Proverbs, 24

1. Do not be envious of the wicked or wish for their company,

1. Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them;

2. for their hearts are scheming violence, their lips talking mischief.

2. for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of mischief.

3. By wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is made strong;

3. By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;

4. by knowledge its storerooms are filled with riches of every kind, rare and desirable.

4. by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5. The wise is mighty in power, strength is reinforced by science;

5. A wise man is mightier than a strong man, and a man of knowledge than he who has strength;

6. for it is by strategy that you wage war, and victory depends on having many counsellors.

6. for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

7. For a fool wisdom is an inaccessible fortress: at the city gate he does not open his mouth.

7. Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth.

8. Anyone intent on evil-doing is known as a master in cunning.

8. He who plans to do evil will be called a mischief-maker.

9. Folly dreams of nothing but sin, the mocker is abhorrent.

9. The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10. If you lose heart when things go wrong, your strength is not worth much.

10. If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

11. Save those being dragged towards death, but can you rescue those on their way to execution?

11. Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

12. If you say, 'But look, we did not know,' will the Weigher of the heart pay no attention? Will not the Guardian of your soul be aware and repay you as your deeds deserve?

12. If you say, "Behold, we did not know this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not requite man according to his work?

13. Eat honey, my child, since it is good; honey that drips from the comb is sweet to the taste:

13. My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

14. and so, for sure, will wisdom be to your soul: find it and you will have a future and your hope will not be cut short.

14. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

15. Do not lurk, wicked man, round the upright man's dwelling, do not despoil his house.

15. Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do not violence to his home;

16. For though the upright falls seven times, he gets up again; the wicked are the ones who stumble in adversity.

16. for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

17. Should your enemy fall, do not rejoice, when he stumbles do not let your heart exult:

17. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles;

18. for fear that Yahweh will be displeased at the sight and turn his anger away from him.

18. lest the LORD see it, and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

19. Do not be indignant about the wicked, do not be envious of the evil,

19. Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked;

20. for there is no future for the evil, the lamp of the wicked will go out.

20. for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21. Fear Yahweh, my child, and fear the king; do not ally yourself with innovators;

21. My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not disobey either of them;

22. for suddenly disaster will loom for them, and who knows what ruin will seize them and their friends?

22. for disaster from them will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

23. The following are also taken from the sages: To show partiality in judgement is not good.

23. These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.

24. Whoever tells the wicked, 'You are upright,' peoples curse him, nations revile him;

24. He who says to the wicked, "You are innocent," will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations;

25. but those who correct him, come out of it well, on them will come a happy blessing.

25. but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will be upon them.

26. Whoever returns an honest answer, plants a kiss on the lips.

26. He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

27. Plan what you want on the open ground, make your preparation in the field; then go and build your house.

27. Prepare your work outside, get everything ready for you in the field; and after that build your house.

28. Do not bear witness lightly against your neighbour, nor deceive with your lips.

28. Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

29. Do not say, 'I will treat my neighbour as my neighbour treated me; I will repay everyone what each has earned.'

29. Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done."

30. By the idler's field I was passing, by the vineyard of a man who had no sense,

30. I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man without sense;

31. there it all lay, deep in thorns, entirely overgrown with weeds, and its stone wall broken down.

31. and lo, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

32. And as I gazed I pondered, I drew this lesson from the sight,

32. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction.

33. 'A little sleep, a little drowsiness, a little folding of the arms to lie back

33. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

34. and poverty comes like a vagrant, and, like a beggar, dearth.'

34. and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.