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.
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Proverbs 24: AMPC
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1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Proverbs 24
24
1Be not thou envious against evil men;
Neither desire to be with them:
2For their heart studieth oppression,
And their lips talk of mischief.
3Through wisdom is a house builded;
And by understanding it is established;
4And by knowledge are the chambers filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
5A wise man is strong;
Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might.
6For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war;
And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7Wisdom is too high for a fool:
He openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8He that deviseth to do evil,
Men shall call him a mischief-maker.
9The thought of foolishness is sin;
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10If thou faint in the day of adversity,
Thy strength is small.
11Deliver them that are carried away unto death,
And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.
12If thou sayest, Behold, we knew not this;
Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it?
And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it?
And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
13My son, eat thou honey, for it is good;
And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:
14So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul;
If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward,
And thy hope shall not be cut off.
15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous;
Destroy not his resting-place:
16For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again;
But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth,
And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;
18Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him,
And he turn away his wrath from him.
19Fret not thyself because of evil-doers;
Neither be thou envious at the wicked:
20For there shall be no reward to the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king;
And company not with them that are given to change:
22For their calamity shall rise suddenly;
And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?
23These also are sayings of the wise.
To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous,
Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
25But to them that rebuke him shall be delight,
And a good blessing shall come upon them.
26He kisseth the lips
Who giveth a right answer.
27Prepare thy work without,
And make it ready for thee in the field;
And afterwards build thy house.
28Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause;
And deceive not with thy lips.
29Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.
30I went by the field of the sluggard,
And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns,
The face thereof was covered with nettles,
And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32Then I beheld, and considered well;
I saw, and received instruction:
33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep;
34So shall thy poverty come as a robber,
And thy want as an armed man.
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