Proverbs 24
1 Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
Ne æmuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:
2 for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.
quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.
3 Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;
Sapientia ædificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.
In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.
5 A wise man has great power. A knowledgeable man increases strength,
Vir sapiens fortis est, et vir doctus robustus et validus:
6 for by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisors.
quia cum dispositione initur bellum, et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool. He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.
Excelsa stulto sapientia; in porta non aperiet os suum.
8 One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.
Qui cogitat mala facere stultus vocabitur:
9 The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.
cogitatio stulti peccatum est, et abominatio hominum detractor.
10 If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.
Si desperaveris lassus in die angustiæ, imminuetur fortitudo tua.
11 Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem, et qui trahuntur ad interitum, liberare ne cesses.
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?
Si dixeris: Vires non suppetunt; qui inspector est cordis ipse intelligit: et servatorem animæ tuæ nihil fallit, reddetque homini juxta opera sua.
13 My son, eat honey, for it is good, the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste;
Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo.
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.
Sic et doctrina sapientiæ animæ tuæ: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.
15 Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place;
Ne insidieris, et quæras impietatem in domo justi, neque vastes requiem ejus.
16 for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
Septies enim cadet justus, et resurget: impii autem corruent in malum.
17 Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,
Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus ne gaudeas, et in ruina ejus ne exsultet cor tuum:
18 lest Yahweh see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.
19 Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked;
Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec æmuleris impios:
20 for there will be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.
21 My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious,
Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem, et cum detractoribus non commiscearis:
22 for their calamity will rise suddenly. Who knows what destruction may come from them both?
quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum, et ruinam utriusque quis novit?
23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
Hæc quoque sapientibus. Cognoscere personam in judicio non est bonum.
24 He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” peoples will curse him, and nations will abhor him—
Qui dicunt impio: Justus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.
Qui arguunt eum laudabuntur, et super ipsos veniet benedictio.
26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
Labia deosculabitur qui recta verba respondet.
27 Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.
Præpara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum, ut postea ædifices domum tuam.
28 Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.
Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum, nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.
29 Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
Ne dicas: Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei; reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.
30 I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.
Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:
31 Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
et ecce totum repleverant urticæ, et operuerant superficiem ejus spinæ, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.
32 Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.
33 a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,
Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis; pauxillum manus conseres ut quiescas:
34 so your poverty will come as a robber and your want as an armed man.
et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.
