Proverbs 24
1 Do not be envious of those who are evil, nor desire to associate with them,
Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:
2 because their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about trouble.
For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.
3 Through wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established.
The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:
4 By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.
5 A warrior of wisdom is strong, and a man of knowledge increases his strength;
A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.
6 for by wise direction you can wage your war and with many advisors there is victory.
For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth.
Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.
8 There is one who plans to do evil— people call him a master of schemes.
He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.
9 A foolish plan is sin and men despise a mocker.
The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.
10 If you become weak with fear in the day of trouble, then your strength is small.
If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.
11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death and hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter.
Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.
12 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?
If you say, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?
13 My son, eat honey because it is good, because the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:
14 Such is wisdom for your soul— if you find it, there will be a future and your hope will not be cut off.
So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait like the wicked person who attacks the house of the righteous person. Do not destroy his home!
Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:
16 For the righteous person falls down seven times and rises again, but wicked people are brought down by calamity.
For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.
17 Do not celebrate when your enemy falls and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:
18 or Yahweh will see and disapprove and turn away his wrath from him.
For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.
19 Do not worry because of evildoers, and do not envy wicked people,
Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:
20 for the evil person has no future and the lamp of wicked people will go out.
For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
21 Fear Yahweh, and fear the king, my son; do not associate with those who rebel against them,
My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
22 for suddenly their disaster will come and who knows the extent of the destruction that will come from both of them?
For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
23 These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging a case at law is not good.
These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.
24 Whoever says to the wicked person, “You are a righteous person,” will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 But those who discipline the wicked will have delight and gifts of goodness will come to them.
But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.
26 The one who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.
27 Prepare your outdoor work, and make everything ready for yourself in the field; after that, build your house.
Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.
28 Do not bear witness against your neighbor without cause and do not deceive with your lips.
Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.
29 Do not say, “I will do to him what he has done to me; I will pay him back for what he has done.”
Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.
30 I went by the field of a lazy man, past the vineyard of the man having no sense.
I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;
31 Thorns had grown up everywhere, the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction.
Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
34 and poverty comes marching upon you, and your needs like an armed soldier.
So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
