Proverbiorum 24
1 ne aemuleris 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 aedificabitur 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 et 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 malefacere 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 angustiae inminuetur 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 intellegit et servatorem animae tuae nihil fallit reddetque homini iuxta 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 sapientiae animae tuae quam cum inveneris habebis in novissimis 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 quaeras impietatem in domo iusti neque vastes requiem eius
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not his resting-place!
16 septies enim cadet iustus 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 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 the LORD see, and it displease him, And he turn away his anger from him.
19 ne contendas cum pessimis nec aemuleris 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 haec quoque sapientibus cognoscere personam in iudicio non est bonum
These also are words of 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 to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
25 qui arguunt 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 praepara foris opus tuum et diligenter exerce agrum tuum ut postea aedifices 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 urticae operuerant superficiem eius spinae 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 quasi cursor egestas tua et mendicitas quasi vir armatus
So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
