Proverbiorum 24
1 Ne aemuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:
Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:
2 quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.
For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.
3 Sapientia aedificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.
The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:
4 In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.
And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.
5 Vir sapiens, fortis est: et vir doctus, robustus et validus.
A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.
6 Quia cum dispositione initur bellum: et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.
For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.
7 Excelsa stulto sapientia, in porta non aperiet os suum.
Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.
8 Qui cogitat mala facere, stultus vocabitur.
He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.
9 Cogitatio stulti peccatum est: et abominatio hominum detractor.
The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.
10 Si desperaveris lapsus in die angustiae: imminuetur fortitudo tua.
If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.
11 Erue eos, qui ducuntur ad mortem: et qui trahuntur ad interitum liberare ne cesses.
Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.
12 Si dixeris: Vires non suppetunt: qui inspector est cordis, ipse intelligit, et servatorem animae tuae nihil fallit, reddetque homini iuxta opera sua.
If you say, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?
13 Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo:
My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:
14 Sic et doctrina sapientiae animae tuae: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.
So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Ne insidieris, et quaeras impietatem in domo iusti, neque vastes requiem eius.
Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:
16 Septies enim in die cadit iustus, et resurgit: impii autem corruent in malum.
For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.
17 Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus, ne gaudeas, et in ruina eius ne exultet cor tuum:
Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:
18 ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.
For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.
19 Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec aemuleris impios:
Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:
20 quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.
For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
21 Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem: et cum detractoribus non commiscearis:
My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
22 quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum: et ruinam utriusque quis novit?
For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
23 Haec quoque sapientibus dico: Cognoscere personam in iudicio non est bonum.
These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.
24 Qui dicunt impio: Iustus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.
He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 Qui arguunt eum, laudabuntur: et super ipsos veniet benedictio.
But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.
26 Labia deosculabitur, qui recta verba respondet.
He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.
27 Praepara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum: et postea aedifices domum tuam.
Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.
28 Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum: nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.
Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.
29 Ne dicas: Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei: reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.
Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.
30 Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:
I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;
31 et ecce totum repleverant urticae, et operuerant superficiem eius spinae, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.
And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.
Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.
33 Usquequo piger dormies? usquequo de somno consurgens? Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis, pauxillum manus conseres, ut quiescas:
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
34 et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.
So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
