta, on ustaje, a opaki propadaju u nesreći.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
Ne veseli se kad padne neprijatelj tvoj i ne kliči srcem kada on posrće,
18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
da ne bi vidio Jahve i za zlo uzeo i obratio srdžbu svoju od njega.
19 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
Nemoj se srditi zbog zločinaca, nemoj zavidjeti opakima,
20 For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
jer zao čovjek nema budućnosti, svjetiljka opakih gasi se.
21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;
Boj se Jahve, sine moj, i kralja: i ne buni se ni protiv jednoga ni protiv drugoga.
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?
Jer iznenada provaljuje nesreća njihova i tko zna kad će doći propast njihova.
23 These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
I ovo je od mudraca: Ne valja biti pristran na sudu.
24 He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;
Tko opakomu veli: “Pravedan si”, proklinju ga narodi i kunu puci;
25 But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
a oni koji ga ukore nalaze zadovoljstvo, i na njih dolazi blagoslov sreće.
26 He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
U usta ljubi tko odgovara pošteno.
27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
Svrši svoj posao vani i uredi svoje polje, potom i kuću svoju zidaj.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
Ne svjedoči lažno na bližnjega svoga: zar ćeš varati usnama svojim?
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.'
Ne reci: “Kako je on meni učinio, tako ću i ja njemu; platit ću tom čovjeku po djelu njegovu!”
30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Prolazio sam mimo polje nekog lijenčine i mimo vinograd nekog luđaka,
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
i gle, sve bijaše zaraslo u koprive, i sve pokrio čkalj, i kamena ograda porušena.
32 Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.
Vidjeh to i pohranih u srcu, promotrih i uzeh pouku:
33 'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —
“Još malo odspavaj, još malo odrijemaj, još malo podvij ruke za počinak,
34 So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.
i doći će tvoje siromaštvo kao skitač i oskudica kao oružanik!”
