Proverbiorum 24
1 Ne aemuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:
Be not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them:
2 quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.
For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.
3 Sapientia aedificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.
Through wisdom is a house builded; 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 riches.
5 Vir sapiens, fortis est: et vir doctus, robustus et validus.
A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might.
6 Quia cum dispositione initur bellum: et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.
For by wise guidance thou shalt 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 openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 Qui cogitat mala facere, stultus vocabitur.
He that deviseth to do evil, Men shall call him a mischief-maker.
9 Cogitatio stulti peccatum est: et abominatio hominum detractor.
The thought of foolishness is sin; And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 Si desperaveris lapsus in die angustiae: imminuetur fortitudo tua.
If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small.
11 Erue eos, qui ducuntur ad mortem: et qui trahuntur ad interitum liberare ne cesses.
Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou 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 sayest, Behold, we knew not this; Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
13 Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo:
My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:
14 Sic et doctrina sapientiae animae tuae: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.
So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul; If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, And thy hope 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 habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:
16 Septies enim in die cadit iustus, et resurgit: impii autem corruent in malum.
For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
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 is overthrown;
18 ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.
Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec aemuleris impios:
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:
20 quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.
For there shall be no reward 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 Jehovah and the king; [And] company 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 the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?
23 Haec quoque sapientibus dico: Cognoscere personam in iudicio non est bonum.
These also are [sayings] of 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.
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
25 Qui arguunt eum, laudabuntur: et super ipsos veniet benedictio.
But to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, And a good blessing shall come 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: et postea aedifices domum tuam.
Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.
28 Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum: nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.
Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not 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 the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
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, 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 beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction:
33 Usquequo piger dormies? usquequo de somno consurgens? Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis, pauxillum manus conseres, ut quiescas:
[Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep;
34 et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.
So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.
