Proverbs 24

1 Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:

Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

2 For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.

For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

3 The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

4 And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.

And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.

A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

6 For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.

For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety.

7 Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.

Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

8 He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.

He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

9 The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.

The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

10 If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

11 Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.

If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

12 If you say, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?

If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

13 My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

14 So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

15 Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:

Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

16 For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

17 Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

18 For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.

Lest YHWH see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19 Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:

Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

20 For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.

For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

21 My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:

My son, fear thou YHWH and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

22 For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?

For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

23 These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.

These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

24 He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.

He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

25 But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.

But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

26 He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.

Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

27 Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.

Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

28 Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

29 Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.

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 I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

31 And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.

And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

32 Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.

Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

33 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

34 So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.

So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.