Proverbiorum 24
1 ne aemuleris 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 aedificabitur domus et prudentia roborabitur
Through wisdom is a house built, 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 substance.
5 vir sapiens et fortis est et vir doctus robustus et validus
A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 quia cum dispositione initur bellum et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt
For with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 excelsa stulto sapientia in porta non aperiet os suum
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he will not open his mouth in the gate.
8 qui cogitat malefacere stultus vocabitur
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues.
9 cogitatio stulti peccatum est et abominatio hominum detractor
The purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 si desperaveris lassus in die angustiae inminuetur fortitudo tua
[If] thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.
11 erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem et qui trahuntur ad interitum liberare ne cesses
Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.
12 si dixeris vires non suppetunt qui inspector est cordis ipse intellegit et servatorem animae tuae nihil fallit reddetque homini iuxta opera sua
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work.
13 comede fili mi mel quia bonum est et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo
Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste:
14 sic et doctrina sapientiae animae tuae quam cum inveneris habebis in novissimis et spes tua non peribit
so consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
15 ne insidieris et quaeras impietatem in domo iusti neque vastes requiem eius
Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place.
16 septies enim cadet iustus et resurget impii autem corruent in malum
For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.
17 cum ceciderit inimicus tuus ne gaudeas et in ruina eius ne exultet 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 Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him.
19 ne contendas cum pessimis nec aemuleris impios
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, [and] be not envious of the wicked:
20 quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali et lucerna impiorum extinguetur
for there shall 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 Jehovah and the king: 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 of them both?
23 haec quoque sapientibus cognoscere personam in iudicio non est bonum
These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 qui dicit impio iustus es maledicent ei populi et detestabuntur eum tribus
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
25 qui arguunt laudabuntur et super ipsos veniet benedictio
but to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them.
26 labia deosculabitur qui recta verba respondet
He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
27 praepara foris opus tuum et diligenter exerce agrum tuum ut postea aedifices domum tuam
Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, 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 wouldest thou deceive 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 a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding;
31 et ecce totum repleverant urticae operuerant superficiem eius spinae et maceria lapidum destructa erat
and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 quod cum vidissem posui in corde meo et exemplo didici disciplinam
Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I 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 quasi cursor egestas tua et mendicitas quasi vir armatus
So shall thy poverty come [as] a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
