Proverbs 24

1 Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;

1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

2 for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.

2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

3 By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;

3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.

4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.

5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

6 Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.

6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.

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

8 He who plots evil will be called a schemer.

8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

9 A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.

9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

10 If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!

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

11 Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.

11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?

12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.

13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

14 Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.

14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.

15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

16 For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,

17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

18 or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.

18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19 Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.

19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

20 For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

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

21 My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.

21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

22 For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?

22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

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

23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

24 Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;

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

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

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

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

26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

27 Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.

27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

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

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 past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.

30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

31 Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.

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

32 I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:

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

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

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

34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.