< Proverbs 24 >
1 Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
BE not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
4 And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety.
7 Unattainable to a foolish man, are the dictates of wisdom, in the gate, he openeth not his mouth.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
9 The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
11 Deliver thou such as are being led forth to death, and, them who are tottering to slaughter, oh that thou wouldst hold back!
If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
12 Though thou say, Lo! we knew not this, Shall not, he that proveth hearts, himself, discern? And, he that formeth thy soul, himself, know? and bring back to a son of earth according to his deed?
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, —and droppings from the comb [because they are] sweet to thy palate:
My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
14 Thus, take knowledge of wisdom, for thine own soul; If thou find it, then there is a future, and, thine expectation, shall not be cut off.
So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait, thou lawless man, against the home of the righteous, —neither destroy thou his place of rest;
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
16 For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
18 Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
20 For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
22 For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
23 These things also, concern the wise, To take note of faces in judgment, is not good.
These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 He that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
25 But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
28 Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide thy lips:
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
29 Do not say—According to what he hath done to me, so, will I do to him, I will repay every one according to his work.
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 the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense;
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 And lo! there had come up all over it—thorns, there had covered the face thereof—thistles, and, the stone fence thereof, had been thrown down.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 So I observed it, for myself, I applied my heart, I looked—I accepted correction:
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 rest:
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34 So shall come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.