Proverbs 24
1 Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:
Ne æmuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:
2 For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.
quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.
3 The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:
Sapientia ædificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.
4 And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.
In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.
5 A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.
Vir sapiens fortis est, et vir doctus robustus et validus:
6 For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.
quia cum dispositione initur bellum, et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.
7 Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.
Excelsa stulto sapientia; in porta non aperiet os suum.
8 He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.
Qui cogitat mala facere stultus vocabitur:
9 The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.
cogitatio stulti peccatum est, et abominatio hominum detractor.
10 If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.
Si desperaveris lassus in die angustiæ, imminuetur fortitudo tua.
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.
Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem, et qui trahuntur ad interitum, liberare ne cesses.
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?
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, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:
Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo.
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.
Sic et doctrina sapientiæ animæ tuæ: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.
15 Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:
Ne insidieris, et quæras impietatem in domo justi, neque vastes requiem ejus.
16 For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.
Septies enim cadet justus, et resurget: impii autem corruent in malum.
17 Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:
Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus ne gaudeas, et in ruina ejus ne exsultet cor tuum:
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.
ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.
19 Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:
Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec æmuleris impios:
20 For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.
21 My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem, et cum detractoribus non commiscearis:
22 For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum, et ruinam utriusque quis novit?
23 These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.
Hæc quoque sapientibus. Cognoscere personam in judicio non est bonum.
24 He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
Qui dicunt impio: Justus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.
25 But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.
Qui arguunt eum laudabuntur, et super ipsos veniet benedictio.
26 He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.
Labia deosculabitur qui recta verba respondet.
27 Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.
Præpara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum, ut postea ædifices domum tuam.
28 Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.
Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum, nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.
29 Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.
Ne dicas: Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei; reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.
30 I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;
Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:
31 And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.
et ecce totum repleverant urticæ, et operuerant superficiem ejus spinæ, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.
32 Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.
Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.
33 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis; pauxillum manus conseres ut quiescas:
34 So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.
