Proverbs 24
1 Do not envy evil people; do not desire to associate with them,
Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.
2 because they are [constantly] thinking about acting violently, and whenever they speak [MTY], they talk about (causing trouble/hurting someone).
For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions.
3 People make good houses (OR, families) by doing what is wise, and they make their houses (OR, families) strong by [heeding] good advice.
By wisdom shall a house be built, and by prudence shall it be strengthened.
4 By using good sense, [they are able to buy] valuable and beautiful things and put them in the rooms of their houses.
By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful.
5 Being wise is better than being strong/powerful; those who know [many things can accomplish more] than those who are [very] strong.
A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant.
6 Leaders can fight battles if they have wise advisors, and they win those battles if they have many good advisors.
For war is undertaken in an orderly manner, and safety shall be where there are many counsels.
7 Foolish people cannot understand wise sayings/talk; at public meetings they are not [able to] say anything [that is useful].
Wisdom is beyond the foolish; at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 Those who are [always] planning to do evil things will be called troublemakers.
Whoever intends to do evil shall be called foolish.
9 It is sinful to plan to do foolish things, and people hate those who make fun of [everything that is good].
The intention of the foolish is sin. And the detractor is an abomination among men.
10 If you [act as though] you are helpless when you have troubles, you are [truly very] weak.
If you despair, being weary in the day of anguish, your strength will be diminished.
11 [If it is unjustly decided] that someone must be executed, [try hard to] rescue them [DOU].
Rescue those who are led away to death. And do not cease from delivering those who are dragged away to a violent death.
12 If you say, “I did not know anything about it, [so (it is not my concern/I did not try to help him)],” remember that God knows what we have done, and he knows what we were thinking [IDM, RHQ], and he will certainly [RHQ] repay us as we deserve for what we have done or for not doing what we should have done.
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 child/son, eat honey, because it is good [for you]; the honey that drips from honeycombs tastes [very] sweet.
My son, eat honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, because it is so sweet to your throat.
14 Similarly, being wise is good for your soul; if you become wise, you will be [happy in] the future, and [God] will certainly [do for you what you are] confidently expecting him to do [LIT].
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 be like wicked people who [hide and] wait to break into the houses of righteous/good [people] and rob/steal things.
Do not lie in wait, and do not seek impiety in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 [Even if] good people fall down seven/many times, they [always] stand/get up again, but when a disaster happens to wicked [people], it ruins/destroys them.
For the just one will fall seven times, and he shall rise again. But the impious will fall into evil.
17 Do not be happy when something bad happens to one of your enemies; do not rejoice when he stumbles and falls,
When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,
18 because Yahweh will know what you are thinking, and he will not like it, and [as a result] he will not punish that enemy of yours.
lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.
19 Do not become angry/upset about those who do what is evil, and do not [SYN] envy them,
Do not contend with the most wicked, and do not be a rival to the impious.
20 because [nothing good] will happen to wicked people; they are [like] a lamp that will soon be extinguished [MET].
For the evil hold no hope in the future, and the lamp of the impious will be extinguished.
21 My child/son, revere Yahweh and [also] honor the king, and do not associate with people who want to rebel against either of them,
My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king. And do not mingle with detractors.
22 because those people will suddenly experience disasters; and no one knows [RHQ] what great disasters that God or the king can cause to happen to them.
For their perdition shall rise up suddenly. And who knows what ruin will be for each of them?
23 Here are more things that wise [people] have said: It is wrong for judges to decide matters unfairly [IDM].
Likewise, these things are for the wise. It is not good to base judgment on knowledge of character.
24 If they say to people who are guilty, “You (are innocent/have not done something that is wrong),” [even] people in other nations will curse and despise them,
Those who say to the impious, “You are just,” shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall detest them.
25 but if judges say that guilty people must be punished, things will go well for those judges, and (they will receive blessings/God will bless them).
Those who argue against the impious shall be praised, and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 Those who answer others honestly show that they are truly their friends [IDM].
He shall kiss the lips, who responds with upright words.
27 First, do the work [that needs to be done] outside [your house], and prepare your fields, [and then plant things], and after you finish doing that, build your house.
Prepare your outdoor work, and diligently cultivate your field, so that afterward, you may build your house.
28 [In the courtroom] do not testify against someone when you have no reason to do that, and do not [try to] deceive [people] by what you say [MTY].
Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone with your lips.
29 Do not say, “I will do to him what he did to me; I will pay him back for [the bad things that] he did to me.”
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me.” I will repay each one according to his work.
30 One day I walked by the vineyards of a lazy man, a man who did not have good sense.
I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man,
31 I was surprised to see that the fields were full of all kinds of thorny bushes, and the stone wall [around the garden] had (collapsed/fallen down).
and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed.
32 When I saw that, I thought about it, and I learned this:
When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline.
33 [If you spend a lot of time] sleeping and napping and folding your hands while you rest,
You will sleep a little,” I said. “You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest.
34 [soon] you will become poor; [it will be as though] [PRS, SIM] a bandit who had a weapon in his hand [attacked you and stole all that you had].
And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man.”
