Proverbs 24
1 Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long to be with them.
Ne æmuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:
2 For their heart meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.
3 Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
Sapientia ædificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.
4 And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.
5 A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] strength.
Vir sapiens, fortis est: et vir doctus, robustus et validus.
6 For by wise counsel canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
Quia cum dispositione initur bellum: et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: in the gate can he not open his mouth.
Excelsa stulto sapientia, in porta non aperiet os suum.
8 Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
Qui cogitat mala facere, stultus vocabitur.
9 The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
Cogitatio stulti peccatum est: et abominatio hominum detractor.
10 If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
Si desperaveris lassus in die angustiæ: imminuetur fortitudo tua.
11 Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
Erue eos, qui ducuntur ad mortem: et qui trahuntur ad interitum liberare ne cesses.
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.
Si dixeris: Vires non suppetunt: qui inspector est cordis, ipse intelligit, et servatorem animæ tuæ nihil fallit, reddetque homini iuxta opera sua.
13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo:
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.
Sic et doctrina sapientiæ animæ tuæ: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man! against the dwelling of the righteous; waste not his resting-place;
Ne insidieris, et quæras impietatem in domo iusti, neque vastes requiem eius.
16 For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
Septies enim cadet iustus, et resurget: impii autem corruent in malum.
17 At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus, ne gaudeas, et in ruina eius ne exultet cor tuum:
18 Lest the Lord see it and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn away from him his wrath.
ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec æmuleris impios:
20 For there will be no [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.
21 My son, fear the Lord and the king: with those that are desirous to change do not mingle thyself;
Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem: et cum detractoribus non commiscearis:
22 For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum: et ruinam utriusque quis novit?
23 These things also are for the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
Hæc quoque sapientibus: Cognoscere personam in iudicio non est bonum.
24 Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
Qui dicunt impio: Iustus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.
25 But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
Qui arguunt eum, laudabuntur: et super ipsos veniet benedictio.
26 Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
Labia deosculabitur, qui recta verba respondet.
27 Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
Præpara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum: ut postea ædifices domum tuam.
28 Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile with thy lips?
Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum: nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.
29 Say not, As he hath done to me so will I do to him: I will recompense every man according to his doing.
Ne dicas: Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei: reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.
30 By the field of a slothful man I once passed along, and by the vineyard of a man void of sense:
Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
et ecce totum repleverant urticæ, et operuerant superficiem eius spinæ, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.
32 And when I had indeed beheld [this] I took it to my heart: I saw it, and received a warning.
Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.
33 “A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis, pauxillum manus conseres, ut quiescas:
34 But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.
