Proverbs 24
1 Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long to be with them.
Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
2 For their heart meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
3 Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
4 And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
5 A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] strength.
A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
6 For by wise counsel canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: in the gate can he not open his mouth.
Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
8 Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9 The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
10 If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
11 Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
12 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.
If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
14 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.
So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man! against the dwelling of the righteous; waste not his resting-place;
Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17 At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
18 Lest the Lord see it and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn away from him his wrath.
Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
20 For there will be no [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, fear the Lord and the king: with those that are desirous to change do not mingle thyself;
My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
22 For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
23 These things also are for the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
24 Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
25 But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
27 Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
28 Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile with thy lips?
Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
29 Say not, As he hath done to me so will I do to him: I will recompense every man according to his doing.
Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
30 By the field of a slothful man I once passed along, and by the vineyard of a man void of sense:
I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 And when I had indeed beheld [this] I took it to my heart: I saw it, and received a warning.
Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
33 “A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:
34 But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
