Proverbs 24
1 Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:
Don’t be envious of 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 hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.
3 The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:
Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;
4 And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.
by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.
5 A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.
A wise man has great power. A knowledgeable man increases strength,
6 For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.
for by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisors.
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 doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.
8 He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.
One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.
9 The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.
The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.
10 If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.
If you falter in the time of trouble, your 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.
Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
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 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?
13 My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:
My son, eat honey, for it is good, the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your 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 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.
15 Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:
Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy 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 righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17 Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:
Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,
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 the LORD 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:
Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked;
20 For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
for there will be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed 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 the LORD and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious,
22 For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
for their calamity will rise suddenly. Who knows what destruction may come from them both?
23 These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” peoples will curse him, and nations will abhor him—
25 But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.
but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.
26 He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
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 your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.
28 Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.
Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your 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.
Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay 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 sluggard, 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.
Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.
Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
33 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
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 your poverty will come as a robber and your want as an armed man.
