Proverbs 24

Do not envy the wicked

Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;a ²for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble. ³By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;b ⁴through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.c

⁵A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.d ⁶Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.e ⁷Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.

⁸He who plots evil will be called a schemer. ⁹A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.f ¹⁰If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!g

¹¹Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.h ¹²If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?i ¹³Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.

¹⁴Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off. ¹⁵Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place. ¹⁶For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.j

¹⁷Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,k ¹⁸or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him. ¹⁹Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.

²⁰For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. ²¹My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious. ²²For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?

More sayings of the wise

²³These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good. ²⁴Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him; ²⁵but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.

²⁶An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips. ²⁷Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.l ²⁸Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

²⁹Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.” ³⁰I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. ³¹Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.

³²I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction: ³³A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, ³⁴and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.