Proverbs 24

¹Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;

²for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.

³Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;

⁴by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.

⁵A wise man has great power. A knowledgeable man increases strength,

⁶for by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisors.

⁷Wisdom is too high for a fool. He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.

⁸One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.

⁹The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.

¹⁰If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.

¹¹Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!

¹²If 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 give to every man according to his work?

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

¹⁴so 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.

¹⁵Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place;

¹⁶for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

¹⁷Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,

¹⁸lest Yahweh see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked;

²⁰for there will be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

²¹My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious,

²²for their calamity will rise suddenly. Who knows what destruction may come from them both?

²³These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.

²⁴He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” peoples will curse him, and nations will abhor him—

²⁵but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.

²⁶An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

²⁷Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.

²⁸Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.

²⁹Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”

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

³¹Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

³²Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:

³³a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,

³⁴so your poverty will come as a robber and your want as an armed man.