Proverbs 24:23–34

More Sayings of the Wise

²³Here are some further sayings of the wise:

It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.

²⁴A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”

will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.

²⁵But it will go well for those who convict the guilty;

rich blessings will be showered on them.

²⁶An honest answer

is like a kiss of friendship.

²⁷Do your planning and prepare your fields

before building your house.

²⁸Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;

don’t lie about them.

²⁹And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me!

I’ll get even with them!”

³⁰I walked by the field of a lazy person,

the vineyard of one with no common sense.

³¹I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.

It was covered with weeds,

and its walls were broken down.

³²Then, as I looked and thought about it,

I learned this lesson:

³³A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest—

³⁴then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;

scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.