Proverbs 24
1 Do not be envious of evil men; neither desire to be with them:
Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not to be with them!
2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief.
For their heart studieth destruction, And their lips speak mischief.
3 Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;
Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.
Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
5 A wise man has great power; and a knowledgeable man increases strength;
The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.
6 for by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors.
For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he doesn't open his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is too high for the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
8 One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.
He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
9 The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.
The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.
If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
11 Rescue those who are being led away to death. Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.
Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
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 sayst, “Behold, we knew it not!” Doth not he that weigheth the heart observe it? Yea, he that keepeth thy soul knoweth it. And he will render to every 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.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, And the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste;
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 learn thou wisdom for thy soul! When thou hast found it, there shall be a reward, And thy expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Do not destroy his resting place.
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not his resting-place!
16 For the righteous may fall seven times, but gets up again, but the wicked will stumble in adversity.
For though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls. Do not let your heart be glad when he is overthrown;
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
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 anger from him.
19 Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; neither be envious of the wicked:
Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 for there will be no reward to the evil man; and the lamp of the wicked shall be snuffed out.
For there shall be no posterity to the evil man; 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 thou the LORD and the king; And mingle not with them that are given to change!
22 for their calamity will rise suddenly; the destruction from them both—who knows?
For their calamity shall rise up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
23 These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.
These also are words of the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous;" peoples shall curse him, and nations shall abhor him—
He that saith to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.
But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
27 Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.
Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.
28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Do not deceive with your lips.
Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not 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, “As he hath done to me, So will I do to him; I will render to the man according to his doings.”
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, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding,
31 Look, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
And, lo! it was all overgrown with thorns, And the face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. and received instruction.
33 a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep;
“A little sleep, a little slumber! A little folding of the hands to rest!”
34 so your poverty will come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.
So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
