Proverbs 24:1–34

¹ Do not envy wicked men or desire their company; ² for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble. ³ By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established; ⁴ through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure. ⁵ A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength. ⁶ Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors. ⁷ Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place. ⁸ He who plots evil will be called a schemer. ⁹ A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men. ¹⁰ If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength! ¹¹ Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter. ¹² If 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? ¹³ Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste. ¹⁴ Know 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. ¹⁵ Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place. ¹⁶ For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times. ¹⁷ Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, ¹⁸ or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him. ¹⁹ Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked. ²⁰ For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished. ²¹ My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious. ²² For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring? ²³ These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good. ²⁴ Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him; ²⁵ but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them. ²⁶ An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips. ²⁷ Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house. ²⁸ Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. ²⁹ Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.” ³⁰ I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. ³¹ Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down. ³² I observed and took it to hear…