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Proverbs 24

Precepts and Warnings

1Do not be envious of evil people,

Nor desire to be with them;

2For their minds plot violence,

And their lips talk of trouble.

3By wisdom a house is built,

And by understanding it is established;

4And by knowledge the rooms are filled

With all precious and pleasant riches.

5A wise man is strong,

And a person of knowledge increases power.

6For by wise guidance you will wage war,

And in an abundance of counselors there is victory.

7Wisdom is too exalted for a fool,

He does not open his mouth at the gate.

8One who plans to do evil,

People will call a schemer.

9The devising of foolishness is sin,

And the scoffer is an abomination to humanity.

10If you show yourself lacking courage on the day of distress,

Your strength is meager.

11Rescue those who are being taken away to death,

And those who are staggering to the slaughter, Oh hold them back!

12If you say, “See, we did not know this,”

Does He who weighs the hearts not consider it?

And does He who watches over your soul not know it?

And will He not repay a person according to his work?

13My son, eat honey, for it is good;

Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

14Know that wisdom is the same for your soul;

If you find it, then there will be a future,

And your hope will not be cut off.

15Do not lie in ambush, you wicked person, against the home of the righteous;

Do not destroy his resting place;

16For a righteous person falls seven times and rises again,

But the wicked stumble in time of disaster.

17Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,

And do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,

18Otherwise, the Lord will see and be displeased,

And turn His anger away from him.

19Do not get upset because of evildoers

Or be envious of the wicked;

20For there will be no future for the evil person;

The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21My son, fear the Lord and the king;

Do not get involved with those of high rank,

22For their disaster will rise suddenly,

And who knows the ruin that can come from both of them?

23These also are sayings of the wise:

To show partiality in judgment is not good.

24One who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”

Peoples will curse him, nations will scold him;

25But for those who rebuke the wicked there will be delight,

And a good blessing will come upon them.

26One who gives a right answer

Kisses the lips.

27Prepare your work outside,

And make it ready for yourself in the field;

Afterward, then, build your house.

28Do not be a witness against your neighbor for no reason,

And do not deceive with your lips.

29Do not say, “I shall do the same to him as he has done to me;

I will repay the person according to his work.”

30I passed by the field of a lazy one,

And by the vineyard of a person lacking sense,

31And behold, it was completely overgrown with weeds;

Its surface was covered with weeds,

And its stone wall was broken down.

32When I saw, I reflected upon it;

I looked, and received instruction.

33“A little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to rest,”

34Then your poverty will come like a drifter,

And your need like an armed man.

Proverbs

Chapter 24

24 of 31