Proverbs 24:1–27:10

Saying 20

24 Do not envyx the wicked,

do not desire their company;

2 for their hearts plot violence,y

and their lips talk about making trouble.z

Saying 21

3 By wisdom a house is built,a

and through understanding it is established;

4 through knowledge its rooms are filled

with rare and beautiful treasures.b

Saying 22

5 The wise prevail through great power,

and those who have knowledge muster their strength.

6 Surely you need guidance to wage war,

and victory is won through many advisers.c

Saying 23

7 Wisdom is too high for fools;

in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.

Saying 24

8 Whoever plots evil

will be known as a schemer.

9 The schemes of folly are sin,

and people detest a mocker.

Saying 25

10 If you falter in a time of trouble,

how small is your strength!d

11 Rescue those being led away to death;

hold back those staggering toward slaughter.e

12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”

does not he who weighsf the heart perceive it?

Does not he who guards your life know it?

Will he not repayg everyone according to what they have done?h

Saying 26

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;

honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.

14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:

If you find it, there is a future hope for you,

and your hope will not be cut off.i

Saying 27

15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,

do not plunder their dwelling place;

16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,

but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.j

Saying 28

17 Do not gloatk when your enemy falls;

when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,l

18 or the Lord will see and disapprove

and turn his wrath away from them.m

Saying 29

19 Do not fretn because of evildoers

or be envious of the wicked,

20 for the evildoer has no future hope,

and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.o

Saying 30

21 Fear the Lord and the king,p my son,

and do not join with rebellious officials,

22 for those two will send sudden destructionq on them,

and who knows what calamities they can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

23 These also are sayings of the wise:r

To show partialitys in judging is not good:t

24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”u

will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.

25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,

and rich blessing will come on them.

26 An honest answer

is like a kiss on the lips.

27 Put your outdoor work in order

and get your fields ready;

after that, build your house.

28 Do not testify against your neighbor without causev—

would you use your lips to mislead?

29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;

I’ll pay them back for what they did.”w

30 I went past the field of a sluggard,x

past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;

31 thorns had come up everywhere,

the ground was covered with weeds,

and the stone wall was in ruins.

32 I applied my heart to what I observed

and learned a lesson from what I saw:

33 A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to resty—

34 and poverty will come on you like a thief

and scarcity like an armed man.z

More Proverbs of Solomon

25 These are more proverbsa of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:b

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;

to search out a matter is the glory of kings.c

3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,

so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

4 Remove the dross from the silver,

and a silversmith can produce a vessel;

5 remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,d

and his throne will be establishede through righteousness.f

6 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,

and do not claim a place among his great men;

7 it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”g

than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

What you have seen with your eyes

8 do not bringa hastily to court,

for what will you do in the end

if your neighbor puts you to shame?h

9 If you take your neighbor to court,

do not betray another’s confidence,

10 or the one who hears it may shame you

and the charge against you will stand.

11 Like applesb of gold in settings of silveri

is a ruling rightly given.

12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold

is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.j

13 Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time

is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;

he refreshes the spirit of his master.k

14 Like clouds and wind without rain

is one who boasts of gifts never given.

15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,l

and a gentle tongue can break a bone.m

16 If you find honey, eat just enough—

too much of it, and you will vomit.n

17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—

too much of you, and they will hate you.

18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow

is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.o

19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot

is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.

20 Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,

or like vinegar poured on a wound,

is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;

if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

22 In doing this, you will heap burning coalsp on his head,

and the Lord will reward you.q

23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain

is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

24 Better to live on a corner of the roof

than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.r

25 Like cold water to a weary soul

is good news from a distant land.s

26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well

are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

27 It is not good to eat too much honey,t

nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.u

28 Like a city whose walls are broken through

is a person who lacks self-control.

26 Like snow in summer or rainv in harvest,

honor is not fitting for a fool.w

2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,

an undeserved curse does not come to rest.x

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,y

and a rod for the backs of fools!z

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

or you yourself will be just like him.a

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

or he will be wise in his own eyes.b

6 Sending a message by the hands of a foolc

is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.

7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.d

8 Like tying a stone in a sling

is the giving of honor to a fool.e

9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.f

10 Like an archer who wounds at random

is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.

11 As a dog returns to its vomit,g

so fools repeat their folly.h

12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?i

There is more hope for a fool than for them.j

13 A sluggard says,k “There’s a lion in the road,

a fierce lion roaming the streets!”l

14 As a door turns on its hinges,

so a sluggard turns on his bed.m

15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.n

16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes

than seven people who answer discreetly.

17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears

is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

18 Like a maniac shooting

flaming arrows of death

19 is one who deceives their neighbor

and says, “I was only joking!”

20 Without wood a fire goes out;

without a gossip a quarrel dies down.o

21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.p

22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;

they go down to the inmost parts.q

23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware

are ferventa lips with an evil heart.

24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,r

but in their hearts they harbor deceit.s

25 Though their speech is charming,t do not believe them,

for seven abominations fill their hearts.u

26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,

but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27 Whoever digs a pitv will fall into it;w

if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.x

28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,

and a flattering mouthy works ruin.

27 Do not boastz about tomorrow,

for you do not know what a day may bring.a

2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;

an outsider, and not your own lips.b

3 Stone is heavy and sandc a burden,

but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,

but who can stand before jealousy?d

5 Better is open rebuke

than hidden love.

6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,

but an enemy multiplies kisses.e

7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb,

but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

8 Like a bird that flees its nestf

is anyone who flees from home.

9 Perfumeg and incense bring joy to the heart,

and the pleasantness of a friend

springs from their heartfelt advice.

10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,

and do not go to your relative’s house when disasterh strikes you—

better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.