Proverbs 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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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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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