Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou enuious against euill men, neither desire to be with them.
Be not you envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 For their heart imagineth destruction, and their lippes speake mischiefe.
For their heart studies destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Through wisdome is an house builded, and with vnderstanding it is established.
Through wisdom is an house built; and by understanding it is established:
4 And by knowledge shall the chambers bee filled with all precious, and pleasant riches.
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong: for a man of vnderstanding encreaseth his strength.
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increases strength.
6 For with counsel thou shalt enterprise thy warre, and in the multitude of them that can giue counsell, is health.
For by wise counsel you shall make your war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Wisdome is hie to a foole: therefore he can not open his mouth in the gate.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he opens not his mouth in the gate.
8 Hee that imagineth to doe euill, men shall call him an autour of wickednes.
He that devises to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
9 The wicked thought of a foole is sinne, and the scorner is an abomination vnto men.
The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 If thou bee faint in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.
If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
11 Deliuer them that are drawen to death: wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slaine?
If you forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
12 If thou say, Beholde, we knew not of it: he that pondereth the heartes, doeth not hee vnderstand it? and hee that keepeth thy soule, knoweth he it not? will not he also recompense euery man according to his workes?
If you say, Behold, we knew it not; does not he that ponders the heart consider it? and he that keeps your soul, does not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
13 My sonne, eate hony, for it is good, and the hony combe, for it is sweete vnto thy mouth.
My son, eat you honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to your taste:
14 So shall the knowledge of wisdome be vnto thy soule, if thou finde it, and there shall be an ende, and thine hope shall not be cut off.
So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto your soul: when you have found it, then there shall be a reward, and your expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Laye no waite, O wicked man, against the house of the righteous, and spoyle not his resting place.
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
16 For a iust man falleth seuen times, and riseth againe: but the wicked fall into mischiefe.
For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Bee thou not glad when thine enemie falleth, and let not thine heart reioyce when hee stumbleth,
Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles:
18 Least the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turne his wrath from him.
Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious, neither be enuious at the wicked.
Fret not yourself because of evil men, neither be you envious at the wicked:
20 For there shall bee none ende of plagues to the euill man: the light of the wicked shall bee put out.
For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My sonne feare the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are sedicious.
My son, fear you the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knows the ruin of them both?
23 ALSO THESE THINGS PERTEINE TO THE WISE, It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement.
These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 He that saith to the wicked, Thou art righteous, him shall the people curse, and the multitude shall abhorre him.
He that says unto the wicked, You are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall detest him:
25 But to them that rebuke him, shall be pleasure, and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse.
But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 They shall kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright wordes.
Every man shall kiss his lips that gives a right answer.
27 Prepare thy worke without, and make readie thy thinges in the fielde, and after, builde thine house.
Prepare your work without, and make it fit for yourself in the field; and afterwards build your house.
28 Be not a witnes against thy neighbour without cause: for wilt thou deceiue with thy lippes?
Be not a witness against your neighbour without cause; and deceive not with your lips.
29 Say not, I wil doe to him, as he hath done to mee, I will recompence euery man according to his worke.
Say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
30 I passed by the fielde of the slouthfull, and by the vineyarde of the man destitute of vnderstanding.
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 And lo, it was al growen ouer with thornes, and nettles had couered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken downe.
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 I behelde, and I considered it well: I looked vpon it, and receiued instruction.
Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
33 Yet a litle sleepe, a litle slumber, a litle folding of the handes to sleepe.
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34 So thy pouertie commeth as one that traueileth by the way, and thy necessitie like an armed man.
So shall your poverty come as one that travels; and your lack as an armed man.
