Proverbiorum 24
1 Ne æmuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:
Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not to be with them!
2 quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.
For their heart studieth destruction, And their lips speak mischief.
3 Sapientia ædificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.
Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
4 In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.
Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
5 Vir sapiens fortis est, et vir doctus robustus et validus:
The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.
6 quia cum dispositione initur bellum, et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.
For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.
7 Excelsa stulto sapientia; in porta non aperiet os suum.
Wisdom is too high for the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
8 Qui cogitat mala facere stultus vocabitur:
He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
9 cogitatio stulti peccatum est, et abominatio hominum detractor.
The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 Si desperaveris lassus in die angustiæ, imminuetur fortitudo tua.
If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
11 Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem, et qui trahuntur ad interitum, liberare ne cesses.
Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
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 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 Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, And the honeycomb, which 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 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 Ne insidieris, et quæras impietatem in domo justi, neque vastes requiem ejus.
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not his resting-place!
16 Septies enim cadet justus, et resurget: impii autem corruent in malum.
For though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
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, and it displease him, And he turn away his anger from him.
19 Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec æmuleris impios:
Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.
For there shall be no posterity 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 mingle not with them that are given to change!
22 quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum, et ruinam utriusque quis novit?
For their calamity shall rise up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
23 Hæc quoque sapientibus. Cognoscere personam in judicio non est bonum.
These also are words of the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 Qui dicunt impio: Justus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.
He that saith to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
25 Qui arguunt eum laudabuntur, et super ipsos veniet benedictio.
But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
26 Labia deosculabitur qui recta verba respondet.
He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
27 Præpara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum, ut postea ædifices domum tuam.
Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.
28 Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum, nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.
Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not with thy lips.
29 Ne dicas: Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei; reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.
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 Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:
I passed 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 overgrown with thorns, And 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 saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. and received instruction.
33 Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis; pauxillum manus conseres ut quiescas:
“A little sleep, a little slumber! A little folding of the hands to rest!”
34 et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.
So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
