Proverbs — Chapter 24

Do not envy the wicked;Do not desire to be with them;

For their heartsahearts See note to 15.28. talk violence,And their lips speak mischief.

A house is built by wisdom,And is established by understanding;

By knowledge are its rooms filledWith all precious and beautiful things.

A wise man is strength;A knowledgeable man exerts power;

For by stratagems you wage war,And victory comes with much planning.

Wisdom is too lofty for an ignoramus;He does not open his mouth in the gate.

One who lays plans to do harmIs called a schemer.

The schemes of folly are sin,And a scoffer is an abomination to all.ball Lit. “humankind.”

If you showed yourself slack in time of trouble,Wanting in power,

If you refrained from rescuing those taken off to death,Those condemned to slaughter—

If you say, “We knew nothing of it,”Surely the One who fathoms hearts will discern [the truth],The One who watches over your life will know it,And [God] will pay each person as they deserve.

My son, eat honey, for it is good;Let its sweet drops be on your palate.

Know: such is wisdom for your soul;If you attain it, there is a future;Your hope will not be cut off.

Wicked ones! Do not lurk by the home of the righteous;Do no violence to their dwellings.

Seven times a righteous person falls and gets up,While the wicked are tripped by one misfortune.

If your enemies fall, do not exult;If they trip, let your heart not rejoice,

Lest GOD see it and be displeased,And avert God’s wrath from them.

Do not be vexed by evildoers;Do not be incensed by the wicked;

For there is no future for an evildoer;The lamp of the wicked goes out.

Fear GOD, my son, and the king,And do not mix with dissenters,

For disaster comes from them suddenly;The doom both decree who can foreknow?

These also are by the sages:It is not right to be partial in judgment.

One who says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”Shall be cursed by peoples,Damned by nations;

But it shall go well with them who decide justly;Blessings of good things will light upon them.

Giving a straightforward replyIs like giving a kiss.

Put your external affairs in order,Get ready what you have in the field,Then build yourself a home.

Do not be a witness against your fellow without good cause;Would you mislead with your speech?

Do not say, “I will do to him what he did to me;I will pay the man what he deserves.”

I passed by the field of a lazy man,By the vineyard of someone lacking sense.

It was all overgrown with thorns;Its surface was covered with chickweed,And its stone fence lay in ruins.

I observed and took it to heart;I saw it and learned a lesson.

A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber,A bit more hugging yourself in bed,

And poverty will come calling upon you,ccalling upon you Meaning of Heb. uncertain. And want, like a man with a shield.