Proverbs 24
New American Standard Bible
Precepts and Warnings
24 Do not be (A)envious of evil people,
Nor desire to (B)be with them;
2 For their [a]minds plot (C)violence,
And their lips (D)talk of trouble.
3 (E)By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
4 And by knowledge the rooms are (F)filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A (G)wise man is [b]strong,
And a person of knowledge [c]increases power.
6 For (H)by wise guidance you will [d]wage war,
And (I)in an abundance of counselors there is victory.
8 One who (L)plans to do evil,
People will call a [e]schemer.
9 The (M)devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to humanity.
10 If you (N)show yourself lacking courage on the day of distress,
Your strength is meager.
11 (O)Rescue those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to the slaughter, Oh hold them back!
12 If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He (P)who weighs the hearts not (Q)consider it?
And (R)does He who (S)watches over your soul not know it?
And will He not [f](T)repay a person according to his work?
13 My son, eat (U)honey, for it is good;
Yes, the (V)honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;
14 Know that (W)wisdom is the same for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a [g](X)future,
And your hope will not be cut off.
15 (Y)Do not lie in ambush, you wicked person, against the home of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;
16 For a (Z)righteous person falls seven times and rises again,
But the (AA)wicked stumble in time of disaster.
17 (AB)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
18 Otherwise, the Lord will see and [h]be displeased,
And turn His anger away from him.
19 (AC)Do not get upset because of evildoers
Or be (AD)envious of the wicked;
20 For (AE)there will be no [i](AF)future for the evil person;
The (AG)lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My son, [j](AH)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not get involved with those [k]of high rank,
22 For their (AI)disaster will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin that can come from both of them?
23 These also are (AJ)sayings of the wise:
To [l](AK)show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 One (AL)who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
(AM)Peoples will curse him, nations will scold him;
25 But (AN)for those who rebuke the wicked there will be delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 One who gives [m]a right answer
Kisses the lips.
27 Prepare your work outside,
And (AO)make it ready for yourself in the field;
Afterward, then, build your house.
28 Do not be a (AP)witness against your neighbor for no reason,
And (AQ)do not deceive with your lips.
29 (AR)Do not say, “I shall do the same to him as he has done to me;
I will [n]repay the person according to his work.”
30 I passed by the field of [o]a lazy one,
And by the vineyard of a person (AS)lacking [p]sense,
31 And behold, it was completely (AT)overgrown with weeds;
Its surface was covered with (AU)weeds,
And its stone (AV)wall was broken down.
32 When I saw, I [q]reflected upon it;
I looked, and received instruction.
33 “(AW)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”
34 Then your poverty will come like [r]a drifter,
And your need like [s]an armed man.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:2 Lit hearts
- Proverbs 24:5 Lit in strength
- Proverbs 24:5 Lit strengthens power
- Proverbs 24:6 Lit make battle for yourself
- Proverbs 24:8 Or deviser of evil
- Proverbs 24:12 Lit bring back to
- Proverbs 24:14 Lit latter end
- Proverbs 24:18 Lit it is evil in His eyes
- Proverbs 24:20 Lit latter end
- Proverbs 24:21 Or revere
- Proverbs 24:21 Or who change
- Proverbs 24:23 Lit regard the face
- Proverbs 24:26 Or an honest
- Proverbs 24:29 Lit bring back
- Proverbs 24:30 Lit an idle
- Proverbs 24:30 Lit heart
- Proverbs 24:32 Lit set my heart
- Proverbs 24:34 Lit one who moves about
- Proverbs 24:34 Lit a man with a shield
Proverbs 24
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
24 Do not envy the wicked,
nor desire to be with them,(A)
2 for their minds devise violence,
and their lips talk of mischief.(B)
3 By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;(C)
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 Wise warriors are mightier than strong ones[a]
and those who have knowledge than those who have strength,(D)
6 for by wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in abundance of counselors there is victory.(E)
7 Wisdom is too high for fools;
in the gate they do not open their mouths.(F)
8 Whoever plans to do evil
will be called a mischief-maker.(G)
9 The devising of folly is sin,
and the scoffer is an abomination to all.
10 If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength being small;(H)
11 if you hold back from rescuing those taken away to death,
those who go staggering to the slaughter;(I)
12 if you say, “Look, we did not know this”—
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it?
And will he not repay all according to their deeds?(J)
13 My child, eat honey, for it is good,
and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.(K)
14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, you will find a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.(L)
15 Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against the home of the righteous;
do no violence to the place where the righteous live;(M)
16 for though they fall seven times, they will rise again,
but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.(N)
17 Do not rejoice when your enemies fall,
and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble,(O)
18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased
and turn away his anger from them.
19 Do not fret because of evildoers.
Do not envy the wicked,(P)
20 for the evil have no future;
the lamp of the wicked will go out.(Q)
21 My child, fear the Lord and the king,
and do not disobey either of them,[b](R)
22 for disaster comes from them suddenly,
and who knows the ruin that both can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise
23 These also are sayings of the wise:
Partiality in judging is not good.(S)
24 Whoever says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”
will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,(T)
25 but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
and a good blessing will come upon them.(U)
26 One who gives an honest answer
gives a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for you in the field;
and after that build your house.
28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.(V)
29 Do not say, “I will do to others as they have done to me;
I will pay them back for what they have done.”(W)
30 I passed by the field of one who was lazy,
by the vineyard of a stupid person,(X)
31 and see, it was all overgrown with thorns;
the ground was covered with nettles,
and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and considered it;
I looked and received instruction.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,(Y)
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want, like an armed warrior.
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.