Proverbs 24:16-31

¹⁶For seven times doth the righteous fall and rise, And the wicked stumble in evil.

¹⁷In the falling of thine enemy rejoice not, And in his stumbling let not thy heart be joyful,

¹⁸Lest Jehovah see, and it be evil in His eyes, And He hath turned from off him His anger.

¹⁹Fret not thyself at evil doers, Be not envious at the wicked,

²⁰For there is not a posterity to the evil, The lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

²¹Fear Jehovah, my son, and the king, With changers mix not up thyself,

²²For suddenly doth their calamity rise, And the ruin of them both — who knoweth!

²³These also are for the wise: — To discern faces in judgment is not good.

²⁴Whoso is saying to the wicked, 'Thou art righteous,' Peoples execrate him — nations abhor him.

²⁵And to those reproving it is pleasant, And on them cometh a good blessing.

²⁶Lips he kisseth who is returning straightforward words.

²⁷Prepare in an out-place thy work, And make it ready in the field — go afterwards, Then thou hast built thy house.

²⁸Be not a witness for nought against thy neighbour, Or thou hast enticed with thy lips.

²⁹Say not, 'As he did to me, so I do to him, I render to each according to his work.'

³⁰Near the field of a slothful man I passed by, And near the vineyard of a man lacking heart.

³¹And lo, it hath gone up — all of it — thorns! Covered its face have nettles, And its stone wall hath been broken down.