Proverbs 24
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
24 Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
2 Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
3 By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
4 By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
5 A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
6 Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
8 He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9 The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
10 If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
11 Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
12 If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
13 Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
14 So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
15 Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 For a just man shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17 When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
18 Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
20 For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
23 These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
24 They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
25 They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
27 Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
28 Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
29 Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
30 I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
31 And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
33 Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:
34 And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
Proverbs 24
English Standard Version
24 Be not (A)envious of evil men,
nor desire to be (B)with them,
2 for their hearts (C)devise violence,
and their lips (D)talk of trouble.
3 By (E)wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all (F)precious and pleasant riches.
5 (G)A wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
6 for by (H)wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in (I)abundance of counselors there is victory.
7 Wisdom is (J)too high for a fool;
in (K)the gate he does not open his mouth.
8 Whoever (L)plans to do evil
will be called a schemer.
9 (M)The devising[a] of folly is sin,
and (N)the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.
10 If you (O)faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11 (P)Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
(Q)does not he who (R)weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who (S)keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man (T)according to his work?
13 My son, (U)eat honey, for it is good,
and (V)the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be (W)a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
15 (X)Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
do no violence to his home;
16 (Y)for the righteous falls (Z)seven times and rises again,
but (AA)the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
17 (AB)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.
19 (AC)Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not (AD)envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no (AE)future;
(AF)the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My son, (AG)fear the Lord and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22 for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
More Sayings of the Wise
23 These also are sayings of (AH)the wise.
(AI)Partiality in judging is not good.
24 Whoever (AJ)says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”
(AK)will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
25 but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
and a good blessing will come upon them.
26 Whoever gives an honest answer
kisses the lips.
27 (AL)Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.
28 (AM)Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, (AN)“I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for what he has done.”
30 (AO)I passed by the field of a sluggard,
by the vineyard of a man (AP)lacking sense,
31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
the ground was covered with nettles,
and its stone (AQ)wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and (AR)considered it;
I looked and received instruction.
33 (AS)A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:9 Or scheming
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
