24:1 Do not envy evil people,1
do not desire2
to be with them;
24:2 for their hearts contemplate destruction,
and their lips speak about trouble.3
24:3 By4
wisdom a house is built,5
and through understanding it is established;
24:4 and by knowledge its rooms are filled
with all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures.
24:5 A wise warrior6
is strong,7
and a man of knowledge makes his strength stronger;
24:6 for with guidance you wage your war,
and with numerous advisors there is victory.8
24:7 Wisdom is too high9
for a fool;
in the gate10
he does not open his mouth.11
24:8 The one who plans to do evil
shall be called a scheming person.12
24:9 A foolish scheme13
is sin,
and the scorner is an abomination to people.14
24:10 If you show yourself slack15
in the day of trouble,16
your strength is small!17
24:11 Deliver those being taken away to death;
and hold back those slipping to the slaughter.18
24:12 If you say, “But we did not know about this,”
does not the One who weighs hearts consider?
Does not the One who guards your life know?
Will He not repay each person according to his work?19
24:13 Eat honey,20
my child, for it is good;
and honey from the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
24:14 Thus, know21
wisdom is sweet22
to your soul;
if you find it,23
then there is a future,24
and your hope will not be cut off.
24:15 Do not lie in wait like the wicked25
against the dwelling of the righteous;
do not assault26
his resting place;
24:16 although27
a righteous person may fall seven times, he rises up,
but the wicked will be brought down28
by calamity.
24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,29
and when he stumbles let not your heart be glad,
24:18 lest the LORD sees, and it displeases Him,30
and He turns His wrath from him.31
24:19 Do not fret because of evil people,
neither be envious of wicked people,
24:20 for the evil person has no future,32
and the lamp of the wicked will be put out.33
24:21 Fear the LORD, my child,34
and the king,
and do not get mixed up35
with rebels,36
24:22 for suddenly their destruction will come,37
and who knows the ruin of them both?38
Further Sayings of the Wise
24:23 These also are from the wise:
To show partiality39
in judgment is not good:
24:24 The one who says to the guilty,40
“You are righteous,”
peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce41
him.
24:25 But there will be delight42
for those who rebuke43
them,44
and pleasing blessing45
shall come upon them.
24:26 Lips he kisses46
who answers47
with honest words.
24:27 Establish your work outside,
and get you fields ready,
afterwards build48
your house.49
24:28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor
without cause,50
and do not deceive with your lips.51
24:29 Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
I will deal with52
him53
in accordance with what he has done.”54
24:30 I passed by the field of a sluggard,
by the vineyard of one who lacks understanding;55
24:31 and I saw56
that thorns had come up all over it,
The ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone wall was broken down.
24:32 When I saw this, I applied my heart;57
I received instruction from what I saw:58
24:33 a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to lie down,
24:34 and your poverty will come like a robber,
and your need like an armed man.59