Proverbiorum 24
1 Ne aemuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:
Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long to be with them.
2 quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.
For their heart meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
3 Sapientia aedificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.
Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
4 In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.
And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
5 Vir sapiens, fortis est: et vir doctus, robustus et validus.
A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] strength.
6 Quia cum dispositione initur bellum: et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.
For by wise counsel canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
7 Excelsa stulto sapientia, in porta non aperiet os suum.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: in the gate can he not open his mouth.
8 Qui cogitat mala facere, stultus vocabitur.
Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
9 Cogitatio stulti peccatum est: et abominatio hominum detractor.
The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
10 Si desperaveris lapsus in die angustiae: imminuetur fortitudo tua.
If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
11 Erue eos, qui ducuntur ad mortem: et qui trahuntur ad interitum liberare ne cesses.
Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
12 Si dixeris: Vires non suppetunt: qui inspector est cordis, ipse intelligit, et servatorem animae tuae nihil fallit, reddetque homini iuxta opera sua.
If thou shouldst say, Behold, we know not this man: lo, he that weigheth hearts will truly regard it, and he that keepeth thy soul will surely know it; and he will give a recompense to man according to his doing.
13 Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo:
Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
14 Sic et doctrina sapientiae animae tuae: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.
So obtain the knowledge of wisdom for thy soul: when thou hast found her, then shall there be a [happy] future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
15 Ne insidieris, et quaeras impietatem in domo iusti, neque vastes requiem eius.
Lie not in wait, O wicked man! against the dwelling of the righteous; waste not his resting-place;
16 Septies enim in die cadit iustus, et resurgit: impii autem corruent in malum.
For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
17 Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus, ne gaudeas, et in ruina eius ne exultet cor tuum:
At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
18 ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.
Lest the Lord see it and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn away from him his wrath.
19 Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec aemuleris impios:
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.
For there will be no [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
21 Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem: et cum detractoribus non commiscearis:
My son, fear the Lord and the king: with those that are desirous to change do not mingle thyself;
22 quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum: et ruinam utriusque quis novit?
For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
23 Haec quoque sapientibus dico: Cognoscere personam in iudicio non est bonum.
These things also are for the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24 Qui dicunt impio: Iustus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.
Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
25 Qui arguunt eum, laudabuntur: et super ipsos veniet benedictio.
But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
26 Labia deosculabitur, qui recta verba respondet.
Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
27 Praepara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum: et postea aedifices domum tuam.
Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
28 Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum: nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.
Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile 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 recompense every man according to his doing.
30 Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:
By the field of a slothful man I once passed along, and by the vineyard of a man void of sense:
31 et ecce totum repleverant urticae, et operuerant superficiem eius spinae, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
32 Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.
And when I had indeed beheld [this] I took it to my heart: I saw it, and received a warning.
33 Usquequo piger dormies? usquequo de somno consurgens? Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis, pauxillum manus conseres, ut quiescas:
“A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
34 et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.
But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
