< Proverbs 24 >
1 Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
2 For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
3 In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
4 And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
5 A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
6 Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
7 Unattainable to a foolish man, are the dictates of wisdom, in the gate, he openeth not his mouth.
8 He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
9 The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
10 Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
11 Deliver thou such as are being led forth to death, and, them who are tottering to slaughter, oh that thou wouldst hold back!
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?
13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, —and droppings from the comb [because they are] sweet to thy palate:
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.
15 Do not lie in wait, thou lawless man, against the home of the righteous, —neither destroy thou his place of rest;
16 For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
17 When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
18 Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
19 Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
20 For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
21 Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
22 For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
23 These things also, concern the wise, To take note of faces in judgment, is not good.
24 He that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
25 But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
26 Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
27 Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
28 Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide 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.
30 By the field of the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking 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.
32 So I observed it, for myself, I applied my heart, I looked—I accepted correction:
33 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.