Proverbs 24
1 Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
Don't be jealous of evil people; don't long to spend time with them,
2 for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.
for they think up cruel plans and discuss how to cause trouble.
3 Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;
A house is built by wisdom; its foundation is made secure through understanding.
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.
Its rooms are filled by knowledge with all kinds of valuable and beautiful objects.
5 A wise man has great power. A knowledgeable man increases strength,
If you have wisdom, you are strong; if you have knowledge, your power increases,
6 for by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisors.
for with wise guidance you can go to war; you will be victorious by having many good advisors.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool. He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom goes over the heads of stupid people; they have nothing to contribute when important matters are discussed.
8 One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.
Anyone who plans to do evil will be seen as a troublemaker.
9 The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.
Plans thought up by stupid people are sinful. Everyone hates those who are scornful of others.
10 If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.
If you give up in times of trouble, it shows how weak you are.
11 Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
Rescue those who are being led away to be executed; save those who are stumbling on their way to be slaughtered.
12 If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this,” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?
If you say, “Look, we didn't know anything about this,” don't you think the God who judges your motives will see what's happening? He who watches over you knows, and he will pay people back for what they've done.
13 My son, eat honey, for it is good, the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste;
My son, eating honey is good for you; the honeycomb tastes sweet.
14 so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul. If you have found it, then there will be a reward: Your hope will not be cut off.
In the same way, you should know that wisdom is good for you; if you find it, there will be a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
15 Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place;
Don't be like a criminal waiting to ambush the home of good people; don't attack the place where they live.
16 for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
Those who do right may fall down seven times, and still get up again; but the wicked are brought down by disaster.
17 Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,
Don't celebrate when your enemies fall; don't be glad when they trip up,
18 lest Yahweh see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
otherwise when the Lord sees it, he'll be unhappy with you and won't punish your enemies as he planned.
19 Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked;
Don't get all upset over the wicked, or be jealous of those who do wrong,
20 for there will be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
for evil people have no future—the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21 My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious,
My son, honor the Lord and the king, and don't join those who are rebellious,
22 for their calamity will rise suddenly. Who knows what destruction may come from them both?
for disaster will suddenly fall on them. Who knows how the Lord and king will punish them?
23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
These are more sayings of the wise: Showing favoritism when passing judgment is wrong.
24 He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” peoples will curse him, and nations will abhor him—
Those who tell the guilty, “You're innocent,” will be cursed by the people and hated by the nation,
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.
while those who convict the guilty will be appreciated, and will receive a rich blessing.
26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
An honest answer is a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.
Do the work you need to do outside first, then prepare and sow your fields, and only after that start building your house.
28 Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.
Don't testify against your neighbors without having a good reason, and don't tell lies.
29 Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
Don't say to yourself, “I'm going to do to him what he did to me! I'll pay him back for what he's done!”
30 I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.
I walked past the field of a lazy man, past a vineyard of someone with no sense.
31 Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
It was all overgrown with thorns, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall had fallen down.
32 Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
As I looked I thought about it, and what I saw taught me a lesson:
33 a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,
You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
34 so your poverty will come as a robber and your want as an armed man.
and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
