Chapter 24

Precepts and Warnings

1 Do not be aenvious of evil men,

Nor desire to bbe with them;

2 For their 1minds devise aviolence,

And their lips btalk of trouble.

3 aBy wisdom a house is built,

And by understanding it is established;

4 And by knowledge the rooms are afilled

With all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A awise man is 1strong,

And a man of knowledge 2increases power.

6 For aby wise guidance you will 1wage war,

And bin abundance of counselors there is victory.

7 Wisdom is atoo exalted for a fool,

He does not open his mouth bin the gate.

8 One who aplans to do evil,

Men will call a 1schemer.

9 The adevising of folly is sin,

And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 If you aare slack in the day of distress,

Your strength is limited.

11 aDeliver those who are being taken away to death,

And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.

12 If you say, “See, we did not know this,”

Does He not aconsider it bwho weighs the hearts?

And cdoes He not know it who dkeeps your soul?

And will He not 1erender to man according to his work?

13 My son, eat ahoney, for it is good,

Yes, the bhoney from the comb is sweet to your taste;

14 Know that awisdom is thus for your soul;

If you find it, then there will be a 1bfuture,

And your hope will not be cut off.

15 aDo not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;

Do not destroy his resting place;

16 For a arighteous man falls seven times, and rises again,

But the bwicked stumble in time of calamity.

17 aDo not rejoice when your enemy falls,

And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

18 Or the Lord will see it and 1be displeased,

And turn His anger away from him.

19 aDo not fret because of evildoers

Or be benvious of the wicked;

20 For athere will be no 1bfuture for the evil man;

The clamp of the wicked will be put out.

21 My son, 1afear the Lord and the king;

Do not associate with those who are given to change,

22 For their acalamity will rise suddenly,

And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?

23 These also are asayings of the wise.

To 1bshow partiality in judgment is not good.

24 He awho says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”

bPeoples will curse him, nations will abhor him;

25 But ato those who rebuke the wicked will be delight,

And a good blessing will come upon them.

26 He kisses the lips

Who gives 1a right answer.

27 Prepare your work outside

And amake it ready for yourself in the field;

Afterwards, then, build your house.

28 Do not be a awitness against your neighbor without cause,

And bdo not deceive with your lips.

29 aDo not say, “Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me;

I will 1render to the man according to his work.”

30 I passed by the field of the sluggard

And by the vineyard of the man alacking 1sense,

31 And behold, it was completely aovergrown with thistles;

Its surface was covered with 1bnettles,

And its stone cwall was broken down.

32 When I saw, I 1reflected upon it;

I looked, and received instruction.

33 “aA little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to rest,”

34 Then your poverty will come as 1a robber

And your want like 2an armed man.