Proverbs 24

English Standard Version

³ By ^(E)wisdom a house is built,
    and by understanding it is established;
⁴ by knowledge the rooms are filled
    with all ^(F)precious and pleasant riches.
^5 (G)A wise man is full of strength,
    and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
⁶ for by ^(H)wise guidance you can wage your war,
    and in ^(I)abundance of counselors there is victory.
⁷ Wisdom is ^(J)too high for a fool;
    in ^(K)the gate he does not open his mouth.

⁸ Whoever ^(L)plans to do evil
    will be called a schemer.
^9 (M)The devising^[a] of folly is sin,
    and ^(N)the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.

¹⁰ If you ^(O)faint in the day of adversity,
    your strength is small.
^11 (P)Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
    hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
¹² If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
    ^(Q)does not he who ^(R)weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who ^(S)keeps watch over your soul know it,
    and will he not repay man ^(T)according to his work?

¹³ My son, ^(U)eat honey, for it is good,
    and ^(V)the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
¹⁴ Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
    if you find it, there will be ^(W)a future,
    and your hope will not be cut off.

^15 (X)Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
    do no violence to his home;
^16 (Y)for the righteous falls ^(Z)seven times and rises again,
    but ^(AA)the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

^17 (AB)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
    and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
¹⁸ lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
    and turn away his anger from him.

^19 (AC)Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
    and be not ^(AD)envious of the wicked,
²⁰ for the evil man has no ^(AE)future;
    ^(AF)the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

²¹ My son, ^(AG)fear the Lord and the king,
    and do not join with those who do otherwise,
²² for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
    and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

^(AI)Partiality in judging is not good.
²⁴ Whoever ^(AJ)says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”
    ^(AK)will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
²⁵ but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
    and a good blessing will come upon them.
²⁶ Whoever gives an honest answer
    kisses the lips.

^27 (AL)Prepare your work outside;
    get everything ready for yourself in the field,
    and after that build your house.

^28 (AM)Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
    and do not deceive with your lips.
²⁹ Do not say, ^(AN)“I will do to him as he has done to me;
    I will pay the man back for what he has done.”

^30 (AO)I passed by the field of a sluggard,
    by the vineyard of a man ^(AP)lacking sense,
³¹ and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
    the ground was covered with nettles,
    and its stone ^(AQ)wall was broken down.
³² Then I saw and ^(AR)considered it;
    I looked and received instruction.
^33 (AS)A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
³⁴ and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want like an armed man.