Proverbs Chapter 24
1 Do not envy the wicked or desire their company,

2 for their hearts dream only of violence and their lips speak nothing but evil.

3 With wisdom a house is built.

4 It is strengthened by prudence. Its granaries are filled by knowledge with all that is good, precious and desirable.

5 The wise man is powerful; the one of knowledge adds to his strength.

6 Be cause of this, he goes into battle with wise plans, since success depends on many advisers.

7 Wisdom is beyond the reach of the fool; let him not open his mouth in the assembly.

8 The plotter of evil is called an un scrupulous mastermind.

9 The fool dreams only of sin, the mocker deserves only contempt.

10 If you lose heart when misfortune comes, miserable is your strength.

11 Rescue those who are being carried away to die; save those who are being dragged away to torture.

12 Afterwards you will say, “We did not know.” But he who weighs the heart, does he not understand? He who watches over the soul is aware and he will give to each one according to his deeds.

13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good; the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.

14 So also will wisdom be to your soul. If you find it, you have a future and your hope will not be in vain.

15 Evildoer, do not spy on the house of the virtuous man, do not disturb his home.

16 Because even though the virtuous man falls seven times, he gets up again, while the wicked sink in their adversity.

17 Do not rejoice if your enemy falls or let your heart be glad if he stumbles,

18 lest Yahweh see and be displeased and his anger be turned on you.

19 Do not be incensed by the wicked or envious of the ungodly,

20 since there is no future in evil and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

21 Fear Yahweh and the king, my son; make no deals with agitators,

22 for disaster will befall them without warning and who knows when their ruin will come?


Other proverbs of the wise

23 It is not good for judges to show partiality. People curse and nations hate him

24 who says to the wicked man, “You are just.”

25 But those who punish the evildoer can boast; blessing and happiness will be theirs.

26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

27 Finish your work out-of-doors and plan your work in the fields; afterwards, you can think of building your house.

28 Do not lightly bear witness against your neighbor lest you lie.

29 Do not say, “I will do to him what he did to me; I will repay him for his deeds.”

30 I passed by the lazy man’s field, near the vineyard of the senseless man.

31 Everywhere it was full of weeds; thistles covered the ground and the stonewall was fallen apart.

32 Seeing all this, I reflected and drew this lesson from what I saw.

33 A little sleep, a little drowsiness and

34 your laziness creeps upon you and then, like a tramp, poverty comes, bringing misery like a vagabond.