| Chapter 24 |
1 |
Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them; |
2 |
for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. |
3 |
Through wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established; |
4 |
and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance. |
5 |
A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength. |
6 |
For with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. |
7 |
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he will not open his mouth in the gate. |
8 |
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues. |
9 |
The purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men. |
10 |
If thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small. |
11 |
Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter. |
12 |
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work. |
13 |
Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste: |
14 |
so consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off. |
15 |
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place. |
16 |
For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster. |
17 |
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth; |
18 |
lest Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him. |
19 |
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, and be not envious of the wicked: |
20 |
for there shall be no future to the evil man; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. |
21 |
My son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change. |
22 |
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? |
23 |
These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. |
24 |
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him; |
25 |
but to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them. |
26 |
He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer. |
27 |
Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterwards build thy house. |
28 |
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips? |
29 |
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his work. |
30 |
I went by the field of a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding; |
31 |
and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down. |
32 |
Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I received instruction: |
33 |
-- A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest! |
34 |
So shall thy poverty come as a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man. |