Proverbs 24
1 Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
Do not be envious of those who are evil, nor desire to associate with them,
2 Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
because their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about trouble.
3 By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
Through wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established.
4 By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
A warrior of wisdom is strong, and a man of knowledge increases his strength;
6 Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
for by wise direction you can wage your war and with many advisors there is victory.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth.
8 He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
There is one who plans to do evil— people call him a master of schemes.
9 The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
A foolish plan is sin and men despise a mocker.
10 If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
If you become weak with fear in the day of trouble, then your strength is small.
11 Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death and hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.
12 If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
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 Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
My son, eat honey because it is good, because the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
Such is wisdom for your soul— if you find it, there will be a future and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
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 just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
For the righteous person falls down seven times and rises again, but wicked people are brought down by calamity.
17 When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
Do not celebrate when your enemy falls and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 Lest the Lord see, 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 Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
Do not worry because of evildoers, and do not envy wicked people,
20 For evil men have no hope of things to come, and 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 the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
Fear Yahweh, and fear the king, my son; do not associate with those who rebel against them,
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
for suddenly their disaster will come and who knows the extent of the destruction that will come from both of them?
23 These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging a case at law is not good.
24 They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
Whoever says to the wicked person, “You are a righteous person,” will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
But those who discipline the wicked will have delight and gifts of goodness will come to them.
26 He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
The one who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
Prepare your outdoor work, and make everything ready for yourself in the field; after that, build your house.
28 Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man 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 to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one 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 passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
I went by the field of a lazy man, past the vineyard of the man having no sense.
31 And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction.
33 Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
and poverty comes marching upon you, and your needs like an armed soldier.
