Proverbs 24
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 24
Do Not Be Envious of the Wicked[a]
1 Do not be envious of the wicked
or desire to be in their company.
2 For their hearts scheme of violence,
and their lips speak only of mischief.
3 By wisdom a house is built;
by understanding it is made secure.
4 By knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and desirable riches of all kinds.
5 A wise man is mightier than a strong man,
and a man of knowledge prevails over one who has strength.
6 For you wage war by wise guidance,
and victory depends on a host of counselors.
7 Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
at the city gate he does not open his mouth.[b]
8 Anyone who plans to do evil
earns a reputation for intrigue.
9 The intrigues of fools are sinful,[c]
and men find the scoffer abhorrent.
10 If you lose heart in time of adversity,
your strength will indeed be limited.
11 [d]Rescue those who are being led away to death
and save those who are on their way to execution.
12 If you say, “I do not know this man,”
will he who tests the heart not perceive it?
He who is the guardian of your soul knows it,
and he will repay you as your deeds deserve.
13 Eat honey,[e] my son, for it is good,
and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to the taste.
14 In much the same manner
will wisdom be sweet to your soul.
If you find it, you will have a future,
and your hope[f] will not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait at the home of a righteous man;
do not raid his dwelling.
16 For a righteous man falls seven times[g] and rises again,
but the wicked stumble into calamity.
17 Do not be glad when your enemy falls;
when he stumbles, do not let your heart exult,
18 for fear that the Lord will be displeased at the sight
and withdraw his wrath from your enemy.
19 Do not become outraged about evildoers
or be envious of the wicked.[h]
20 For they will have no tomorrow;
the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
21 My son, fear the Lord and fear the king;[i]
avoid those who rebel against them.
22 For disaster will strike them suddenly,
and who knows what ruin will afflict them and their friends?[j]
Other Sayings of the Wise[k]
23 [l]These also are sayings of the wise:
To show partiality in judgment
is an invidious act.
24 Whoever says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”
will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
25 But those who convict the evildoer will fare well,
and they will be blessed with prosperity.
26 Anyone who offers an honest answer
gives a kiss on the lips.
27 Plan what you want outside
and make everything ready on the land;
once you have done this,
you can go forth and build your house.
28 Never be a witness against your neighbor without good reason
or deceive with your lips.
29 Never say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay him back for what he has done.”
I Passed by the Field of a Lazy Idler . . .[m]
30 I passed by the field of a lazy idler,[n]
by the vineyard of a man without sense.
31 I saw that it was completely overgrown with thorns;
the ground was covered with weeds,
and its stone wall was broken down.
32 And as I gazed at it and reflected,
I drew this lesson from the sight:
33 a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a thief,
and want will assail you like an armed warrior.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:1 Evildoers make others envious; every moral teacher must show that, in one way or another, evil does not pay, that it is a pathway to death. Faced with the lure of desires that are easily available but dishonest, they must show the human and spiritual value of good behavior—it is the sole way of approach. The teacher of wisdom devotes himself to this difficult task.
- Proverbs 24:7 Public business was conducted at the gate of the city.
- Proverbs 24:9 The intrigues of fools are sinful: see Prov 1:11-16; 9:13-18. Men find the scoffer abhorrent: because he is arrogant and abusive (Prov 9:7), and a fomenter of strife (Prov 22:10). See also note on Prov 1:22.
- Proverbs 24:11 One who can prove that a condemned man is innocent must try to save him (see Prov 17:15; Isa 58:6-7). [God] knows it: God knows us through and through (see Prov 16:2; 21:2; Ps 94:9-11).
- Proverbs 24:13 Honey: i.e., wisdom, which is the honey of the soul.
- Proverbs 24:14 Wisdom is sweet to the soul by bringing nourishment and healing to it (see Prov 16:24). Future . . . hope: see Prov 23:18; Pss 9:19; 37:37; 73:24; Jer 29:11.
- Proverbs 24:16 Seven times: i.e., many times (see Prov 6:16; Job 5:19 and note). Rises again: the Lord has promised to come to the aid of the righteous (see Pss 34:20; 37:24; Mic 7:8). The wicked stumble into calamity: see Prov 24:22; 4:19; 6:15; 11:3, 5; Pss 1:6; 37:13, 20; 119:155; 146:9.
- Proverbs 24:19 This verse is very close to Ps 37:1; see Prov 23:17; 24:1.
- Proverbs 24:21 Fear the Lord and fear the king: the faithful are to render obedience to the Lord and to civil authority (see Eccl 8:2-5; Mt 18:21-22; Lk 17:4; Rom 13:1ff; 1 Pet 2:13-17). Scripture regards the king as the punisher of the wicked (see Prov 20:8, 26).
- Proverbs 24:22
After this verse, the Greek text adds five verses as follows:
22aA son who keeps the commandment will escape destruction,
for he embraced it willingly.
22bLet no falsehood be spoken by the tongue of the king,
yes, let no falsehood proceed from his tongue.
22cThe king’s tongue is a sword, not some fleshly thing,
and whoever is handed up to him will be crushed.
22dFor if his wrath is provoked,
he destroys men with all their sinews.
22eHe devours men’s bones
and like a flame burns them up,
so that they are not even fit to be eaten by young eagles.
The Greek text then appends here chapter 30:1-14.
- Proverbs 24:23 This is a brief appendix written in the same style and spirit as the preceding collection.
- Proverbs 24:23 To the ancient counsels on respect for justice in trials and on prudence, a new one is added: evil must not be done (see Mt 16:12, 14-15).
- Proverbs 24:30 A splendid lesson about things that would also be a fine popular song.
- Proverbs 24:30 Idler: see note on Prov 6:6.
Proverbs 24
King James Version
24 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Through wisdom is an house builded; 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 make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors 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 mischievous person.
9 The thought 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 not he 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 Lay not 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 mischief.
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 at 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 meddle 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 things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are 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 shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour 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 travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
Proverbs 24
Lexham English Bible
24 Do not envy men of evil,
and do not desire to be with them.
2 For their minds will devise violence,
and their lips will speak mischief.
3 By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established.
4 And by knowledge, rooms are filled
with all riches, precious and pleasant.
5 The warrior of wisdom is in strength,
and a man of knowledge is strong in power.
6 For with wise guidance you shall make war for yourself,
and victory is in an abundance of counsel.
7 Wisdom is too high for fools;
at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 He who plans to do evil for[a] himself,
they will call him “master[b] of mischief.”
9 Devising folly is a sin,
and an abomination to humankind is a scoffer.
10 If you faint on the day of adversity,
little is your strength.
11 Rescue those who are led away to the death
and those who stagger to the slaughter. If you hold back,
12 if you say, “Look, we do not know this,”
does not he who weighs hearts perceive it?
And he who keeps your soul,[c]
he knows and will repay humankind according to his deeds.
13 My child, eat honey, for it is good,
and the dripping of the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
14 Thus know wisdom for the sake of your soul,[d]
if you find it, then there is a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against the home of the righteous;
do not do violence to his dwelling place.
16 For seven times the righteous will fall, but he will rise,
but the wicked will be overthrown by calamity.
17 While your enemies are falling, do not rejoice;
when he trips himself, may your heart[e] not be glad
18 lest Yahweh see and it be evil in his eyes,
and turn his anger away from him.
19 Do not fret because of the evildoers;
do not envy the wicked.
20 For there will not be a future for the evil;
the lamp of the wicked will die out.
21 Fear Yahweh, my son, and the king;
with those who change, do not associate.
22 For suddenly their disaster will come,
and the ruin of both of them,[f] who knows?
23 These sayings are also for the wise:
Partiality[g] in judgment is not good.
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are righteous,” the people will curse him;
the nations will abhor him.
25 But they who rebuke will have delight,
and upon them blessings of goodness will come.
26 He will kiss the lips,
he who gives an honest answer.
27 Prepare your work in the street and get it ready for yourself in the field;
afterward, then[h] you shall build your house.
28 Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor
nor deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, “Just as he has done to me, so shall I do to him;
I will pay back the man according to his deed.”
30 I passed by the field of a lazy person,
and over the vineyard of a person lacking sense;[i]
31 and behold, it was overgrown—all of it was covered with thorns, its surface with nettles,
and its stone wall[j] was broken down.
32 Then I myself saw and my heart[k] considered;
I looked, and I took hold of instruction:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands for rest,
34 and your poverty will come running,
and your lack like an armed warrior.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:8 Or “to”
- Proverbs 24:8 Or “owner”
- Proverbs 24:12 Or “life,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 24:14 Or “life,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 24:17 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 24:22 Literally “the two of them”
- Proverbs 24:23 Literally “acknowledge faces”
- Proverbs 24:27 Hebrew “and”
- Proverbs 24:30 Literally “heart”
- Proverbs 24:31 Literally “a wall of his/its stones”
- Proverbs 24:32 Or “mind”
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