Proverbs 24
24
Wisdom’s Warning
1Don’t envy the wealth of the wicked or crave their company.
2For they’re obsessed with causing trouble
and their conversations are corrupt.
3Wise people are builders # 24:3 Or “A house is built by wisdom.” The house is more than a structure with roof and a floor. It becomes a metaphor for families, churches, businesses, and enterprises. —
they build families, businesses, communities.
And through intelligence and insight
their enterprises are established and endure.
4Because of their skilled leadership,
the hearts # 24:4 Or “inner chambers.” of people are filled with the treasures of wisdom
and the pleasures of spiritual wealth.
5Wisdom can make anyone into a mighty warrior, # 24:5 Or “Wisdom makes anyone into a hero.” The Aramaic and the Septuagint read “It’s better to be wise than to be strong.”
and revelation-knowledge increases strength.
6Wise strategy is necessary to wage war,
and with many astute advisers
you’ll see the path to victory more clearly.
7Wisdom is a treasure too lofty for a quarreling fool # 24:7 The Hebrew is actually “Wisdom is coral to a fool.” That is, it is unattainable, deep, and hidden. —
he’ll have nothing to say when leaders gather together.
8There is one who makes plans to do evil—
Master Schemer is his name.
9If you plan to do evil, it’s as wrong as doing it.
And everyone detests a troublemaker.
10If you faint when under pressure,
you have need of courage. # 24:10 Or “your strength is limited.” Our weakness often becomes an excuse to quit, but strength and courage come as the result of faithfulness under pressure. Some interpret this to mean “If you fail to help others in their time of need, you will grow too weak to help yourself.”
11Go and rescue the perishing! Be their savior!
Why would you stand back and watch them stagger to their death?
12And why would you say, “But it’s none of my business”?
The one who knows you completely and judges your every motive
is also the keeper of souls—and not just yours!
He sees through your excuses and holds you responsible
for failing to help those whose lives are threatened.
13Revelation-knowledge is a delicacy,
sweet like flowing honey that melts in your mouth.
Eat as much of it as you can, my friend!
14For then you will perceive what is true wisdom,
your future will be bright, # 24:14 The Septuagint is “your death will be good.”
and this hope living within you will never disappoint you.
15Listen up, you wicked, irreverent ones—
don’t harass the lovers of God # 24:15 Or “the righteous.”
and don’t invade their resting place.
16For the lovers of God may suffer adversity
and stumble seven times,
but they will continue to rise over and over again.
But the unrighteous are brought down by just one calamity
and will never be able to rise again. # 24:16 Implied in the text, as it completes the parallelism.
17Never gloat when your enemy meets disaster,
and don’t be quick to rejoice if he falls.
18For the Lord, who sees your heart,
will be displeased with you and will pity your foe.
19Don’t be angrily offended over evildoers or be agitated by them. # 24:19 The Septuagint is “Don’t rejoice with those who do evil or be jealous of them.”
20For the wicked have no life and no future—
their light of life will die out. # 24:20 Not only will they die out, but the implication is they will also have no posterity.
21My child, stand in awe of Yahweh!
Give counsel to others,
but don’t mingle with those who are rebellious.
22For sudden destruction will fall upon them
and their lives will be ruined in a moment.
And who knows what retribution they will face! # 24:22 Verses 21 and 22 are translated from the Aramaic.
Revelation from the Wise
23Those enlightened with wisdom have spoken these proverbs:
Judgment must be impartial,
for it is always wrong to be swayed by a person’s status.
24If you say to the guilty, “You are innocent,”
the nation will curse you and the people will revile you.
25But when you convict the guilty,
the people will thank you and reward you with favor.
26Speaking honestly is a sign of true friendship. # 24:26 The Hebrew is literally “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” In the culture of the day, kissing was a sign of authentic friendship and a mark of relationship, which was often expressed in public among friends.
27Go ahead, build your career and give yourself to your work.
But if you put me first, you’ll see your family built up! # 24:27 As translated from the Septuagint.
28Why would you be a false accuser and slander with your words?
29Don’t ever spitefully say, “I’ll get even with him!
I’ll do to him what he did to me!”
30-31One day I passed by the field of a lazy man,
and I noticed the vineyards of a slacker.
I observed nothing but thorns, weeds, and broken-down walls.
32So I considered their lack of wisdom,
and I pondered the lessons I could learn from this:
33-34Professional work habits prevent poverty from becoming
your permanent business partner. And:
If you put off until tomorrow the work you could do today,
tomorrow never seems to come.
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationProverbs 24
24
1Do not envy evil people
or wish you were with them,
2because their minds plot violence,
and their lips talk trouble.
3With wisdom a house is built.
With understanding it is established.
4With knowledge its rooms are filled
with every kind of riches, both precious and pleasant.
5A strong man knows how to use his strength,
but a person with knowledge is even more powerful.
6After all, with the right strategy you can wage war,
and with many advisers there is victory.
7Matters of wisdom are beyond the grasp of a stubborn fool.
At the city gate he does not open his mouth.
8Whoever plans to do evil will be known as a schemer.
9Foolish scheming is sinful,
and a mocker is disgusting to everyone.
10If you faint in a crisis, you are weak.
11Rescue captives condemned to death,
and spare those staggering toward their slaughter.
12When you say, “We didn’t know this,”
won’t the one who weighs hearts take note of it?
Won’t the one who guards your soul know it?
Won’t he pay back people for what they do?
13Eat honey, my son, because it is good.
Honey that flows from the honeycomb tastes sweet.
14The knowledge of wisdom is like that for your soul.
If you find it, then there is a future,
and your hope will never be cut off.
15You wicked one,
do not lie in ambush at the home of a righteous person.
Do not rob his house.
16A righteous person may fall seven times, but he gets up again.
However, in a disaster wicked people fall.
17Do not be happy when your enemy falls,
and do not feel glad when he stumbles.
18The Lord will see it, he won’t like it,
and he will turn his anger away from that person.
19Do not get overly upset with evildoers.
Do not envy wicked people,
20because an evil person has no future,
and the lamps of wicked people will be snuffed out.
21Fear the Lord, my son.
Fear the king as well.
Do not associate with those who always insist upon change,
22because disaster will come to them suddenly.
Who knows what misery both may bring?
Learning from Wise People
23These also are the sayings of wise people:
Showing partiality as a judge is not good.
24Whoever says to a guilty person, “You are innocent,”
will be cursed by people and condemned by nations.
25But people will be pleased with those who convict a guilty person,
and a great blessing will come to them.
26Giving a straight answer is ⌞like⌟ a kiss on the lips.
27Prepare your work outside,
and get things ready for yourself in the field.
Afterwards, build your house.
28Do not testify against your neighbor without a reason,
and do not deceive with your lips.
29Do not say,
“I’ll treat him as he treated me.
I’ll pay him back for what he has done to me.”
30I passed by a lazy person’s field,
the vineyard belonging to a person without sense.
31I saw that it was all overgrown with thistles.
The ground was covered with weeds,
and its stone fence was torn down.
32When I observed ⌞this⌟, I took it to heart.
I saw it and learned my lesson.
33“Just a little sleep,
just a little slumber,
just a little nap.”
34Then your poverty will come like a drifter,
and your need will come like a bandit.
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