Proverbs 24
Tree of Life Version
24 Do not envy evil people,
or desire to be with them,
2 for their hearts contemplate violence,
and their lips speak mischief.
Strength Through Wise Counsel
3 By wisdom a house is built,
by understanding it is prepared,
4 and by knowledge its rooms are filled
with every rare and pleasing treasure.
5 A wise man is strong,
and a man of knowledge
becomes even stronger.
6 For with wise advice you wage war
and in many counselors there is victory.
7 Wisdom is unattainable for a fool—
he does not open his mouth at the gate.
8 One who plots evil will be called a schemer.
9 A foolish scheme is sin,
and people detest a mocker.
Counsel on Friendship
10 If you falter in a day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11 Rescue those being dragged off to death,
hold back those stumbling to slaughter.
12 If you say, “Look, we didn’t know this.”
Won’t He who weighs hearts perceive it?
Won’t He who guards your soul know it?
Won’t He repay each one according to his deeds?[a]
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good,
and honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
14 Likewise know that wisdom is sweet to your soul.
If you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lurk like the wicked near the dwelling of the righteous.
Do not assault his home.
16 For though the righteous one may fall seven times,
he gets up again, but the wicked stumble in adversity.
17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
or let your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 or Adonai may see it as evil in His eyes,
and turn His wrath away from him.
19 Do not be upset because of evil people,
or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil person has no future,
and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21 My son, fear Adonai and the king,[b]
and do not associate with rebels.
22 For their destruction will arise suddenly,
and who knows the ruin both Adonai and the king can bring?
23 These sayings are also from the wise:
Partiality in judgment is not good.
24 Whoever tells the guilty,
“You are innocent,” people curse him and nations revile him.
25 But for those who convict the guilty there will be delight—
good blessing will come upon them.
26 An honest answer
is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Finish your outdoor work
and get your fields ready.
After that, 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 to him what he has done to me;
I will pay him back for his deed!”[c]
Lesson of the Lazy
30 I passed by the field of the slacker,
by the vineyard of one lacking judgment.
31 Surprisingly, it was all overgrown with thorns,
the ground was covered with weeds,
and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I took to heart 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 sleep,”
34 then your poverty comes tramping in,
and your need like an armed soldier.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:12 cf. Rom. 2:6.
- Proverbs 24:21 cf. Rom. 13:1-5.
- Proverbs 24:29 cf. Matt. 5:39; Rom. 12:17, 19.
Proverbs 24
Amplified Bible
Precepts and Warnings
24 Do not be envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
2
For their minds plot violence,
And their lips talk of trouble [for the innocent].
3
Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a home, a family] is built,
And by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation],
4
And by knowledge its rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
5
A wise man is strong,
And a man of knowledge strengthens his power;(A)
6
For by wise guidance you can wage your war,
And in an abundance of [wise] counselors there is victory and safety.
7
Wisdom is too exalted for a [hardened, arrogant] [a]fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate [where the city’s rulers sit in judgment].
8
He who plans to do evil
Will be called a schemer or deviser of evil.
9
The devising of folly is sin,
And the scoffer is repulsive to men.
10
If you are slack (careless) in the day of distress,
Your strength is limited.
11
Rescue those who are being taken away to death,
And those who stagger to the slaughter, Oh hold them back [from their doom]!
12
If you [claim ignorance and] say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He not consider it who weighs and examines the hearts and their motives?
And does He not know it who guards your life and keeps your soul?
And will He not repay [you and] every man according to his works?
13
My son, eat honey, because it is good,
And the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14
Know that [skillful and godly] wisdom is [so very good] for your life and soul;
If you find wisdom, then there will be a future and a reward,
And your hope and expectation will not be cut off.
15
Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;
16
For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of disaster and collapse.(B)
17
Do not rejoice and gloat when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad [in self-righteousness] when he stumbles,
18
Or the Lord will see your gloating and be displeased,
And turn His anger away from your enemy.
19
Do not get upset because of evildoers,
Or be envious of the wicked,
20
For there will be no future for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21
My son, fear the Lord and the king;
And do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary],
22
For their tragedy will rise suddenly,
And who knows the punishment that both [the Lord and the king] will bring on the rebellious?
23
These also are sayings of the wise:
To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24
He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Peoples will curse him, nations will denounce him;
25
But to those [honorable judges] who rebuke the wicked, it will go well with them and they will find delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26
He kisses the lips [and wins the hearts of people]
Who gives a right and straightforward answer.
27
Prepare your work outside
And get it ready for yourself in the field;
[b]Afterward build your house and establish a home.
28
Do not be a witness against your [c]neighbor without cause,
And do not deceive with your lips [speak neither lies nor half-truths].(C)
29
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for his deed.”(D)
30
I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man lacking understanding and common sense;
31
And, behold, it was all overgrown with thorns,
And nettles were covering its surface,
And its stone wall was broken down.
32
When I saw, I considered it well;
I looked and received instruction.
33
“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest [and daydream],”
34
Then your poverty will come as a robber,
And your want like an armed man.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:7 See note 1:7.
- Proverbs 24:27 Establishing your priorities and proceeding in an orderly manner brings its own reward.
- Proverbs 24:28 I.e. anyone who comes into your life, not necessarily one who lives nearby.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
