Proverbs 24

1  Be not envious of evil men,
nor desire to be with them,
2  for their hearts devise violence,
and their lips talk of trouble.

3  By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
4  by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.
5  A wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
6  for by wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
7  Wisdom is too high for a fool;
in the gate he does not open his mouth.

8  Whoever plans to do evil
will be called a schemer.
9  The devisingt of folly is sin,
and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

10  If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11  Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12  If you say, "Behold, we did not know this,"
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man according to his work?

13  My son, eat honey, for it is good,
and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14  Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.

15  Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
do no violence to his home;
16  for the righteous falls seven times and rises again,
but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

17  Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18  lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.

19  Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not envious of the wicked,
20  for the evil man has no future;
the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21  My son, fear the Lord and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22  for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

More Sayings of the Wise

23 These also are sayings of the wise.
Partiality in judging is not good.
24  Whoever says to the wicked, "You are in the right,"
will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
25  but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
and a good blessing will come upon them.
26  Whoever gives an honest answer
kisses the lips.

27  Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.

28  Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
29  Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for what he has done."

30  I passed by the field of a sluggard,
by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,
31  and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
the ground was covered with nettles,
and its stone wall was broken down.
32  Then I saw and considered it;
I looked and received instruction.
33  A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
34  and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.

Proverbs 24

1 Be not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them:

2 For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.

3 Through wisdom is a house builded; And by understanding it is established;

4 And by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might

6 For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war; And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.

8 He that deviseth to do evil, Men shall call him a mischief-maker.

9 The thought of foolishness is sin; And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small.

11 Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.

12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew not this; Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?

13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:

14 So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul; If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, And thy hope shall not be cut off.

15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:

16 For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;

18 Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.

19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:

20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

21 My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; And company not with them that are given to change:

22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?

23 These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.

24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him:

25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, And a good blessing shall come upon them.

26 He kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer.

27 Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.

28 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips.

29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.

30 I went by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, The face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.

32 Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction:

33  Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep;

34 So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.