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Chapter 24
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Verse 1

Do not envy wicked people or desire to be with them.

Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

Verse 2

For their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk of trouble.

For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

Verse 3

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

Verse 4

By knowledge the rooms are filled with all kinds of precious and pleasant treasures.

And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Verse 5

A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.

A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

Verse 6

For with wise counsel you wage war, and in an abundance of advisers there is victory.

For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Verse 7

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

Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

Verse 8

The one who plots evil will be called a schemer.

He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

Verse 9

The plans of foolishness are sinful, and the mocker is detestable to others.

The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

Verse 10

If you falter in a day of trouble, your strength is small.

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

Verse 11

Rescue those being taken to death and hold back those stumbling toward slaughter, if you can.

If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

Verse 12

If you say, 'We did not know about this,' won't the one who examines hearts perceive it? Won't the one who guards your soul know? He will repay everyone according to their deeds.

If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

Verse 13

Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to your taste.

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

Verse 14

In the same way, know that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

Verse 15

Do not lie in ambush, wicked person, at the house of the righteous; do not destroy their resting place.

Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

Verse 16

For though the righteous may fall seven times, they will rise again, but the wicked will stumble in calamity.

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Verse 17

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

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

Verse 18

Otherwise, the LORD will see and disapprove, and He may turn His anger away from them.

Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

Verse 19

Do not fret because of evildoers, and do not envy the wicked.

Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

Verse 20

For the wicked have no future; the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.

For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Verse 21

Fear the LORD, my son, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels.

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

Verse 22

For suddenly their calamity will rise, and who knows the ruin of both of them?

For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

Verse 23

These also belong to the wise: showing partiality in judgment is not good.

These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

Verse 24

Whoever says to the wicked, 'You are righteous,' the peoples will curse him, and the nations will denounce him.

He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

Verse 25

But it will go well with those who rebuke, and a blessing of goodness will come upon them.

But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

Verse 26

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

Verse 27

Prepare your work outside and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.

Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

Verse 28

Do not be a false witness against your neighbor or deceive with your lips.

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

Verse 29

Do not say, 'I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his deeds.'

Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

Verse 30

I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of one lacking sense.

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

Verse 31

Thorns had grown all over it, the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

Verse 32

I observed and took it to heart; I saw it and received instruction.

Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

Verse 33

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

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

Verse 34

and poverty will come upon you like a robber and need like an armed man.

So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

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Chapter 24
Next: proverbs 25→