Proverbs 24
24
The Nineteenth Saying
1Don't be envious of evil people, and don't try to make friends with them. 2Causing trouble is all they ever think about; every time they open their mouth someone is going to be hurt.
The Twentieth Saying
3Homes are built on the foundation of wisdom and understanding.#24.3 Homes… understanding; or It takes care to lay the foundations of a house, and skill to build it. 4Where there is knowledge, the rooms are furnished with valuable, beautiful things.
The 21st Saying
5Being wise is better than being strong;#24.5 Some ancient translations Being wise is better than being strong; Hebrew A person is wise in strength. yes, knowledge is more important than strength. 6After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle, and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win.
The 22nd Saying
7Wise sayings are too deep for stupid people to understand. They have nothing to say when important matters are being discussed.
The 23rd Saying
8If you are always planning evil, you will earn a reputation as a troublemaker. 9Any scheme a fool thinks up is sinful. People hate a person who has nothing but scorn for others.
The 24th Saying
10If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed.
The 25th Saying
11Don't hesitate to rescue someone who is about to be executed unjustly. 12You may say that it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch on you; he knows. And he will reward you according to what you do.
The 26th Saying
13Son, eat honey; it is good. And just as honey from the comb is sweet on your tongue, 14you may be sure that wisdom is good for the soul. Get wisdom and you have a bright future.
The 27th Saying
15Don't be like the wicked who scheme to rob honest people or to take away their homes. 16No matter how often honest people fall, they always get up again; but disaster destroys the wicked.
The 28th Saying
17Don't be glad when your enemies meet disaster, and don't rejoice when they stumble. 18The LORD will know if you are gloating, and he will not like it; and then he might not punish them.
The 29th Saying
19Don't let evil people worry you; don't be envious of them. 20A wicked person has no future — nothing to look forward to.
The Thirtieth Saying
21Have reverence for the LORD, my child, and honour the king. Have nothing to do with people who rebel against them; 22such people could be ruined in a moment. Do you realize the disaster that God or the king can cause?
More Wise Sayings
23The wise have also said these things:
It is wrong for judges to be prejudiced. 24If they pronounce a guilty person innocent, they will be cursed and hated by everyone. 25Judges who punish the guilty, however, will be prosperous and enjoy a good reputation.
26An honest answer is a sign of true friendship.
27Don't build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living.
28Don't give evidence against someone else without good reason, or say misleading things about him. 29Don't say, “I'll do to him just what he did to me! I'll get even with him!”
30I walked through the fields and vineyards of a lazy, stupid person. 31They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds. The stone wall round them had fallen down. 32I looked at this, thought about it, and learned a lesson from it: 33#Prov 6.10–11have a nap and sleep if you want to. Fold your hands and rest awhile, 34but while you are asleep, poverty will attack you like an armed robber.
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Proverbs 24: GNBDC
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Proverbs 24
24
1Don’t envy the evil#Ps 37:1; Pr 23:17; 24:19
or desire to be with them,#Ps 1:1; Pr 1:15
2for their hearts plan violence,
and their words stir up trouble.#Ps 10:7
3A house is built by wisdom,#Pr 14:1
and it is established by understanding;
4by knowledge the rooms are filled
with every precious and beautiful treasure.
5A wise warrior is better than a strong one,#24:5 LXX, Syr; MT reads is in strength
and a man of knowledge than one of strength;#24:5 LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads knowledge exerts strength#Pr 21:22
6for you should wage war with sound guidance —
victory comes with many counselors.#Pr 11:14; 15:22; 20:18
7Wisdom is inaccessible to#24:7 Lit is too high for a fool;#Pr 14:6; 17:16,24
he does not open his mouth at the city gate.#Jb 5:4; Ps 127:5
8The one who plots evil#Rm 1:30
will be called a schemer.
9A foolish scheme is sin,
and a mocker is detestable to people.
10If you do nothing in a difficult time,
your strength is limited.
11Rescue those being taken off to death,
and save those stumbling toward slaughter.#Ps 82:4; Is 58:6–7
12If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,”
won’t he who weighs hearts#1Sm 16:7; Ps 44:21; Pr 21:2 consider it?
Won’t he who protects your life#Ps 121:3–8 know?
Won’t he repay a person according to his work?#Jb 34:11; Ps 62:12
13Eat honey,#Pr 25:16 my son, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate;#Sg 5:1
14realize that wisdom is the same for you.#Ps 19:10; 119:103
If you find it, you will have a future,
and your hope will never fade.#Pr 10:28; 23:18; Jr 29:11
15Don’t set an ambush, you wicked one,
at the camp of the righteous man;#Pr 10:9–10
don’t destroy his dwelling.
16Though a righteous person falls seven times,
he will get up,#Jb 5:19; Ps 37:24
but the wicked will stumble into ruin.#Pr 14:32; 29:16
17Don’t gloat when your enemy falls,
and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,#Ps 35:15,19; Pr 17:5; Ob 12; Mc 7:8
18or the Lord will see, be displeased,
and turn his wrath away from him.
19Don’t be agitated by evildoers,
and don’t envy the wicked.#Ps 37:1; Pr 23:17; 24:1
20For the evil have no future;#Ps 37:38; Pr 14:11; 16:25
the lamp of the wicked will be put out.#2Sm 21:17; Jb 18:5; 21:17; Pr 13:9; 20:20
21My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king,#Mt 22:21; Rm 13:1–7; 1Pt 2:13–14,17
and don’t associate with rebels,#24:21 Or those given to change
22for destruction will come suddenly from them;
who knows what distress these two can bring?
23These sayings also belong to the wise:#Pr 1:6; 22:17
It is not good to show partiality in judgment.#Dt 1:17; 16:19; Pr 18:5; 28:21
24Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent”#Pr 17:15 —
peoples will curse him,#Pr 11:26 and nations will denounce him;
25but it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and a generous blessing will come to them.
26He who gives an honest answer
gives a kiss on the lips.
27Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field;#Pr 20:4
afterward, build your house.
28Don’t testify against your neighbor without cause.#Ex 20:16; Pr 25:18
Don’t deceive with your lips.
29Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me;
I’ll repay the man for what he has done.”#Dt 32:35; Pr 20:22; Mt 5:39; Rm 12:17,19
30I went by the field of a slacker
and by the vineyard of one lacking sense.
31Thistles had come up everywhere,
weeds covered the ground,#Gn 3:18; Pr 20:4
and the stone wall was ruined.
32I saw, and took it to heart;
I looked, and received instruction:
33a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
34and your poverty will come like a robber,
and your need, like a bandit.#Pr 6:10–11; 20:13
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