Proverbs 24
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
Douay-Rheims Bible, American Edition (1899)
1Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.
1Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
2For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
2Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
3Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;
3By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
4And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
4By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
5A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
5A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
6For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
6Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
7Wisdom is as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
7Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
8He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
8He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.
9The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
10If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.
10If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
11Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?
11Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
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?
12If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
13My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy taste;
13Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
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.
14So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
15Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;
15Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.
16For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
17When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
18Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
18Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
19Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
20For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
20For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;
21My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
22For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?
22For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
23These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
23These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
24He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;
24They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
25But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
25They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
26He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
26He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
27Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
27Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
28Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
28Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.
29Say not: 'I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.'
29Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
30I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
30I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
31And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
31And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
32Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.
32Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
33'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —
33Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:
34So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.
34And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
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