Proverbs 24
1 [My] son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them.
Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
2 For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs.
for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
3 A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding.
By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
4 By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth.
through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
5 A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate.
A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
6 War is carried on with generalship, and aid is supplied to the heart of a counsellor.
Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
7 Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord,
Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
8 but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed [men].
He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
9 The fools also dies in sins; and uncleanness [attaches] to a pestilent man.
A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
10 He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed.
If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
11 Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not [your help].
Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
12 But if you should say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders to every man according to his works.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
13 [My] son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that your throat may be sweetened.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
14 Thus shall you perceive wisdom in your soul: for if you find it, your end shall be good, and hope shall not fail you.
Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
15 Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly.
Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.
16 For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise [again]: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles.
For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
17 If your enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow.
Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
18 For the Lord will see [it], and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him.
or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
19 Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners.
Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
20 For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out.
For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
21 [My] son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them.
My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
22 For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance [inflicted] by both?
For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
23 And this thing I say to you that are wise [for you] to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgement.
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful amongst the nations.
Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
25 But they that reprove [him] shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them;
but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 and [men] will kiss lips that answer well.
An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare your works for [your] going forth, and prepare yourself for the field; and come after me, and you shall rebuild your house.
Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
28 Be not a false witness against your [fellow] citizen, neither exaggerate with your lips.
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me.
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
30 A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard.
I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
31 If you let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction.
I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
33 [The sluggard says, ]I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across [my] breast.
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 But if you do this, your poverty will come speedily; and your lack like a swift courier.
and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
