Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou enuious against euill men, neither desire to be with them.
Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
2 For their heart imagineth destruction, and their lippes speake mischiefe.
for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.
3 Through wisdome is an house builded, and with vnderstanding it is established.
Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;
4 And by knowledge shall the chambers bee filled with all precious, and pleasant riches.
by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.
5 A wise man is strong: for a man of vnderstanding encreaseth his strength.
A wise man has great power. A knowledgeable man 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 guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisors.
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 doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.
8 Hee that imagineth to doe euill, men shall call him an autour of wickednes.
One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.
9 The wicked thought of a foole is sinne, and the scorner is an abomination vnto men.
The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.
10 If thou bee faint in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.
If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.
11 Deliuer them that are drawen to death: wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slaine?
Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
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 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 sonne, eate hony, for it is good, and the hony combe, for it is sweete vnto thy mouth.
My son, eat honey, for it is good, the droppings of the honeycomb, which are 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 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 Laye no waite, O wicked man, against the house of the righteous, and spoyle not his resting place.
Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place;
16 For a iust man falleth seuen times, and riseth againe: but the wicked fall into mischiefe.
for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17 Bee thou not glad when thine enemie falleth, and let not thine heart reioyce when hee stumbleth,
Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,
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.
Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of 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 will be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21 My sonne feare the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are sedicious.
My son, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious,
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both?
for their calamity will rise suddenly. Who knows what destruction may come from them both?
23 ALSO THESE THINGS PERTEINE TO THE WISE, It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement.
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 He that saith to the wicked, Thou art righteous, him shall the people curse, and the multitude shall abhorre him.
He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” peoples will curse him, and nations will abhor him—
25 But to them that rebuke him, shall be pleasure, and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse.
but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.
26 They shall kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright wordes.
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare thy worke without, and make readie thy thinges in the fielde, and after, builde thine house.
Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.
28 Be not a witnes against thy neighbour without cause: for wilt thou deceiue with thy lippes?
Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive 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.
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 passed by the fielde of the slouthfull, and by the vineyarde of the man destitute of vnderstanding.
I went by the field of the sluggard, 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.
Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I behelde, and I considered it well: I looked vpon it, and receiued instruction.
Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
33 Yet a litle sleepe, a litle slumber, a litle folding of the handes to sleepe.
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 your poverty will come as a robber and your want as an armed man.
