Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious against 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 heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
For their heart studieth destruction, And their lips speak mischief.
3 Through wisdom is an house built; and by understanding it is established:
Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
5 A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.
6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
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 openeth not his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is too high for the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 If thou faintest in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
11 If thou refraineth to deliver them that are drawn to death, and those that are ready to be slain;
Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that weigheth 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?
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 thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, And the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste;
14 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.
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 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; destroy not his resting place:
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not his resting-place!
16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
For though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Rejoice not when thy enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth:
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 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
For there shall be no posterity to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king; And mingle not with them that are given to change!
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
For their calamity shall rise up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
These also are words of the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 He that saith to the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
He that saith to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
27 Prepare thy work outside, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not with thy lips.
29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath 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 slothful, and 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 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face of it, 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 it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. and received instruction.
33 Yet 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 shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
