Proverbs 24

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Do not be envious of the wicked or wish for their company,	1 Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.
2 for their hearts are scheming violence, their lips talking mischief.	2 For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions.
3 By wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is made strong;	3 By wisdom shall a house be built, and by prudence shall it be strengthened.
4 by knowledge its storerooms are fil ed with riches of every kind, rare and desirable.	4 By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful.
5 The wise is mighty in power, strength is reinforced by science;	5 A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant.
6 for it is by strategy that you wage war, and victory depends on having many counsellors.	6 For war is undertaken in an orderly manner, and safety shall be where there are many counsels.
7 For a fool wisdom is an inaccessible fortress: at the city gate he does not open his mouth.	7 Wisdom is beyond the foolish; at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 Anyone intent on evil-doing is known as a master in cunning.	8 Whoever intends to do evil shall be called foolish.
9 Folly dreams of nothing but sin, the mocker is abhorrent.	9 The intention of the foolish is sin. And the detractor is an abomination among men.
10 If you lose heart when things go wrong, your strength is not worth much.	10 If you despair, being weary in the day of anguish, your strength will be diminished.
11 Save those being dragged towards death, but can you rescue those on their way to execution?	11 Rescue those who are led away to death. And do not cease from delivering those who are dragged away to a violent death.
12 If you say, 'But look, we did not know,' wil the Weigher of the heart pay no attention? Wil not theGuardian of your soul be aware and repay you as your deeds deserve?	12 If you would say: “I do not have sufficient strength.” He who inspects the heart, the same one understands, and nothing slips past the one who preserves your soul. And he shall repay a man according to his works.
13 Eat honey, my child, since it is good; honey that drips from the comb is sweet to the taste:	13 My son, eat honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, because it is so sweet to your throat.
14 and so, for sure, wil wisdom be to your soul: find it and you will have a future and your hope wil notbe cut short.	14 So, too, is the doctrine of wisdom to your soul. When you have found it, you will have hope in the end, and your hope shall not perish.
15 Do not lurk, wicked man, round the upright man's dwel ing, do not despoil his house.	15 Do not lie in wait, and do not seek impiety in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 For though the upright fal s seven times, he gets up again; the wicked are the ones who stumble inadversity.	16 For the just one will fall seven times, and he shall rise again. But the impious will fall into evil.
17 Should your enemy fal , do not rejoice, when he stumbles do not let your heart exult:	17 When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,
18 for fear that Yahweh wil be displeased at the sight and turn his anger away from him.	18 lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.
19 Do not be indignant about the wicked, do not be envious of the evil,	19 Do not contend with the most wicked, and do not be a rival to the impious.
20 for there is no future for the evil, the lamp of the wicked wil go out.	20 For the evil hold no hope in the future, and the lamp of the impious will be extinguished.
21 Fear Yahweh, my child, and fear the king; do not al y yourself with innovators;	21 My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king. And do not mingle with detractors.
22 for suddenly disaster wil loom for them, and who knows what ruin wil seize them and their friends?	22 For their perdition shall up rise suddenly. And who knows what ruin will be for each of them?
23 The fol owing are also taken from the sages: To show partiality in judgement is not good.	23 Likewise, these things are for the wise. It is not good to base judgment on knowledge of character.
24 Whoever tells the wicked, 'You are upright,' peoples curse him, nations revile him;	24 Those who say to the impious, “You are just,” shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall detest them.
25 but those who correct him, come out of it wel , on them will come a happy blessing.	25 Those who argue against the impious shall be praised, and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 Whoever returns an honest answer, plants a kiss on the lips.	26 He shall kiss the lips, who responds with upright words.
27 Plan what you want on the open ground, make your preparation in the field; then go and build yourhouse.	27 Prepare your outdoor work, and diligently cultivate your field, so that afterward, you may build your house.
28 Do not bear witness lightly against your neighbour, nor deceive with your lips.	28 Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone with your lips.
29 Do not say, 'I wil treat my neighbour as my neighbour treated me; I will repay everyone what eachhas earned.'	29 Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me.” I will repay each one according to his work.
30 By the idler's field I was passing, by the vineyard of a man who had no sense,	30 I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man,
31 there it al lay, deep in thorns, entirely overgrown with weeds, and its stone wal broken down.	31 and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed.
32 And as I gazed I pondered, I drew this lesson from the sight,	32 When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline.
33 'A little sleep, a little drowsiness, a little folding of the arms to lie back	33 You will sleep a little,” I said. “You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest.
34 and poverty comes like a vagrant, and, like a beggar, dearth.'	34 And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man.”