24 Be not (A)envious of evil men,
    nor desire to be (B)with them,
for their hearts (C)devise violence,
    and their lips (D)talk of trouble.

By (E)wisdom a house is built,
    and by understanding it is established;
by knowledge the rooms are filled
    with all (F)precious and pleasant riches.
(G)A wise man is full of strength,
    and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
for by (H)wise guidance you can wage your war,
    and in (I)abundance of counselors there is victory.
Wisdom is (J)too high for a fool;
    in (K)the gate he does not open his mouth.

Whoever (L)plans to do evil
    will be called a schemer.
(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

  1. Proverbs 24:9 Or scheming

劝世箴言

24 你不要嫉妒恶人,也不要起意与他们相处。 因为他们的心图谋强暴,他们的口谈论奸恶。 房屋因智慧建造,又因聪明立稳, 其中因知识充满各样美好宝贵的财物。 智慧人大有能力,有知识的人力上加力。 你去打仗,要凭智谋,谋士众多,人便得胜。 智慧极高,非愚昧人所能及,所以在城门内不敢开口。 设计作恶的,必称为奸人。 愚妄人的思念乃是罪恶,亵慢者为人所憎恶。 10 你在患难之日若胆怯,你的力量就微小。 11 人被拉到死地,你要解救;人将被杀,你须拦阻。 12 你若说“这事我未曾知道”,那衡量人心的岂不明白吗?保守你命的岂不知道吗?他岂不按各人所行的报应各人吗? 13 我儿,你要吃蜜,因为是好的。吃蜂房下滴的蜜,便觉甘甜。 14 你心得了智慧,也必觉得如此。你若找着,至终必有善报,你的指望也不致断绝。 15 你这恶人,不要埋伏攻击义人的家,不要毁坏他安居之所。 16 因为义人虽七次跌倒,仍必兴起,恶人却被祸患倾倒。 17 你仇敌跌倒,你不要欢喜;他倾倒,你心不要快乐。 18 恐怕耶和华看见就不喜悦,将怒气从仇敌身上转过来。 19 不要为作恶的心怀不平,也不要嫉妒恶人。 20 因为恶人终不得善报,恶人的灯也必熄灭。 21 我儿,你要敬畏耶和华与君王,不要与反复无常的人结交。 22 因为他们的灾难必忽然而起,耶和华与君王所施行的毁灭,谁能知道呢?

23 以下也是智慧人的箴言。

审判时看人情面是不好的。 24 对恶人说“你是义人”的,这人万民必咒诅,列邦必憎恶。 25 责备恶人的必得喜悦,美好的福也必临到他。 26 应对正直的,犹如与人亲嘴。 27 你要在外头预备工料,在田间办理整齐,然后建造房屋。 28 不可无故作见证陷害邻舍,也不可用嘴欺骗人。 29 不可说:“人怎样待我,我也怎样待他,我必照他所行的报复他。” 30 我经过懒惰人的田地,无知人的葡萄园, 31 荆棘长满了地皮,刺草遮盖了田面,石墙也坍塌了。 32 我看见就留心思想,我看着就领了训诲。 33 再睡片时,打盹片时,抱着手躺卧片时, 34 你的贫穷就必如强盗速来,你的缺乏仿佛拿兵器的人来到。