Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious against evil men, nor desire to be with them.
Do not be envious of those who are evil, nor desire to associate with them,
2 For their heart meditates oppression, and their lips talk of mischief.
because their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about trouble.
3 Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established,
Through wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established.
4 and by knowledge the chambers are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge increases might.
A warrior of wisdom is strong, and a man of knowledge increases his strength;
6 For by wise guidance thou shall make thy war, and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
for by wise direction you can wage your war and with many advisors there is victory.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool. He opens not his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth.
8 He who devises to do evil, men shall call him a mischief-maker.
There is one who plans to do evil— people call him a master of schemes.
9 The thought of folly is sin. And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
A foolish plan is sin and men despise a mocker.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
If you become weak with fear in the day of trouble, then your strength is small.
11 Deliver those who are carried away to death, and hold thou back those who are ready to be slain.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death and hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.
12 If thou say, Behold, we did not know this, Does not he who weighs the hearts consider it? And he who keeps thy soul, does he not know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
If you say, “Behold, we knew nothing about this,” does not the one who weighs the heart understand what you are saying? The one who guards your life, does he not know it? Will God not give to each one what he deserves?
13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste,
My son, eat honey because it is good, because the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 so the knowledge of wisdom is to thy soul. If thou have found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Such is wisdom for your soul— if you find it, there will be a future and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Lay not in wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Do not destroy his resting place.
Do not lie in wait like the wicked person who attacks the house of the righteous person. Do not destroy his home!
16 For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
For the righteous person falls down seven times and rises again, but wicked people are brought down by calamity.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown,
Do not celebrate when your enemy falls and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
or Yahweh will see and disapprove and turn away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, nor be thou envious at the wicked.
Do not worry because of evildoers, and do not envy wicked people,
20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
for the evil person has no future and the lamp of wicked people will go out.
21 My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king, and do not associate with those who are given to change.
Fear Yahweh, and fear the king, my son; do not associate with those who rebel against them,
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and the destruction from them both, who knows it?
for suddenly their disaster will come and who knows the extent of the destruction that will come from both of them?
23 These also are from the wise: To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging a case at law is not good.
24 He who says to a wicked man, Thou are righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him.
Whoever says to the wicked person, “You are a righteous person,” will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 But to those who rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
But those who discipline the wicked will have delight and gifts of goodness will come to them.
26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
The one who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare thy work outside, and make it ready for thee in the field, and afterwards build thy house.
Prepare your outdoor work, and make everything ready for yourself in the field; after that, build your house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, and deceive not with thy lips.
Do not bear witness against your neighbor without cause and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.
Do not say, “I will do to him what he has done to me; I will pay him back for what he has done.”
30 I went by the field of the sluggard, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.
I went by the field of a lazy man, past the vineyard of the man having no sense.
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns. The face of it was covered with nettles, and the stone wall of it was broken down.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I beheld, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction.
33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 so thy poverty shall come as a robber, and thy want as an armed man.
and poverty comes marching upon you, and your needs like an armed soldier.
