Proverbs 24

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:	1 Do not be envious of the wicked or wish for their company,
2 Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.	2 for their hearts are scheming violence, their lips talking mischief.
3 By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.	3 By wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is made strong;
4 By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.	4 by knowledge its storerooms are fil ed with riches of every kind, rare and desirable.
5 A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.	5 The wise is mighty in power, strength is reinforced by science;
6 Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.	6 for it is by strategy that you wage war, and victory depends on having many counsellors.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.	7 For a fool wisdom is an inaccessible fortress: at the city gate he does not open his mouth.
8 He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.	8 Anyone intent on evil-doing is known as a master in cunning.
9 The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.	9 Folly dreams of nothing but sin, the mocker is abhorrent.
10 If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.	10 If you lose heart when things go wrong, your strength is not worth much.
11 Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.	11 Save those being dragged towards death, but can you rescue those on their way to execution?
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.	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?
13 Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:	13 Eat honey, my child, since it is good; honey that drips from the comb is sweet to the taste:
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.	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.
15 Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.	15 Do not lurk, wicked man, round the upright man's dwel ing, do not despoil his house.
16 For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.	16 For though the upright fal s seven times, he gets up again; the wicked are the ones who stumble inadversity.
17 When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:	17 Should your enemy fal , do not rejoice, when he stumbles do not let your heart exult:
18 Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.	18 for fear that Yahweh wil be displeased at the sight and turn his anger away from him.
19 Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:	19 Do not be indignant about the wicked, do not be envious of the evil,
20 For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.	20 for there is no future for the evil, the lamp of the wicked wil go out.
21 My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.	21 Fear Yahweh, my child, and fear the king; do not al y yourself with innovators;
22 For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?	22 for suddenly disaster wil loom for them, and who knows what ruin wil seize them and their friends?
23 These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.	23 The fol owing are also taken from the sages: To show partiality in judgement is not good.
24 They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.	24 Whoever tells the wicked, 'You are upright,' peoples curse him, nations revile him;
25 They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.	25 but those who correct him, come out of it wel , on them will come a happy blessing.
26 He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.	26 Whoever returns an honest answer, plants a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.	27 Plan what you want on the open ground, make your preparation in the field; then go and build yourhouse.
28 Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.	28 Do not bear witness lightly against your neighbour, nor deceive with your 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.	29 Do not say, 'I wil treat my neighbour as my neighbour treated me; I will repay everyone what eachhas earned.'
30 I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:	30 By the idler's field I was passing, by the vineyard of a man who had no sense,
31 And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.	31 there it al lay, deep in thorns, entirely overgrown with weeds, and its stone wal broken down.
32 Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.	32 And as I gazed I pondered, I drew this lesson from the sight,
33 Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:	33 'A little sleep, a little drowsiness, a little folding of the arms to lie back
34 And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.	34 and poverty comes like a vagrant, and, like a beggar, dearth.'