Proverbs 24
1 Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long to be with them.
Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 For their heart meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
For their heart studieth oppression, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
4 And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] strength.
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might.
6 For by wise counsel canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war: and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: in the gate can he not open his mouth.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
9 The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
The thought of the foolish is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
11 Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
Deliver them that are carried away unto death, and those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
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 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 work?
13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
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 shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul: if thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man! against the dwelling of the righteous; waste not his resting-place;
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
16 For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17 At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he is overthrown:
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 it, 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;
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; neither be thou envious at the wicked:
20 For there will be no [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
For there will be no reward to the evil man; 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 thou the LORD and the king: [and] meddle not with them that are given to change:
22 For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the destruction of them both?
23 These things also are for the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
These also are [sayings] of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24 Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him:
25 But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
But to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
Prepare thy work without, and make it ready for thee in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
28 Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile with thy lips?
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not 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 so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man 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 went 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, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 And when I had indeed beheld [this] I took it to my heart: I saw it, and received a warning.
Then I beheld, and considered well: I saw, and received instruction.
33 “A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34 But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
So shall thy poverty come as a robber; and thy want as an armed man.
