Add parallel Print Page Options

24 ¶ Do not be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.

For their heart studies robbery, and their lips speak evil.

¶ Through wisdom the house shall be built, and with intelligence it shall be established:

And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and beautiful riches.

The wise man is strong; and the man of understanding is a mighty man of valour.

For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war, and in the multitude of counsellors there is saving health.

¶ Wisdom, is too high for a fool; he shall not open his mouth in the gate.

He that devises to do evil shall be called a man of evil designs.

The thought of the foolish is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.

10 ¶ If thou art slack in the day of tribulation, thy strength shall be reduced.

11 ¶ If thou forbear to deliver those that are drawn unto death and those that are ready to be slain,

12 if thou should say, Behold, we knew it not; shall not he that weighs the hearts understand it? and he that keeps thy soul, does he not know it? and shall he not render to every man according to his works?

13 ¶ My son, eat of the honey, because it is good, and of the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: if thou shalt find it, and in the end thy hope shall not be cut off.

15 ¶ Do not lay in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; do not spoil his resting place.

16 For a just man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked shall fall into evil.

17 ¶ Do not rejoice when thy enemy falls, and do not let thy heart be glad when he stumbles

18 lest the LORD see it and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19 ¶ Do not meddle with those who are evil, neither be envious of the wicked;

20 for the evil man shall not come to a good end; the fire of the wicked shall be put out.

21 ¶ My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not meddle with those that are given to change,

22 for their calamity shall rise suddenly; and the ruin of them both, who shall know it?

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 art righteous; him shall the peoples curse, nations shall abhor him:

25 But unto those that rebuke him shall be delight, and a blessing of good shall come upon them.

26 The lips of the one that gives a right answer shall be kissed.

27 ¶ Prepare thy work without and make it fit for thyself in thine inheritance, and afterwards thou shalt build thine house.

28 ¶ Do not be a false witness against thy neighbour, and do not flatter with thy lips.

29 Do not say, I will do unto him as he has done unto 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, behold, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered its face, and its stone wall was broken down.

32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it and received chastening.

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 travels and thy want as an armed man.

24 Be not thou envious against evil men;
Neither desire to be with them:
For their heart studieth oppression,
And their lips talk of mischief.
Through wisdom is a house builded;
And by understanding it is established;
And by knowledge are the chambers filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
A wise man [a]is strong;
Yea, a man of knowledge [b]increaseth might.
For by wise guidance thou shalt make thy war;
And in the multitude of counsellors there is [c]safety.
Wisdom is too high for a fool:
He openeth not his mouth in the gate.
He that deviseth to do evil,
Men shall call him a mischief-maker.
The thought of foolishness is sin;
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity,
Thy strength is small.
11 Deliver them that are carried away unto death,
And those that are [d]ready to be slain [e]see that thou hold back.
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew not [f]this;
Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it?
And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it?
And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good;
And the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste:
14 So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul;
If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward,
And thy hope shall not be cut off.
15 Lay not wait, [g]O wicked man, against the [h]habitation of the righteous;
Destroy not his [i]resting-place:
16 For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again;
But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth,
And let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown;
18 Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him,
And he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers;
Neither be thou envious at the wicked:
20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king;
And company not with them that are given to change:
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly;
And the destruction [j]from them both, who knoweth it?

23 These also are sayings of the wise.

To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous,
Peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight,
And a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 He [k]kisseth the lips
Who giveth a right answer.
27 Prepare thy work without,
And make it ready for thee in the field;
And afterwards build thy house.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause;
[l]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 sluggard,
And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns,
The face thereof was covered with [m]nettles,
And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Then I beheld, and considered well;
I saw, 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 a robber,
And thy want as an armed man.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:5 Hebrew is in strength.
  2. Proverbs 24:5 Hebrew strengtheneth might.
  3. Proverbs 24:6 Or, victory
  4. Proverbs 24:11 Hebrew tottering to the slaughter.
  5. Proverbs 24:11 Or, forbear thou not to deliver
  6. Proverbs 24:12 Or, this man
  7. Proverbs 24:15 Or, as a wicked man
  8. Proverbs 24:15 Or, pasture
  9. Proverbs 24:15 Or, fold
  10. Proverbs 24:22 Or, of their years
  11. Proverbs 24:26 Or, kisseth with the lips
  12. Proverbs 24:28 Hebrew And wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?
  13. Proverbs 24:31 Or, wild vetches

24 Ne porte pas envie aux hommes méchants, Et ne désire pas être avec eux;

Car leur coeur médite la ruine, Et leurs lèvres parlent d'iniquité.

C'est par la sagesse qu'une maison s'élève, Et par l'intelligence qu'elle s'affermit;

C'est par la science que les chambres se remplissent De tous les biens précieux et agréables.

Un homme sage est plein de force, Et celui qui a de la science affermit sa vigueur;

Car tu feras la guerre avec prudence, Et le salut est dans le grand nombre des conseillers.

La sagesse est trop élevée pour l'insensé; Il n'ouvrira pas la bouche à la porte.

Celui qui médite de faire le mal S'appelle un homme plein de malice.

La pensée de la folie n'est que péché, Et le moqueur est en abomination parmi les hommes.

10 Si tu faiblis au jour de la détresse, Ta force n'est que détresse.

11 Délivre ceux qu'on traîne à la mort, Ceux qu'on va égorger, sauve-les!

12 Si tu dis: Ah! nous ne savions pas!... Celui qui pèse les coeurs ne le voit-il pas? Celui qui veille sur ton âme ne le connaît-il pas? Et ne rendra-t-il pas à chacun selon ses oeuvres?

13 Mon fils, mange du miel, car il est bon; Un rayon de miel sera doux à ton palais.

14 De même, connais la sagesse pour ton âme; Si tu la trouves, il est un avenir, Et ton espérance ne sera pas anéantie.

15 Ne tends pas méchamment des embûches à la demeure du juste, Et ne dévaste pas le lieu où il repose;

16 Car sept fois le juste tombe, et il se relève, Mais les méchants sont précipités dans le malheur.

17 Ne te réjouis pas de la chute de ton ennemi, Et que ton coeur ne soit pas dans l'allégresse quand il chancelle,

18 De peur que l'Éternel ne le voie, que cela ne lui déplaise, Et qu'il ne détourne de lui sa colère.

19 Ne t'irrite pas à cause de ceux qui font le mal, Ne porte pas envie aux méchants;

20 Car il n'y a point d'avenir pour celui qui fait le mal, La lampe des méchants s'éteint.

21 Mon fils, crains l'Éternel et le roi; Ne te mêle pas avec les hommes remuants;

22 Car soudain leur ruine surgira, Et qui connaît les châtiments des uns et des autres?

23 Voici encore ce qui vient des sages: Il n'est pas bon, dans les jugements, d'avoir égard aux personnes.

24 Celui qui dit au méchant: Tu es juste! Les peuples le maudissent, les nations le maudissent.

25 Mais ceux qui le châtient s'en trouvent bien, Et le bonheur vient sur eux comme une bénédiction.

26 Il baise les lèvres, Celui qui répond des paroles justes.

27 Soigne tes affaires au dehors, Mets ton champ en état, Puis tu bâtiras ta maison.

28 Ne témoigne pas à la légère contre ton prochain; Voudrais-tu tromper par tes lèvres?

29 Ne dis pas: Je lui ferai comme il m'a fait, Je rendrai à chacun selon ses oeuvres.

30 J'ai passé près du champ d'un paresseux, Et près de la vigne d'un homme dépourvu de sens.

31 Et voici, les épines y croissaient partout, Les ronces en couvraient la face, Et le mur de pierres était écroulé.

32 J'ai regardé attentivement, Et j'ai tiré instruction de ce que j'ai vu.

33 Un peu de sommeil, un peu d'assoupissement, Un peu croiser les mains pour dormir!...

34 Et la pauvreté te surprendra, comme un rôdeur, Et la disette, comme un homme en armes.