Proverbs 24
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1[My] son, envy not bad men, nor desire to be with them. 2For their heart meditates falsehoods, and their lips speak mischiefs. 3A house is built by wisdom, and is set up by understanding. 4By discretion the chambers are filled with all precious and excellent wealth. 5A wise man is better than a strong man; and a man who has prudence than a large estate. 6War is carried on with generalship, and aid is supplied to the heart of a counsellor. 7Wisdom and good understanding are in the gates of the wise: the wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord, 8but deliberate in council. Death befalls uninstructed [men]. 9The fool also dies in sins; and uncleanness [attaches] to a pestilent man. 10He shall be defiled in the evil day, and in the day of affliction, until he be utterly consumed. 11Deliver them that are led away to death, and redeem them that are appointed to be slain; spare not [thy help]. 12But if thou shouldest say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders to every man according to his works. 13[My] son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, that thy throat may be sweetened. 14Thus shalt thou perceive wisdom in thy soul: for if thou find it, thine end shall be good, and hope shall not fail thee. 15Bring not an ungodly man into the dwelling of the righteous: neither be deceived by the feeding of the belly. 16For a righteous man will fall seven times, and rise [again]: but the ungodly shall be without strength in troubles. 17If thine enemy should fall, rejoice not over him, neither be elated at his overthrow. 18For the Lord will see [it], and it will not please him, and he will turn away his wrath from him. 19Rejoice not in evil-doers, neither be envious of sinners. 20For the evil man shall have no posterity: and the light of the wicked shall be put out. 21[My] son, fear God and the king; and do not disobey either of them. 22For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance [inflicted] by both? [A son that keeps the commandment shall escape destruction; for [such an one] has fully received it. Let no falsehood be spoken by the king from the tongue; yea, let no falsehood proceed from his tongue. The king's tongue is a sword, and not one of flesh; and whosoever shall be given up to [it] shall be destroyed: for if his wrath should be provoked, he destroys men with cords, and devours men's bones, and burns them up as a flame, so that they are not [even] fit to be eaten by the young eagles. [My] son, reverence my words, and receive them, and repent.] These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease. For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men. God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy. Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? who has gathered the winds in his bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children? For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him. Add not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be made a liar. Two things I ask of thee; take not favour from me before I die. Remove far from me vanity and falsehood: and give me not wealth [or ] poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient: lest I be filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear [vainly ] by the name of God. Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be utterly destroyed. A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother. A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way. A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids. A wicked generation have swords [for ] teeth and jaw-teeth [as ] knives, so as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, and the poor of them from among men. 23And this thing I say to you that are wise [for you] to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 24He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations. 25But they that reprove [him] shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them; 26and [men] will kiss lips that answer well. 27Prepare thy works for [thy] going forth, and prepare thyself for the field; and come after me, and thou shalt rebuild thine house. 28Be not a false witness against thy [fellow] citizen, neither exaggerate with thy lips. 29Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me. 30A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard. 31If thou let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down. 32Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction. 33[The sluggard says], I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across [my] breast. 34But if thou do this, thy poverty will come speedily; and thy want like a swift courier. 35The horse-leech had three dearly-beloved daughters: and these three did not satisfy her; and the fourth was not contented so as to say, Enough. 36The grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, It is enough. 37The eye that laughs to scorn a father, and dishonours the old age of a mother, let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, and let the young eagles devour it. 38Moreover there are three things impossible for me to comprehend, and the fourth I know not: 39the track of a flying eagle; and the ways of a serpent on a rock; and the paths of a ship passing through the sea; and the ways of a man in youth. 40Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing amiss. 41By three things the earth is troubled, and the fourth it cannot bear: 42if a servant reign; or a fool be filled with food; 43or if a maid-servant should cast out her own mistress; and if a hateful woman should marry a good man. 44And [there are] four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise: 45the ants which are weak, and [yet ] prepare [their ] food in summer; 46the rabbits also [are ] a feeble race, who make their houses in the rocks. 47The locusts have no king, and [yet ] march orderly at one command. 48And the eft, which supports itself by [its ] hands, and is easily taken, dwells in the fortresses of kings. 49And there are three things which go well, and a fourth which passes along finely. 50A lion's whelp, stronger than [all other] beasts, which turns not away, nor fears [any ] beast; 51and a cock walking in boldly among the hens, and a goat leading the herd; and a king publicly speaking before a nation. 52If thou abandon thyself to mirth, and stretch forth thine hand in a quarrel, thou shalt be disgraced. 53Milk out milk, and there shall be butter, and if thou wring [one's ] nostrils there shall come out blood: so if thou extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes. 54My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed. 55What wilt thou keep, my son, what? the words of God. My firstborn son, I speak to thee: what? son of my womb? what? son of my vows? 56Give not thy wealth to women, nor thy mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: drink wine with counsel. 57Princes are prone to anger: let them then not drink wine: 58lest they drink, and forget wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly. 59Give strong drink to those that are in sorrow, and the wine to drink to those in pain: 60that they may forget their poverty, and may not remember their troubles any more. 61Open thy mouth with the word of God, and judge all fairly. 62Open thy mouth and judge justly, and plead the cause of the poor and weak.