Proverbs 24
24
1Be not #ver. 19; See Ps. 37:1 envious of evil men,
nor desire to be #See ch. 1:15with them,
2for their hearts #[Isa. 59:13] devise violence,
and their lips #Ps. 10:7talk of trouble.
3By #[ch. 14:1]wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
4by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all #[ch. 23:23; Luke 16:11]precious and pleasant riches.
5 # [ch. 21:22] A wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
6for by #ch. 20:18 wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in #See ch. 11:14abundance of counselors there is victory.
7Wisdom is #[ch. 14:6] too high for a fool;
in #See Job 5:4the gate he does not open his mouth.
8Whoever #Rom. 1:30plans to do evil
will be called a schemer.
9 # [ch. 21:27] The devising#24:9 Or scheming of folly is sin,
and #See Ps. 1:1the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.
10If you #[Heb. 12:3]faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11 #
Ps. 82:4; [Isa. 58:6, 7] Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
# [Eccles. 5:8] does not he who #ch. 16:2; See 1 Sam. 16:7 weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who #[Ps. 91:11] keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man #See Job 34:11according to his work?
13My son, #[Ps. 19:10; 119:103; Song 5:1; Isa. 7:15] eat honey, for it is good,
and #Song 4:11the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be #See ch. 23:18a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
15 #
Ps. 10:9, 10 Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
do no violence to his home;
16 # See Ps. 37:24 for the righteous falls #See Job 5:19 seven times and rises again,
but #ch. 14:32the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
17 #
Ps. 35:15, 19; [Mic. 7:8]; See ch. 17:5 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.
19 # [Jer. 12:1]; See Ps. 37:1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not #ver. 1envious of the wicked,
20for the evil man has no #[See ver. 14 above] future;
# ch. 13:9; See Job 18:5 the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21My son, #1 Pet. 2:17; [Rom. 13:7]fear the Lord and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
More Sayings of the Wise
23These also are sayings of #ch. 1:6; 22:17 the wise.
# See ch. 18:5 Partiality in judging is not good.
24Whoever #See ch. 17:15 says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”
# ch. 11:26 will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
25but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
and a good blessing will come upon them.
26Whoever gives an honest answer
kisses the lips.
27 # [Luke 14:28] Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.
28 # [ch. 25:18] Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
29Do not say, #See ch. 20:22“I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for what he has done.”
30 # [Job 5:3] I passed by the field of a sluggard,
by the vineyard of a man #See ch. 6:32lacking sense,
31and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
the ground was covered with nettles,
and its stone #Isa. 5:5wall was broken down.
32Then I saw and #[ch. 22:17]considered it;
I looked and received instruction.
33 # For ver. 33, 34, see ch. 6:10, 11 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
34and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Proverbs 24
24
1 Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.
2 For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions.
3 By wisdom shall a house be built, and by prudence shall it be strengthened.
4 By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful.
5 A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant.
6 For war is undertaken in an orderly manner, and safety shall be where there are many counsels.
7 Wisdom is beyond the foolish; at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 Whoever intends to do evil shall be called foolish.
9 The intention of the foolish is sin. And the detractor is an abomination among men.
10 If you despair, being weary in the day of anguish, your strength will be diminished.
11 Rescue those who are led away to death. And do not cease from delivering those who are dragged away to a violent death.
12 If you would say: "I do not have sufficient strength." He who inspects the heart, the same one understands, and nothing slips past the one who preserves your soul. And he shall repay a man according to his works.
13 My son, eat honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, because it is so sweet to your throat.
14 So, too, is the doctrine of wisdom to your soul. When you have found it, you will have hope in the end, and your hope shall not perish.
15 Do not lie in wait, and do not seek impiety in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 For the just one will fall seven times, and he shall rise again. But the impious will fall into evil.
17 When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,
18 lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.
19 Do not contend with the most wicked, and do not be a rival to the impious.
20 For the evil hold no hope in the future, and the lamp of the impious will be extinguished.
21 My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king. And do not mingle with detractors.
22 For their perdition shall up rise suddenly. And who knows what ruin will be for each of them?
23 Likewise, these things are for the wise. It is not good to base judgment on knowledge of character.
24 Those who say to the impious, "You are just," shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall detest them.
25 Those who argue against the impious shall be praised, and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 He shall kiss the lips, who responds with upright words.
27 Prepare your outdoor work, and diligently cultivate your field, so that afterward, you may build your house.
28 Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone with your lips.
29 Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me." I will repay each one according to his work.
30 I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man,
31 and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed.
32 When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline.
33 You will sleep a little," I said. "You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest.
34 And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man."
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