Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
Do not be envious of those who are evil, nor desire to associate with them,
2 For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
because their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about trouble.
3 In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
Through wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established.
4 And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
A warrior of wisdom is strong, and a man of knowledge increases his strength;
6 Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
for by wise direction you can wage your war and with many advisors there is victory.
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; in the gate he does not open his mouth.
8 He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
There is one who plans to do evil— people call him a master of schemes.
9 The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
A foolish plan is sin and men despise a mocker.
10 Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
If you become weak with fear in the day of trouble, then your 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!
Rescue those who are being taken away to death and hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.
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 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 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, —and droppings from the comb [because they are] sweet to thy palate:
My son, eat honey because it is good, because the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your 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.
Such is wisdom for your soul— if you find it, there will be a future and your hope will 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;
Do not lie in wait like the wicked person who attacks the house of the righteous person. Do not destroy his home!
16 For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
For the righteous person falls down seven times and rises again, but wicked people are brought down by calamity.
17 When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
Do not celebrate when your enemy falls and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
or Yahweh will see and disapprove and turn away his wrath from him.
19 Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
Do not worry because of evildoers, and do not envy wicked people,
20 For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
for the evil person has no future and the lamp of wicked people will go out.
21 Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
Fear Yahweh, and fear the king, my son; do not associate with those who rebel against them,
22 For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
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, concern the wise, To take note of faces in judgment, is not good.
These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging a case at law is not good.
24 He that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
Whoever says to the wicked person, “You are a righteous person,” will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
But those who discipline the wicked will have delight and gifts of goodness will come to them.
26 Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
The one who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
Prepare your outdoor work, and make everything ready for yourself in the field; after that, build your house.
28 Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide thy lips:
Do not bear witness against your neighbor without cause and do not deceive with your 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.
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 the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense;
I went by the field of a lazy man, past the vineyard of the man having no sense.
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.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall 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; I looked and received instruction.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest:
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 So shall come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
and poverty comes marching upon you, and your needs like an armed soldier.
