Proverbs 24

¹Be not envious of evil men,

nor desire to be with them,

²for their hearts devise violence,

and their lips talk of trouble.

³By wisdom a house is built,

and by understanding it is established;

⁴by knowledge the rooms are filled

with all precious and pleasant riches.

⁵A wise man is full of strength,

and a man of knowledge enhances his might,

⁶for by wise guidance you can wage your war,

and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

⁷Wisdom is too high for a fool;

in the gate he does not open his mouth.

⁸Whoever plans to do evil

will be called a schemer.

⁹The devising of folly is sin,

and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

¹⁰If you faint in the day of adversity,

your strength is small.

¹¹Rescue those who are being taken away to death;

hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

¹²If 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?

¹³My son, eat honey, for it is good,

and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

¹⁴Know that wisdom is such to your soul;

if you find it, there will be a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁵Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;

do no violence to his home;

¹⁶for the righteous falls seven times and rises again,

but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

¹⁷Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,

and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

¹⁸lest the Lord see it and be displeased,

and turn away his anger from him.

¹⁹Fret not yourself because of evildoers,

and be not envious of the wicked,

²⁰for the evil man has no future;

the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

²¹My son, fear the Lord and the king,

and do not join with those who do otherwise,

²²for disaster will arise suddenly from them,

and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

More Sayings of the Wise

²³These also are sayings of the wise.

Partiality in judging is not good.

²⁴Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”

will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,

²⁵but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,

and a good blessing will come upon them.

²⁶Whoever gives an honest answer

kisses the lips.

²⁷Prepare your work outside;

get everything ready for yourself in the field,

and after that build your house.

²⁸Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,

and do not deceive with your lips.

²⁹Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;

I will pay the man back for what he has done.”

³⁰I passed by the field of a sluggard,

by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,

³¹and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;

the ground was covered with nettles,

and its stone wall was broken down.

³²Then I saw and considered it;

I looked and received instruction.

³³A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest,

³⁴and poverty will come upon you like a robber,

and want like an armed man.