Proverbs 24
24
Precepts and Warnings
1Do not be envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
2For their minds plot violence,
And their lips talk of trouble [for the innocent].
3¶Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a home, a family] is built,
And by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation],
4And by knowledge its rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
5¶A wise man is strong,
And a man of knowledge strengthens his power; [Prov 21:22; Eccl 9:16]
6For by wise guidance you can wage your war,
And in an abundance of [wise] counselors there is victory and safety.
7¶Wisdom is too exalted for a [hardened, arrogant] #24:7 See note 1:7.fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate [where the city’s rulers sit in judgment].
8¶He who plans to do evil
Will be called a schemer or deviser of evil.
9The devising of folly is sin,
And the scoffer is repulsive to men.
10¶If you are slack (careless) in the day of distress,
Your strength is limited.
11¶Rescue those who are being taken away to death,
And those who stagger to the slaughter, Oh hold them back [from their doom]!
12If you [claim ignorance and] say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He not consider it who weighs and examines the hearts and their motives?
And does He not know it who guards your life and keeps your soul?
And will He not repay [you and] every man according to his works?
13¶My son, eat honey, because it is good,
And the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14Know that [skillful and godly] wisdom is [so very good] for your life and soul;
If you find wisdom, then there will be a future and a reward,
And your hope and expectation will not be cut off.
15¶Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;
16For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of disaster and collapse. [Job 5:19; Ps 34:19; 37:24; Mic 7:8]
17¶Do not rejoice and gloat when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad [in self-righteousness] when he stumbles,
18Or the Lord will see your gloating and be displeased,
And turn His anger away from your enemy.
19¶Do not get upset because of evildoers,
Or be envious of the wicked,
20For there will be no future for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21¶My son, fear the Lord and the king;
And do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary],
22For their tragedy will rise suddenly,
And who knows the punishment that both [the Lord and the king] will bring on the rebellious?
23¶These also are sayings of the wise:
To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Peoples will curse him, nations will denounce him;
25But to those [honorable judges] who rebuke the wicked, it will go well with them and they will find delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26He kisses the lips [and wins the hearts of people]
Who gives a right and straightforward answer.
27¶Prepare your work outside
And get it ready for yourself in the field;
# 24:27 Establishing your priorities and proceeding in an orderly manner brings its own reward. Afterward build your house and establish a home.
28¶Do not be a witness against your #24:28 I.e. anyone who comes into your life, not necessarily one who lives nearby.neighbor without cause,
And do not deceive with your lips [speak neither lies nor half-truths]. [Eph 4:25]
29Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for his deed.” [Prov 20:22; Matt 5:39, 44; Rom 12:17, 19]
30¶I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man lacking understanding and common sense;
31And, behold, it was all overgrown with thorns,
And nettles were covering its surface,
And its stone wall was broken down.
32When I saw, I considered it well;
I looked and received instruction.
33“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest [and daydream],”
34Then your poverty will come as a robber,
And your want like an armed man.
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 24: AMP
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Amplified® Bible
Copyright © 2015 by
The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
All rights reserved. http://www.lockman.org
Proverbs 24
24
1 BE NOT envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them;
2 For their minds plot oppression and devise violence, and their lips talk of causing trouble and vexation.
3 Through skillful and godly Wisdom is a house (a life, a home, a family) built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation],
4 And by knowledge shall its chambers [of every area] be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong and is better than a strong man, and a man of knowledge increases and strengthens his power; [Prov. 21:22; Eccl. 9:16.]
6 For by wise counsel you can wage your war, and in an abundance of counselors there is victory and safety.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; he opens not his mouth in the gate [where the city's rulers sit in judgment].
8 He who plans to do evil will be called a mischief-maker.
9 The plans of the foolish and the thought of foolishness are sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
11 Deliver those who are drawn away to death, and those who totter to the slaughter, hold them back [from their doom].
12 If you [profess ignorance and] say, Behold, we did not know this, does not He Who weighs and ponders the heart perceive and consider it? And He Who guards your life, does not He know it? And shall not He render to [you and] every man according to his works?
13 My son, eat honey, because it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 So shall you know skillful and godly Wisdom to be thus to your life; if you find it, then shall there be a future and a reward, and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the [uncompromisingly] righteous (the upright, in right standing with God); destroy not his resting-place;
16 For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity. [Job 5:19; Ps. 34:19; 37:24; Mic. 7:8.]
17 Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles or is overthrown,
18 Lest the Lord see it and it be evil in His eyes and displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him [to expend it upon you, the worse offender].
19 Fret not because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked,
20 For there shall be no reward for the evil man; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, [reverently] fear the Lord and the king, and do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary],
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knows the punishment and ruin which both [the Lord and the king] will bring upon [the rebellious]?
23 These also are sayings of the wise: To discriminate and show partiality, having respect of persons in judging, is not good.
24 He who says to the wicked, You are righteous and innocent–peoples will curse him, nations will defy and abhor him.
25 But to those [upright judges] who rebuke the wicked, it will go well with them and they will find delight, and a good blessing will be upon them.
26 He kisses the lips [and wins the hearts of men] who give a right answer.
27 [Put first things first.] Prepare your work outside and get it ready for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house and establish a home.
28 Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and deceive not with your lips. [Eph. 4:25.]
29 Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for his deed. [Prov. 20:22; Matt. 5:39, 44; Rom. 12:17, 19.]
30 I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 And, behold, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles were covering its face, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I beheld and considered it well; I looked and received instruction.
33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep–
34 So shall your poverty come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation