Proverbs 24

1Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:

1Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

1Be not thou envious against evil men; Neither desire to be with them:

2For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.

2For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

2For their heart studieth oppression, And their lips talk of mischief.

3The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:

3Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

3Through wisdom is a house builded; And by understanding it is established;

4And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.

4And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

4And by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and pleasant riches.

5A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.

5A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

5A wise man is strong; Yea, a man of knowledge increaseth might.

6For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.

6For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

6For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war; And in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

7Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.

7Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

7Wisdom is too high for a fool: He openeth not his mouth in the gate.

8He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.

8He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

8He that deviseth to do evil, Men shall call him a mischief-maker.

9The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.

9The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

9The thought of foolishness is sin; And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.

10If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

10If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small.

11Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.

11If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

11Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back.

12If you say, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?

12If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

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, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:

13My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

13My son, eat thou honey, for it is good; And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:

14So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

14So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

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.

15Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:

15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

15Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous; Destroy not his resting-place:

16For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.

16For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

16For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

17Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:

17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;

18For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.

18Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

18Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, And he turn away his wrath from him.

19Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:

19Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

19Fret not thyself because of evil-doers; Neither be thou envious at the wicked:

20For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.

20For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

20For there shall be no reward to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

21My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:

21My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

21My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king; And company not with them that are given to change:

22For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?

22For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

22For their calamity shall rise suddenly; And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?

23These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.

23These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

23These also aresayingsof the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.

24He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.

24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

24He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;

25But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.

25But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

25But to them that rebukehim shall be delight, And a good blessing shall come upon them.

26He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.

26Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

26He kisseth the lips Who giveth a right answer.

27Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.

27Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

27Prepare thy work without, And make it ready for thee in the field; And afterwards build thy house.

28Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.

28Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

28Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips.

29Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.

29Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

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 hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;

30I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

30I went by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

31And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.

31And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

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 looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.

32Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

32Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction:

33A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:

33Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

33Yeta little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep;

34So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.

34So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

34So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.