Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.
2 For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions.
3 In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
By wisdom shall a house be built, and by prudence shall it be strengthened.
4 And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful.
5 A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant.
6 Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
For war is undertaken in an orderly manner, and safety shall be where there are many counsels.
7 Unattainable to a foolish man, are the dictates of wisdom, in the gate, he openeth not his mouth.
Wisdom is beyond the foolish; at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
Whoever intends to do evil shall be called foolish.
9 The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
The intention of the foolish is sin. And the detractor is an abomination among men.
10 Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
If you despair, being weary in the day of anguish, your strength will be diminished.
11 Deliver thou such as are being led forth to death, and, them who are tottering to slaughter, oh that thou wouldst hold back!
Rescue those who are led away to death. And do not cease from delivering those who are dragged away to a violent death.
12 Though thou say, Lo! we knew not this, Shall not, he that proveth hearts, himself, discern? And, he that formeth thy soul, himself, know? and bring back to a son of earth according to his deed?
If you would say: “I do not have sufficient strength.” He who inspects the heart, the same one understands, and nothing slips past the one who preserves your soul. And he shall repay a man according to his works.
13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, —and droppings from the comb [because they are] sweet to thy palate:
My son, eat honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, because it is so sweet to your throat.
14 Thus, take knowledge of wisdom, for thine own soul; If thou find it, then there is a future, and, thine expectation, shall not be cut off.
So, too, is the doctrine of wisdom to your soul. When you have found it, you will have hope in the end, and your hope shall not perish.
15 Do not lie in wait, thou lawless man, against the home of the righteous, —neither destroy thou his place of rest;
Do not lie in wait, and do not seek impiety in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
For the just one will fall seven times, and he shall rise again. But the impious will fall into evil.
17 When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,
18 Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.
19 Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
Do not contend with the most wicked, and do not be a rival to the impious.
20 For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
For the evil hold no hope in the future, and the lamp of the impious will be extinguished.
21 Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king. And do not mingle with detractors.
22 For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
For their perdition shall rise up suddenly. And who knows what ruin will be for each of them?
23 These things also, concern the wise, To take note of faces in judgment, is not good.
Likewise, these things are for the wise. It is not good to base judgment on knowledge of character.
24 He that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
Those who say to the impious, “You are just,” shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall detest them.
25 But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
Those who argue against the impious shall be praised, and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
He shall kiss the lips, who responds with upright words.
27 Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
Prepare your outdoor work, and diligently cultivate your field, so that afterward, you may build your house.
28 Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide thy lips:
Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone with your lips.
29 Do not say—According to what he hath done to me, so, will I do to him, I will repay every one according to his work.
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me.” I will repay each one according to his work.
30 By the field of the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense;
I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man,
31 And lo! there had come up all over it—thorns, there had covered the face thereof—thistles, and, the stone fence thereof, had been thrown down.
and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed.
32 So I observed it, for myself, I applied my heart, I looked—I accepted correction:
When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest:
You will sleep a little,” I said. “You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest.
34 So shall come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man.”
