Proverbs 24
1 [My] son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.
Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs.
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding.
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
4 By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth.
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate.
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 War is carried on with generalship, and aid is supplied to the heart of a counsellor.
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety.
7 Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord,
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed [men].
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
9 The fools also dies in sins; and uncleanness [attaches] to a pestilent man.
The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
11 Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not [your help].
If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
12 But if you should say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders to every man according to his works.
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?
13 [My] son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that your throat may be sweetened.
My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
14 Thus shall you perceive wisdom in your soul: for if you find it, your end shall be good, and hope shall not fail you.
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.
15 Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly.
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
16 For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise [again]: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 If your enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow.
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
18 For the Lord will see [it], and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him.
Lest YHWH see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners.
Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
20 For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out.
For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
21 [My] son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.
My son, fear thou YHWH and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
22 For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance [inflicted] by both?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
23 And this thing I say to you that are wise [for you] to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations.
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
25 But they that reprove [him] shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them;
But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 and [men] will kiss lips that answer well.
Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Prepare your works for [your] going forth, and prepare yourself for the field; and come after me, and you shall rebuild your house.
Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
28 Be not a false witness against your [fellow] citizen, neither exaggerate with your lips.
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
29 Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me.
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 A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard.
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 If you let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction.
Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
33 [The sluggard says, ]I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across [my] breast.
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34 But if you do this, your poverty will come speedily; and your lack like a swift courier.
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
