Proverbs 24
Modern English Version
Saying Twenty
24 Do not be envious against evil men,
nor desire to be with them;
2 for their heart studies destruction,
and their lips talk of mischief.
Saying Twenty-One
3 Through wisdom is a house built,
and by understanding it is established;
4 and by knowledge the rooms will be filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.
Saying Twenty-Two
5 A wise man is strong;
yes, a man of knowledge increases strength.
6 For by wise counsel you will wage your war,
and in multitude of counselors there is safety.
Saying Twenty-Three
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool;
he does not open his mouth in the gate.
Saying Twenty-Four
8 He who devises to do evil
will be called a schemer of plots.
9 The thought of foolishness is sin,
and the scorner is an abomination to men.
Saying Twenty-Five
10 If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11 If you refrain to deliver those who are drawn unto death,
and those who are ready to be slain;
12 if you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
does not He who ponders the heart consider it?
And He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to every man according to his works?
Saying Twenty-Six
13 My son, eat honey because it is good,
and the honeycomb that is sweet to your taste;
14 so shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
when you have found it, then there will be a reward,
and your expectation will not be cut off.
Saying Twenty-Seven
15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
do not spoil his resting place;
16 for a just man falls seven times and rises up again,
but the wicked will fall into mischief.
Saying Twenty-Eight
17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18 lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him,
and He turn away His wrath from him.
Saying Twenty-Nine
19 Do not fret because of evil men,
nor be envious of the wicked;
20 for there will be no reward to the evil man;
the candle of the wicked will be put out.
Saying Thirty
21 My son, fear the Lord and the king;
and do not meddle with those who are given to change;
22 for their calamity will rise suddenly,
and who knows the ruin of them both?
More Sayings of the Wise
23 These things also belong to the wise:
It is not good to show partiality in judgment.
24 He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
him the people will curse; nations will abhor him.
25 But to those who rebuke him will be delight,
and a good blessing will come upon them.
26 Every man will kiss his lips
that gives a right answer.
27 Prepare your work outside,
and make it fit for yourself in the field;
and afterwards build your house.
28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, “I will do so to him as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”
30 I went by the field of the slothful,
and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 and it was all grown over with thorns,
and nettles covered its surface,
and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw, and considered it;
I looked on it and received instruction:
33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to sleep,
34 so your poverty will come like a stalker,
and your need as an armed man.
Proverbs 24
21st Century King James Version
24 Be thou not 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 a house is built, and by understanding it is established;
4 and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 For by wise counsel thou shalt wage thy war, and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a wicked person.
9 The thinking of foolishness is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain—
12 if thou sayest, “Behold, we knew it not”—doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, doth He not know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?
13 My son, eat thou honey because it is good, and the honeycomb which is sweet to thy taste.
14 So 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.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place;
16 for a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again, but the wicked shall fall into trouble.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth,
18 lest the Lord see it and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 for there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, fear thou the Lord and the king, and mingle 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 sayings also belong to the wise: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 He that saith unto the wicked, “Thou art righteous”: him shall the people curse; nations shall abhor him.
25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 Every man that answereth right words, giveth a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare thy work outside, and make ready the field for thyself; and afterwards build thine house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, and deceive not 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 the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 and lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Then I saw and considered it well; I looked upon it, and received instruction:
33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—
34 so shall thy poverty come as one that wandereth, and thy want as an armed man.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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