The Proverbs

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- Chapter 24 -

Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;

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

The meaning of wisdom

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

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

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

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

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

He who plots evil will be called a schemer.

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

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

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

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?

Advice to a son

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The sayings of the wise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

(a)24:5 LXX The wise are mightier than the strong

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

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

The meaning of wisdom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If 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 render to every man according to his work?

Advice to a son

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

so 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The sayings of the wise

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

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

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

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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