Proverbs 24
1 Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long to be with them.
Do not be envious of those who are evil, nor desire to associate with them,
2 For their heart meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
because their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about trouble.
3 Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
Through wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established.
4 And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] strength.
A warrior of wisdom is strong, and a man of knowledge increases his strength;
6 For by wise counsel canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
for by wise direction you can wage your war and with many advisors there is victory.
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 does not open his mouth.
8 Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
There is one who plans to do evil— people call him a master of schemes.
9 The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
A foolish plan is sin and men despise a mocker.
10 If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
If you become weak with fear in the day of trouble, then your strength is small.
11 Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death and hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.
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 you say, “Behold, we knew nothing about this,” does not the one who weighs the heart understand what you are saying? The one who guards your life, does he not know it? Will God not give to each one what he deserves?
13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
My son, eat honey because it is good, because the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your 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.
Such is wisdom for your soul— if you find it, there will be a future and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man! against the dwelling of the righteous; waste not his resting-place;
Do not lie in wait like the wicked person who attacks the house of the righteous person. Do not destroy his home!
16 For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
For the righteous person falls down seven times and rises again, but wicked people are brought down by calamity.
17 At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
Do not celebrate when your enemy falls and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 Lest the Lord see it and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn away from him his wrath.
or Yahweh will see and disapprove and turn away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
Do not worry because of evildoers, and do not envy wicked people,
20 For there will be no [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
for the evil person has no future and the lamp of wicked people will go out.
21 My son, fear the Lord and the king: with those that are desirous to change do not mingle thyself;
Fear Yahweh, and fear the king, my son; do not associate with those who rebel against them,
22 For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
for suddenly their disaster will come and who knows the extent of the destruction that will come from both of them?
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. Partiality in judging a case at law is not good.
24 Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
Whoever says to the wicked person, “You are a righteous person,” will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
But those who discipline the wicked will have delight and gifts of goodness will come to them.
26 Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
The one who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
Prepare your outdoor work, and make everything ready for yourself in the field; after that, build your house.
28 Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile with thy lips?
Do not bear witness against your neighbor without cause and do not deceive with your 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.
Do not say, “I will do to him what he has done to me; I will pay him back for what he has done.”
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 a lazy man, past the vineyard of the man having no sense.
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, the ground was covered with nettles, and its 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.
Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction.
33 “A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
and poverty comes marching upon you, and your needs like an armed soldier.
