Proverbs 24:1-20 ▼

1 Do not be jealous of evil men, And do not desire to be with them;

2 For their heart meditates on destruction, And their lips talk of mischief.

3 By wisdom a house is built, And by discernment it is firmly established;

4 And by knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is strong, And a man of knowledge strengthens his power.

6 For by guidance you will make war, And in abundance of counselors there is salvation.

7 Wisdom is too exalted for an ignorant fool, He does not open his mouth in the gate.

8 One who deliberately thinks to do evil, Men will call a schemer.

9 The scheming of folly is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10 If you are slack in the day of trouble, Your strength is in trouble.

11 Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are stumbling to the slaughter, Oh hold them back.

12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts understand? And does not He who guards your soul know? And will not He render to man according to his work?

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good, Indeed, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;

14 Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, And your hope will not be cut off.

15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the abode of the righteous; Do not destroy his resting place;

16 For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked will stumble in calamity.

17 When your enemy falls, do not be glad, And when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice;

18 Lest Yahweh see it and it be evil in His eyes, And turn His anger away from him.

19 Do not fret because of evildoers Do not be jealous of the wicked;

20 For there will be no future for the evil one; The lamp of the wicked will go out.