The Proverbs

⭑ Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 24 -

Do not want what evil people have; do not desire them for friends,

because they are plotting to do violence; they talk about making trouble.

The meaning of wisdom

It takes wisdom to build a house, and by understanding the builder exercises his craft, and a house is made solid on its foundation.

It takes knowledge to fill the rooms of the house with all the beautiful and expensive decorations.

A man who has wisdom has strength, and a person with knowledge is mightier than the one who is strong,

for with wise guidance you can wage a war successfully, and by the advice of many advisors there will be victory.

Wisdom is something that a fool cannot understand; at the gate where the elders gather, the fool has nothing to say.

There is a man who does evil and makes plots, he is called the Master of Schemes.

A foolish plan is not only folly, it is sin; when people tell the truth, they hate those who are conceited and mock everyone.

When trouble comes, and you are terrified like a coward, then your strength is small.

Rescue the ones who are being carried away to the slaughter; they stagger and fall, hold them back from the one who would kill them.

If you say, “I did not know that those people needed any help,” then think about this: God knows why we do everything, so he also knows why you said those people needed no help. God sees everything you do in this life, so he certainly understands why you said that about those people. He will certainly pay you back, and everyone else, too, for the harm they have done.

Advice to a son

My son, eat honey, because it tastes good; the honeycomb is sweet.

Wisdom is like the honeycomb, it feeds your life, if you can find it. If you can find it, you will have a future, and you will come to the future with hope that will not be cut short.

Do not be like wicked people who hide and wait to attack the home of those who do what is right. Do not commit a violent attack on the place where the good man rests!

Even if good people fall down seven times, they always get back up, but when a disaster comes to the wicked, they are ruined by it.

When your enemy falls, do not rejoice, and do not be happy when he stumbles,

for Yahweh will see how you treat your enemy, and if he disapproves how you treat him, Yahweh may turn his wrath from your enemy and put it on you.

Do not worry about those who do what is evil, and do not be jealous of them,

for there is no future for the wicked; they are like a lamp whose light will soon be put out.

My son, give to Yahweh and give to the king the respect each of them deserves, and do not associate with anyone who rebels against either Yahweh or the king;

because disasters will suddenly come upon those rebels, and no one knows how terrible the disasters will be that will come from both Yahweh and from the king.

The sayings of the wise

Here are more things that wise people have said: It is wrong for judges to decide matters unfairly.

If they say to people who are guilty, “You are innocent,” they will be cursed by foreign peoples, and hated by nations.

But if judges say that guilty people must be punished, things will go well for those judges, and they will receive gifts of goodness.

Answering honestly, that is the best thing a person can do.

First, do the work that needs to be done outside, and prepare your fields; and after that, build your house.

Do not give testimony against your neighbor if there is no reason for it, and do not deceive people when you are telling what you know.

Do not say, “I will do to him what he did to me; I will pay him back for what he did to me.”

I walked by the field of a lazy man, past the vineyard of a man who had no good judgment.

Thorns grew there and the stone wall had fallen down.

When I saw that, I thought about it, and I learned this:

A little sleep, a little nap, a little folding of the hands to rest, and while you rest,

poverty will come to you like a thief who steals from you, and poverty will come like an armed soldier who attacks you.

Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;

for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.

The meaning of wisdom

Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;

by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.

A wise man has great power. A knowledgeable man increases strength,

for by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisors.

Wisdom is too high for a fool. He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate.

One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.

The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.

If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small.

Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!

If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this,” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not render to every man according to his work?

Advice to a son

My son, eat honey, for it is good, the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste;

so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul. If you have found it, then there will be a reward: Your hope will not be cut off.

Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place;

for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

Don’t rejoice when your enemy falls. Don’t let your heart be glad when he is overthrown,

lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked;

for there will be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

My son, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious,

for their calamity will rise suddenly. Who knows what destruction may come from them both?

The sayings of the wise

These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.

He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” peoples will curse him, and nations will abhor him—

but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a rich blessing will come on them.

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.

Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.

Don’t be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Don’t deceive with your lips.

Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”

I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.

Behold, it was all grown over with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.

Then I saw, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:

a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,

so your poverty will come as a robber and your want as an armed man.