Proverbs 24

1 “My son, do not envy evil men or desire to be with them,

2 for their heart meditates on lies and their lips speak trouble.

3 A house is built with wisdom and raised up with understanding.

4 With perception its storerooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.

5 A wise person is better than a strong one, and a person with discernment is better than a large estate.

6 War is conducted with guidance, and help comes with the heart of a counselor.

7 Wisdom and good reflection are at the gates of the wise. The wise do not turn aside from the Lord’s mouth,

8 but reason in council. Death meets the uninstructed,

9 and a fool dies in sins. Uncleanness will fasten itself to a pestilent person

10 on an evil day and a day of distress, until he is consumed.

11 Rescue those being led away to death and ransom those being killed; do not withhold your help.

12 But if you say, ‘I do not know this person,’ know that the Lord knows everyone’s heart. The one who formed breath for all knows everything and repays each person according to his works.

13 My son, eat honey, for the honeycomb is good, so that your throat may be sweetened.

14 In the same way, you will perceive wisdom in your soul. If you find her, your end will be good and hope will not abandon you.

15 Do not bring an ungodly person into the dwelling of the righteous, and do not be deceived by feeding the belly.

16 For a righteous person will fall seven times and rise again, but the ungodly will become weak amid evils.

17 If your enemy falls, do not rejoice over him, and do not exalt yourself when he is overthrown,

18 because the Lord will see it and be displeased, and he will turn his anger away from him.

19 Do not rejoice over evildoers or envy sinners,

20 for evil people will have no descendants, and the lamp of the ungodly will be extinguished.

21 My son, fear God and the king, and do not disobey either of them,

22 for they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who will know the punishments inflicted by both? A son who guards the word will remain outside destruction; by accepting the word, he truly receives it. Let no lie be spoken to a king by any tongue, and let no lie come from his tongue. A king’s tongue is a sword, not one made of flesh, and whoever is handed over to it will be crushed. If his anger is sharpened, he consumes people along with their sinews, gnaws their bones, and burns them like a flame, so that they are not even fit for young eagles to eat.

23 I also say these things for you who are wise to learn: it is not good to show partiality in judgment.

24 Whoever says of the ungodly, ‘He is righteous,’ will be cursed by peoples and hated among nations.

25 But those who correct him will appear better, and a good blessing will come upon them.

26 People will kiss lips that answer with good words.

27 Prepare your work for going out, prepare yourself for the field, and follow me; then you will rebuild your house.

28 Do not be a false witness against your fellow citizen, and do not exaggerate with your lips.

29 Do not say, ‘As he treated me, so I will treat him. I will punish him for the wrong he did me.’

30 A foolish person is like a field, and a senseless person is like a vineyard.

31 If you leave him alone, he will become completely barren and overgrown with weeds; he will be abandoned, and his stone walls will be torn down.

32 Then I reconsidered; I looked and chose instruction.

33 ‘I will doze a little, sleep a little, and fold my arms across my chest for a little while.’

34 But if you do this, your poverty will come marching ahead, and your need will come like a strong runner.”