Proverbs 24

24Be not ^uenvious of evil men,

nor desire to be ^vwith them,

²for their hearts ^wdevise violence,

and their lips ^xtalk of trouble.

³By ^ywisdom a house is built,

and by understanding it is established;

⁴by knowledge the rooms are filled

with all ^zprecious and pleasant riches.

^5aA wise man is full of strength,

and a man of knowledge enhances his might,

⁶for by ^bwise guidance you can wage your war,

and in ^cabundance of counselors there is victory.

⁷Wisdom is ^dtoo high for a fool;

in ^ethe gate he does not open his mouth.

⁸Whoever ^fplans to do evil

will be called a schemer.

^9gThe devising¹ of folly is sin,

and ^hthe scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

¹⁰If you ⁱfaint in the day of adversity,

your strength is small.

^11jRescue 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,”

^kdoes not he who ^lweighs the heart perceive it?

Does not he who ^mkeeps watch over your soul know it,

and will he not repay man ⁿaccording to his work?

¹³My son, ^oeat honey, for it is good,

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

¹⁴Know that wisdom is such to your soul;

if you find it, there will be ^qa future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

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

do no violence to his home;

^16sfor the righteous falls ^tseven times and rises again,

but ^uthe wicked stumble in times of calamity.

^17vDo 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.

^19wFret not yourself because of evildoers,

and be not ^xenvious of the wicked,

²⁰for the evil man has no ^qfuture;

^ythe lamp of the wicked will be put out.

²¹My son, ^zfear 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 ^athe wise.

^bPartiality in judging is not good.

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

^dwill 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.

^27ePrepare your work outside;

get everything ready for yourself in the field,

and after that build your house.

^28fBe not a witness against your neighbor without cause,

and do not deceive with your lips.

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

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

^30hI passed by the field of a sluggard,

by the vineyard of a man ⁱlacking sense,

³¹and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;

the ground was covered with nettles,

and its stone ^jwall was broken down.

³²Then I saw and ^kconsidered it;

I looked and received instruction.

^33lA 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.