Proverbs 24

1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not to be with them!

2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

For their heart studieth destruction, And their lips speak mischief.

3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;

4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.

5 A wise man [is] strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.

6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors [there is] safety.

For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.

7 Wisdom [is] too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

Wisdom is too high for the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.

8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.

9 The thought of foolishness [is] sin: and the scorner [is] an abomination to men.

The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 [If] thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength [is] small.

If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.

11 If thou forbear to deliver [them that are] drawn unto death, and [those that are] ready to be slain;

Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!

12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart 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?

If thou sayst, “Behold, we knew it not!” Doth not he that weigheth the heart observe it? Yea, he that keepeth thy soul knoweth it. And he will render to every man according to his works.

13 My son, eat thou honey, because [it is] good; and the honeycomb, [which is] sweet to thy taste:

Eat honey, my son, for it is good, And the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste;

14 So [shall] the knowledge of wisdom [be] unto thy soul: when thou hast found [it], then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

So learn thou wisdom for thy soul! When thou hast found it, there shall be a reward, And thy expectation shall not be cut off.

15 Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not his resting-place!

16 For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

For though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.

17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;

18 Lest the LORD see [it], and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

Lest the LORD see, and it displease him, And he turn away his anger from him.

19 Fret not thyself because of evil [men], neither be thou envious at the wicked;

Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;

20 For there shall be no reward to the evil [man; ] the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

For there shall be no posterity to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: [and] meddle not with them that are given to change:

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king; And mingle not with them that are given to change!

22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

For their calamity shall rise up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.

23 These [things] also [belong] to the wise. [It is] not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

These also are words of the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou [art] righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

He that saith to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.

25 But to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.

26 [Every man] shall kiss [his] lips that giveth a right answer.

He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.

27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.

28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive [not] with thy lips.

Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not with thy lips.

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.

Say not, “As he hath done to me, So will I do to him; I will render to the man according to his doings.”

30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

I passed by the field of the slothful, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding,

31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, [and] nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

And, lo! it was all overgrown with thorns, And the face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.

32 Then I saw, [and] considered [it] well: I looked upon [it, and] received instruction.

Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. and received instruction.

33 [Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

“A little sleep, a little slumber! A little folding of the hands to rest!”

34 So shall thy poverty come [as] one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.