Proverbs 24
Berean Standard BibleTranslation
Berean Standard Bible
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
1Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
1Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
2For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
3Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;
4through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
4And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
5A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
6For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
7Wisdom is as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
8He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
9A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
9The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
10If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.
11Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
11Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?
12If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
12If thou sayest: 'Behold, we knew not 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 works?
13Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
13My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy taste;
14Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
14So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
15Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.
15Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;
16For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
16For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.
17Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
18or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
18Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
19Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
19Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
20For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
20For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
21My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;
22For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
22For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?
23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
23These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
24He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;
25but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
25But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
26He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
27Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
27Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
28Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
29Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
29Say not: 'I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.'
30I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
30I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
31And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
32Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.
33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
33'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —
34and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
34So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.
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