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 ?

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 .