Proverbs 24:5-31

⁵A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.

⁶For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.

⁷Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.

⁸He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.

⁹The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.

¹⁰If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.

¹¹Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.

¹²If you say, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?

¹³My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which is sweet to your taste:

¹⁴So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁵Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:

¹⁶For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.

¹⁷Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:

¹⁸For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.

¹⁹Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:

²⁰For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.

²¹My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:

²²For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?

²³These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.

²⁴He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.

²⁵But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.

²⁶He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.

²⁷Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.

²⁸Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.

²⁹Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.

³⁰I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;

³¹And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.