Proverbs 24
1 Do not be envious of evil men; neither desire to be with them:
Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief.
Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
3 Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;
By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.
By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
5 A wise man has great power; and a knowledgeable man increases strength;
A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
6 for by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors.
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: he doesn't open his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
8 One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.
He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9 The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.
The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
10 If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.
If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
11 Rescue those who are being led away to death. Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.
Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
12 If you say, "Look, we did not know this;" doesn't he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn't he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?
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 My son, eat honey, for it is good; the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste.
Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
14 Likewise, know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you have found it, then there will be a reward, and your hope will 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 Do not lie in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Do not destroy his resting place.
Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 For the righteous may fall seven times, but gets up again, but the wicked will stumble in adversity.
For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls. Do not let your heart be glad when he is overthrown;
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 displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; neither be envious of the wicked:
Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
20 for there will be no reward to the evil man; and the lamp of the wicked shall be snuffed out.
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. Do not join those who are rebellious:
My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
22 for their calamity will rise suddenly; the destruction from them both—who knows?
For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
23 These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.
These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
24 He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous;" peoples shall curse him, and nations shall abhor him—
They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.
They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
27 Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.
Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Do not deceive with your lips.
Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
29 Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work."
Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
30 I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
31 Look, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, 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 Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
33 a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep;
Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:
34 so your poverty will come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.
And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
