Proverbiorum 24

1 [Ne æmuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:

Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.

2 quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.

For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

3 Sapientia ædificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.

Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;

4 In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.

And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5 Vir sapiens fortis est, et vir doctus robustus et validus:

A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

6 quia cum dispositione initur bellum, et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.

For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

7 Excelsa stulto sapientia; in porta non aperiet os suum.

Wisdom is as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

8 Qui cogitat mala facere stultus vocabitur:

He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.

9 cogitatio stulti peccatum est, et abominatio hominum detractor.

The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.

10 Si desperaveris lassus in die angustiæ, imminuetur fortitudo tua.]

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.

11 [Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem, et qui trahuntur ad interitum, liberare ne cesses.

Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?

12 Si dixeris: Vires non suppetunt; qui inspector est cordis ipse intelligit: et servatorem animæ tuæ nihil fallit, reddetque homini juxta opera sua.

If thou sayest: 'Behold, we knew not this', doth not He that weigheth the hearts 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 Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo.

My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy taste;

14 Sic et doctrina sapientiæ animæ tuæ: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.

So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.

15 Ne insidieris, et quæras impietatem in domo justi, neque vastes requiem ejus.

Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;

16 Septies enim cadet justus, et resurget: impii autem corruent in malum.

For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.

17 Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus ne gaudeas, et in ruina ejus ne exsultet cor tuum:

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;

18 ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.

Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.

19 Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec æmuleris impios:

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

20 quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.

For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

21 Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem, et cum detractoribus non commiscearis:

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;

22 quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum, et ruinam utriusque quis novit?]

For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?

23 Hæc quoque sapientibus. [Cognoscere personam in judicio non est bonum.

These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.

24 Qui dicunt impio: Justus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.

He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;

25 Qui arguunt eum laudabuntur, et super ipsos veniet benedictio.

But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

26 Labia deosculabitur qui recta verba respondet.

He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.

27 Præpara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum, ut postea ædifices domum tuam.

Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.

28 Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum, nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

29 Ne dicas: Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei; reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.]

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 [Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

31 et ecce totum repleverant urticæ, et operuerant superficiem ejus spinæ, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.

And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

32 Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.

Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.

33 Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis; pauxillum manus conseres ut quiescas:

'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —

34 et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.]

So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.