Proverbs 24
1 Do not be envious of those who are evil, nor desire to associate with them,
Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 because their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about trouble.
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Through wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established.
Through wisdom is a house built; and by understanding it is established:
4 By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A warrior of wisdom is strong, and a man of knowledge increases his strength;
A wise man [is] strong; and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 for by wise direction you can wage your war and with many advisors there is victory.
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counselors [there is] safety.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth.
Wisdom [is] too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 There is one who plans to do evil— people call him a master of schemes.
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
9 A foolish plan is sin and men despise a mocker.
The thought of foolishness [is] sin: and the scorner [is] an abomination to men.
10 If you become weak with fear in the day of trouble, then your strength is small.
[If] thou faintest in the day of adversity, thy strength [is] small.
11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death and hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.
If thou forbearest to deliver [them that are] drawn to death, and [those that are] ready to be slain;
12 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?
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 will [not] he render to [every] man according to his works?
13 My son, eat honey because it is good, because the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
My son, eat thou honey, because [it is] good; and the honey-comb, [which is] sweet to thy taste:
14 Such is wisdom for your soul— if you find it, there will be a future and your hope will not be cut off.
So [shall] the knowledge of wisdom [be] to 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 like the wicked person who attacks the house of the righteous person. Do not destroy his home!
Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; destroy not his resting-place:
16 For the righteous person falls down seven times and rises again, but wicked people are brought down by calamity.
For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Do not celebrate when your enemy falls and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
Rejoice not when thy enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth:
18 or Yahweh will see and disapprove and turn away his wrath from him.
Lest the LORD see [it], and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Do not worry because of evildoers, and do not envy wicked people,
Fret not thyself because of evil [men], neither be thou envious at the wicked;
20 for the evil person has no future and the lamp of wicked people will go out.
For there shall be no reward to the evil [man]; the candle of the wicked shall be extinguished.
21 Fear Yahweh, and fear the king, my son; do not associate with those who rebel against them,
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: [and] meddle not with them that are given to change:
22 for suddenly their disaster will come and who knows the extent of the destruction that will come from both of them?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
23 These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging a case at law is not good.
These [things] also [belong] to the wise. [It is] not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 Whoever says to the wicked person, “You are a righteous person,” will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
He that saith to the wicked, Thou [art] righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
25 But those who discipline the wicked will have delight and gifts of goodness will come to them.
But to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 The one who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
[Every man] shall kiss [his] lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Prepare your outdoor work, and make everything ready for yourself in the field; after that, build your house.
Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
28 Do not bear witness against your neighbor without cause and do not deceive with your lips.
Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; and deceive [not] with thy lips.
29 Do not say, “I will do to him what he has done to me; I will pay him back for what he has done.”
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 I went by the field of a lazy man, past the vineyard of the man having no sense.
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 Thorns had grown up everywhere, the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, [and] nettles had covered the face of it, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and considered it; I looked 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 rest—
[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34 and poverty comes marching upon you, and your needs like an armed soldier.
So shall thy poverty come [as] one that traveleth; and thy want as an armed man.
