24:1 Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company;
24:2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.
24:3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;
24:4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
24:5 A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength;
24:6 for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.
24:7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.
24:8 He who plots evil will be known as a schemer.
24:9 The schemes of folly are sin, and men detest a mocker.
24:10 If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!
24:11 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
24:12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?
24:13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
24:14 Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
24:15 Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man’s house, do not raid his dwelling place;
24:16 for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.
24:17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,
24:18 or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.
24:19 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked,
24:20 for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
24:21 Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious,
24:22 for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?
24:23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:
24:24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent”–peoples will curse him and nations denounce him.
24:25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
24:26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
24:27 Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.
24:28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, or use your lips to deceive.
24:29 Do not say, “I’ll do to him as he has done to me; I’ll pay that man back for what he did.”
24:30 I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment;
24:31 thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.
24:32 I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:
24:33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest–
24:34 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.
24:1 Do not be envious of evil men, / Nor desire to be with them;
24:2 For their heart meditates violence, / And their lips talk of mischief.
24:3 Through wisdom a house is built, / And by understanding it is established,
24:4 And by knowledge the rooms are filled / With all precious and pleasant riches.
24:5 A wise man is strong, / And a man of knowledge increases power.
24:6 For by sound counsel you can wage your war, / And in the multitude of counselors there is victory.
24:7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; / He does not open his mouth in the gate.
24:8 He who devises to do evil, / Men will call him a mischief-maker.
24:9 The devising of folly is sin, / And the scorner is an abomination to men.
24:10 If you faint in the day of adversity, / Your strength is limited.
24:11 Deliver those who are being taken away to death, / And those who are staggering to be slain, oh, hold back!
24:12 If you say, Look, we did not know this ? / Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? / And He who keeps your soul, does He not know it ? / And will He not render to every man according to his work?
24:13 My son, eat honey, for it is good, / And the drippings from the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:
24:14 Know that wisdom is such for your soul; / If you find it, then there will be a latter end, / And your hope will not be cut off.
24:15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous man; / Do not destroy his resting place;
24:16 For a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, / But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, / And do not let your heart exult when he is overthrown;
24:18 Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease Him, / And He turn away His anger from him.
24:19 Do not be incensed because of evildoers; / Do not be envious of the wicked;
24:20 For there will be no future for the evil man; / The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
24:21 My son, fear Jehovah and the king, / And do not associate with those who are given to change;
24:22 For their calamity will rise suddenly, / And who knows the misfortune of both of them?
24:23 These also are sayings of the wise: / It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24:24 He who says to the wicked man, You are righteous, / Peoples will curse him; nations will abhor him.
24:25 But those who rebuke the wicked man will have delight, / And a good blessing will come upon them.
24:26 He who gives an honest answer / Kisses the lips.
24:27 Prepare your work outside, / And make it ready for yourself in the field, / And afterward build your house.
24:28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, / And do not deceive with your lips.
24:29 Do not say, I will do to him as he has done to me; / I will render to the man according to his work.
24:30 I passed by the field of the sluggard, / And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense;
24:31 And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; / Its surface was covered with nettles, / And its stone wall was broken down.
24:32 When I looked, I considered it; / I saw it and received instruction:
24:33 A little sleep, a little slumber, / A little folding of the hands to rest,
24:34 And your poverty will come upon you like a robber, / And your want, like an armed man.