Proverbs 24 English Standard Version

24 Be not ^(A)envious of evil men,
nor desire to be ^(B)with them,
²for their hearts ^(C)devise violence,
and their lips ^(D)talk of trouble.

³By ^(E)wisdom a house is built,
    and by understanding it is established;
⁴by knowledge the rooms are filled
    with all ^(F)precious and pleasant riches.
⁵^(G)A wise man is full of strength,
    and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
⁶for by ^(H)wise guidance you can wage your war,
    and in ^(I)abundance of counselors there is victory.
⁷Wisdom is ^(J)too high for a fool;
    in ^(K)the gate he does not open his mouth.

⁸Whoever ^(L)plans to do evil
will be called a schemer.
⁹^(M)The devising^[a] of folly is sin,
and ^(N)the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

¹⁰If 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.
¹²If 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?

¹³My son, ^(U)eat honey, for it is good,
    and ^(V)the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
¹⁴Know 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,
¹⁸lest 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,
²⁰for the evil man has no ^(AE)future;
^(AF)the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

²¹My son, ^(AG)fear the Lord and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
²²for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

More Sayings of the Wise

²³These also are sayings of ^(AH)the wise.

^(AI)Partiality in judging is not good.
²⁴Whoever ^(AJ)says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”
    ^(AK)will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
²⁵but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
    and a good blessing will come upon them.
²⁶Whoever 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.
²⁹Do 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,
³¹and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
    the ground was covered with nettles,
    and its stone ^(AQ)wall was broken down.
³²Then 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,
³⁴and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want like an armed man.