Proverbs 24:23-34
Legacy Standard Bible
23 These also are (A)sayings of the wise.
To [a](B)show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 He (C)who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
(D)Peoples will curse him, nations will be indignant with him;
25 But (E)to those who reprove the wicked, it will be pleasant,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 He kisses the lips
Who responds with right words.
27 Establish your work outside
And (F)make it ready for yourself in the field;
And afterwards, you shall build your house.
28 Do not be a (G)witness against your neighbor without cause,
Nor (H)deceive with your lips.
29 (I)Do not say, “As he did to me so I shall do to him;
I will [b]render to the man according to his work.”
30 I passed by the field of the sluggard
And by the vineyard of the man (J)lacking a heart of wisdom,
31 And behold, it was completely [c](K)overgrown with thistles;
[d](L)Nettles have covered its surface,
And its stone (M)wall has been torn down.
32 And I beheld, I set my heart upon it;
I saw, I received discipline.
33 “(N)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”
34 Then your poverty will come as [e]a robber
And your want like [f]an armed man.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:23 Lit recognize a face
- Proverbs 24:29 Lit bring back
- Proverbs 24:31 Lit gone up
- Proverbs 24:31 A kind of weed
- Proverbs 24:34 Or a vagabond; lit one who walks
- Proverbs 24:34 Lit a man with a shield
Proverbs 24:23-34
New Living Translation
More Sayings of the Wise
23 Here are some further sayings of the wise:
It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.
24 A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”
will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.
25 But it will go well for those who convict the guilty;
rich blessings will be showered on them.
26 An honest answer
is like a kiss of friendship.
27 Do your planning and prepare your fields
before building your house.
28 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;
don’t lie about them.
29 And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me!
I’ll get even with them!”
30 I walked by the field of a lazy person,
the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
It was covered with weeds,
and its walls were broken down.
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it,
I learned this lesson:
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
