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24 Don’t be envious of evil men,
    neither desire to be with them;
for their hearts plot violence
    and their lips talk about mischief.
Through wisdom a house is built;
    by understanding it is established;
by knowledge the rooms are filled
    with all rare and beautiful treasure.
A wise man has great power;
    and a knowledgeable man increases strength;
for by wise guidance you wage your war;
    and victory is in many advisors.
Wisdom is too high for a fool.
    He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.
One who plots to do evil
    will be called a schemer.
The schemes of folly are sin.
    The mocker is detested by men.
10 If you falter in the time of trouble,
    your strength is small.
11 Rescue those who are being led away to death!
    Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!
12 If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this,”
    doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it?
    Shall he not render to every man according to his work?
13 My son, eat honey, for it is good,
    the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste;
14 so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul.
    If you have found it, then there will be a reward:
    Your hope will not be cut off.
15 Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous.
    Don’t destroy his resting place;
16 for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again;
    but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17 Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls.
    Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,
18 lest Yahweh see it, and it displease him,
    and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers,
    neither be envious of the wicked;
20 for there will be no reward to the evil man.
    The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21 My son, fear Yahweh and the king.
    Don’t join those who are rebellious;
22 for their calamity will rise suddenly.
    Who knows what destruction may come from them both?

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, and nations will abhor him—
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
    and a rich blessing will come on them.
26 An honest answer
    is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare your work outside,
    and get your fields ready.
    Afterwards, build your house.
28 Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause.
    Don’t deceive with your lips.
29 Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;
    I will repay the man according to his work.”
30 I went by the field of the sluggard,
    by the vineyard of the man void of understanding:
31 Behold, it was all grown over with thorns.
    Its surface was covered with nettles,
    and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw, and considered well.
    I saw, and received instruction:
33 a little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to sleep,
34 so your poverty will come as a robber
    and your want as an armed man.

24 Don’t envy the evil(A)
or desire to be with them,(B)
for their hearts plan violence,
and their words stir up trouble.(C)

A house is built by wisdom,(D)
and it is established by understanding;
by knowledge the rooms are filled
with every precious and beautiful treasure.

A wise warrior is better than a strong one,[a]
and a man of knowledge than one of strength;[b](E)
for you should wage war with sound guidance—
victory comes with many counselors.(F)

Wisdom is inaccessible to[c] a fool;(G)
he does not open his mouth at the city gate.(H)

The one who plots evil(I)
will be called a schemer.
A foolish scheme is sin,
and a mocker is detestable to people.

10 If you do nothing in a difficult time,
your strength is limited.
11 Rescue those being taken off to death,
and save those stumbling toward slaughter.(J)
12 If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,”
won’t he who weighs hearts(K) consider it?
Won’t he who protects your life(L) know?
Won’t he repay a person according to his work?(M)

13 Eat honey,(N) my son, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate;(O)
14 realize that wisdom is the same for you.(P)
If you find it, you will have a future,
and your hope will never fade.(Q)

15 Don’t set an ambush, you wicked one,
at the camp of the righteous man;(R)
don’t destroy his dwelling.
16 Though a righteous person falls seven times,
he will get up,(S)
but the wicked will stumble into ruin.(T)

17 Don’t gloat when your enemy falls,
and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,(U)
18 or the Lord will see, be displeased,
and turn his wrath away from him.

19 Don’t be agitated by evildoers,
and don’t envy the wicked.(V)
20 For the evil have no future;(W)
the lamp of the wicked will be put out.(X)

21 My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king,(Y)
and don’t associate with rebels,[d]
22 for destruction will come suddenly from them;
who knows what distress these two can bring?

23 These sayings also belong to the wise:(Z)
It is not good to show partiality in judgment.(AA)
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent”(AB)
peoples will curse him,(AC) and nations will denounce him;
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and a generous blessing will come to them.

26 He who gives an honest answer
gives a kiss on the lips.

27 Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field;(AD)
afterward, build your house.

28 Don’t testify against your neighbor without cause.(AE)
Don’t deceive with your lips.
29 Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me;
I’ll repay the man for what he has done.”(AF)

30 I went by the field of a slacker
and by the vineyard of one lacking sense.
31 Thistles had come up everywhere,
weeds covered the ground,(AG)
and the stone wall was ruined.
32 I saw, and took it to heart;
I looked, and received instruction:
33 a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
34 and your poverty will come like a robber,
and your need, like a bandit.(AH)

Footnotes

  1. 24:5 LXX, Syr; MT reads is in strength
  2. 24:5 LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads knowledge exerts strength
  3. 24:7 Lit is too high for
  4. 24:21 Or those given to change

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)