20

24 No envidies a los malvados
    ni procures su compañía;
porque en su corazón planean violencia
    y no hablan más que de cometer fechorías.

21

Con sabiduría se construye la casa;
    con inteligencia se echan los cimientos.
Con buen juicio se llenan sus cuartos
    de bellos y extraordinarios tesoros.

22

El que es sabio tiene gran poder
    y el que es entendido aumenta su fuerza.
La guerra se hace con buena estrategia;
    la victoria se alcanza con muchos consejeros.

23

La sabiduría no está al alcance del necio,
    en los tribunales del pueblo[a] nada tiene que decir.

24

Al que hace planes malvados
    lo llamarán conspirador.
Las intrigas del necio son pecado
    y todos aborrecen a los insolentes.

25

10 Si en el día de la aflicción te desanimas,
    muy limitada es tu fortaleza.
11 Rescata a los que van rumbo a la muerte;
    detén a los que a tumbos avanzan al suplicio.
12 Pues aunque digas: «Yo no lo sabía»,
    ¿no habrá de darse cuenta el que examina los corazones?
¿No habrá de saberlo el que vigila tu vida?
    ¡Él paga a cada uno según sus acciones!

26

13 Come la miel, hijo mío, que es deliciosa;
    dulce al paladar es la miel del panal.
14 Ten en cuenta que así es la sabiduría a tu alma;
    si das con ella, tendrás buen futuro;
    tendrás una esperanza que no será destruida.

27

15 No aceches cual malvado la casa del justo
    ni arrases el lugar donde habita;
16 porque siete veces podrá caer el justo,
    pero otras tantas se levantará;
los malvados, en cambio,
    se hundirán en la desgracia.

28

17 No te alegres cuando caiga tu enemigo
    ni se regocije tu corazón ante su desgracia,
18 no sea que el Señor lo vea y no lo apruebe,
    y aparte de él su enojo.

29

19 No te alteres por causa de los malvados
    ni sientas envidia de los impíos,
20 porque el malvado no tiene porvenir;
    ¡la lámpara del impío se apagará!

30

21 Hijo mío, teme al Señor y honra al rey
    y no te juntes con los rebeldes,
22 porque de los dos recibirás un castigo repentino
    ¡y quién sabe qué calamidades sobrevendrán!

Otros dichos de los sabios

23 También estos son dichos de los sabios:

No es correcto ser parcial en el juicio.
24 Quien declare inocente al culpable
    lo maldecirán los pueblos y lo despreciarán las naciones.
25 Pero serán bien vistos y bendecidos
    los que condenen al culpable.

26 Una respuesta sincera
    es como un beso en los labios.

27 Prepara primero tus faenas de cultivo
    y ten listos tus campos para la siembra;
    después de eso, construye tu casa.

28 No testifiques sin razón contra tu prójimo
    ni mientas con tus labios.
29 No digas: «Le haré lo mismo que me hizo;
    me desquitaré por lo que me hizo».

30 Pasé por el campo del perezoso,
    por la viña del falto de juicio.
31 Había espinas por todas partes;
    la hierba cubría el terreno
    y el lindero de piedras estaba en ruinas.
32 Guardé en mi corazón lo observado
    y de lo visto saqué una lección:
33 Un corto sueño, una breve siesta,
    un pequeño descanso, cruzado de brazos…
34 ¡y te asaltará la pobreza como un bandido,
    y la escasez como un hombre armado!

Footnotes

  1. 24:7 los tribunales del pueblo. Lit. la puerta.

My Son, Fear Yahweh

24 Do not be (A)jealous of evil men,
And do not desire to (B)be with them;
For their heart meditates on (C)destruction,
And their lips (D)talk of mischief.

(E)By wisdom a house is built,
And by discernment it is firmly established;
And by knowledge the rooms are (F)filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

A (G)wise man is [a]strong,
And a man of knowledge strengthens his power.
For (H)by guidance you will make war,
And (I)in abundance of counselors there is salvation.

Wisdom is (J)too exalted for an ignorant fool,
He does not open his mouth (K)in the gate.

One who (L)deliberately thinks to do evil,
Men will call a [b]schemer.
The (M)scheming of folly is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 If you (N)are slack in the day of trouble,
Your strength is in trouble.

11 (O)Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
Does not He (P)who weighs the hearts (Q)understand?
And (R)does not He who (S)guards your soul know?
And will not He [c](T)render to man according to his work?

13 Eat (U)honey, my son, for it is good,
Indeed, the (V)honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;
14 Know that (W)wisdom is thus for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a [d](X)future,
And your hope will not be cut off.

15 (Y)Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the abode of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;
16 For a (Z)righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the (AA)wicked will stumble in [e]calamity.

17 When your enemy falls, (AB)do not be glad,
And when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice;
18 Lest Yahweh see it and it be evil in His eyes,
And turn His anger away from him.

19 (AC)Do not fret because of evildoers
Do not be (AD)jealous of the wicked;
20 For (AE)there will be no [f](AF)future for the evil one;
The (AG)lamp of the wicked will go out.

21 My son, [g](AH)fear Yahweh and the king;
Do not associate with those who change,
22 For suddenly their (AI)disaster will rise,
And who knows the upheaval that comes from both of them?

23 These also are (AJ)sayings of the wise.
To [h](AK)show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 He (AL)who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
(AM)Peoples will curse him, nations will be indignant with him;
25 But (AN)to those who reprove the wicked, it will be pleasant,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 He kisses the lips
Who responds with right words.

27 Establish your work outside
And (AO)make it ready for yourself in the field;
And afterwards, you shall build your house.

28 Do not be a (AP)witness against your neighbor without cause,
Nor (AQ)deceive with your lips.
29 (AR)Do not say, “As he did to me so I shall do to him;
I will [i]render to the man according to his work.”

30 I passed by the field of the sluggard
And by the vineyard of the man (AS)lacking a heart of wisdom,
31 And behold, it was completely [j](AT)overgrown with thistles;
[k](AU)Nettles have covered its surface,
And its stone (AV)wall has been torn down.
32 And I beheld, I set my heart upon it;
I saw, I received discipline.
33 (AW)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”
34 Then your poverty will come as [l]a robber
And your want like [m]an armed man.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:5 Lit in strength
  2. Proverbs 24:8 Or deviser of evil
  3. Proverbs 24:12 Lit bring back
  4. Proverbs 24:14 Lit latter end
  5. Proverbs 24:16 Lit evil
  6. Proverbs 24:20 Lit latter end
  7. Proverbs 24:21 Or reverence
  8. Proverbs 24:23 Lit recognize a face
  9. Proverbs 24:29 Lit bring back
  10. Proverbs 24:31 Lit gone up
  11. Proverbs 24:31 A kind of weed
  12. Proverbs 24:34 Or a vagabond; lit one who walks
  13. Proverbs 24:34 Lit a man with a shield

Saying 20

24 Do not envy(A) the wicked,
    do not desire their company;
for their hearts plot violence,(B)
    and their lips talk about making trouble.(C)

Saying 21

By wisdom a house is built,(D)
    and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
    with rare and beautiful treasures.(E)

Saying 22

The wise prevail through great power,
    and those who have knowledge muster their strength.
Surely you need guidance to wage war,
    and victory is won through many advisers.(F)

Saying 23

Wisdom is too high for fools;
    in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.

Saying 24

Whoever plots evil
    will be known as a schemer.
The schemes of folly are sin,
    and people detest a mocker.

Saying 25

10 If you falter in a time of trouble,
    how small is your strength!(G)
11 Rescue those being led away to death;
    hold back those staggering toward slaughter.(H)
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
    does not he who weighs(I) the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
    Will he not repay(J) everyone according to what they have done?(K)

Saying 26

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
    honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
    If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.(L)

Saying 27

15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,
    do not plunder their dwelling place;
16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,
    but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.(M)

Saying 28

17 Do not gloat(N) when your enemy falls;
    when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,(O)
18 or the Lord will see and disapprove
    and turn his wrath away from them.(P)

Saying 29

19 Do not fret(Q) because of evildoers
    or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evildoer has no future hope,
    and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.(R)

Saying 30

21 Fear the Lord and the king,(S) my son,
    and do not join with rebellious officials,
22 for those two will send sudden destruction(T) on them,
    and who knows what calamities they can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

23 These also are sayings of the wise:(U)

To show partiality(V) in judging is not good:(W)
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”(X)
    will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
    and rich blessing will come on them.

26 An honest answer
    is like a kiss on the lips.

27 Put your outdoor work in order
    and get your fields ready;
    after that, build your house.

28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause(Y)
    would you use your lips to mislead?
29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;
    I’ll pay them back for what they did.”(Z)

30 I went past the field of a sluggard,(AA)
    past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
    the ground was covered with weeds,
    and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
    and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest(AB)
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.(AC)