Proverbs 24

¹ Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:

² Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.

³ By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.

⁴ By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.

⁵ A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.

⁶ Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.

⁷ Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.

⁸ He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.

⁹ The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.

¹⁰ If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.

¹¹ Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.

¹² If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, end he shall render to a man according to his works.

¹³ Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:

¹⁴ So 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.

¹⁵ Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.

¹⁶ For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.

¹⁷ When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:

¹⁸ Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹ Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:

²⁰ For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

²¹ My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.

²² For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?

²³ These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.

²⁴ They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.

²⁵ They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.

²⁶ He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.

²⁷ Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.

²⁸ Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.

²⁹ Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.

³⁰ I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:

³¹ And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.

³² Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.

³³ Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:

³⁴ And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.