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Chapter 24
1Do not envy wicked men,
do not desire their company;
2for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble.
3By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
4through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.
5A wise man has great power,
and a man of knowledge increases strength;
6for waging war you need guidance,
and for victory many advisers.
7Wisdom is too high for a fool;
in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.
8He who plots evil
will be known as a schemer.
9The schemes of folly are sin,
and men detest a mocker.
10If you falter in times of trouble,
how small is your strength!
11Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
12If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?
13Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul;
if you find it, there is a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.
15Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man's house,
do not raid his dwelling place;
16for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again,
but the wicked are brought down by calamity.
17Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,
18or the LORD will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from him.
19Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of the wicked,
20for the evil man has no future hope,
and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21Fear the LORD and the king, my son,
and do not join with the rebellious,
22for those two will send sudden destruction upon them,
and who knows what calamities they can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise
23These also are sayings of the wise:
To show partiality in judging is not good:
24Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent”—
peoples will curse him and nations denounce him.
25But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and rich blessing will come upon them.
26An honest answer
is like a kiss on the lips.
27Finish your outdoor work
and get your fields ready;
after that, build your house.
28Do not testify against your neighbor without cause,
or use your lips to deceive.
29Do not say, “I'll do to him as he has done to me;
I'll pay that man back for what he did.”
30I went past the field of the sluggard,
past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment;
31thorns had come up everywhere,
the ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone wall was in ruins.
32I applied my heart to what I observed
and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
34and poverty will come on you like a bandit
and scarcity like an armed man.Or like a vagrant / and scarcity like a beggar
Chapter 25
More Proverbs of Solomon
1These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:
2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
3As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4Remove the dross from the silver,
and out comes material forOr comes a vessel from the silversmith;
5remove the wicked from the king's presence,
and his throne will be established through righteousness.
6Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence,
and do not claim a place among great men;
7it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”
than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.
What you have seen with your eyes
8do not bringOr nobleman / on whom you had set your eyes. / 8 Do not go hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
if your neighbor puts you to shame?
9If you argue your case with a neighbor,
do not betray another man's confidence,
10or he who hears it may shame you
and you will never lose your bad reputation.
11A word aptly spoken
is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
12Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear.
13Like the coolness of snow at harvest time
is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him;
he refreshes the spirit of his masters.
14Like clouds and wind without rain
is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.
15Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
16If you find honey, eat just enough—
too much of it, and you will vomit.
17Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house—
too much of you, and he will hate you.
18Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.
19Like a bad tooth or a lame foot
is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble.
20Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
or like vinegar poured on soda,
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.
23As a north wind brings rain,
so a sly tongue brings angry looks.
24Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
25Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.
26Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
27It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.
28Like a city whose walls are broken down
is a man who lacks self-control.
Chapter 26
1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
honor is not fitting for a fool.
2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3A whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey,
and a rod for the backs of fools!
4Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you will be like him yourself.
5Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.
6Like cutting off one's feet or drinking violence
is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
7Like a lame man's legs that hang limp
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8Like tying a stone in a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool.
9Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10Like an archer who wounds at random
is he who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his folly.
12Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who answer discreetly.
17Like one who seizes a dog by the ears
is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18Like a madman shooting
firebrands or deadly arrows
19is a man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossip a quarrel dies down.
21As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to a man's inmost parts.
23Like a coating of glazeWith a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text of silver dross over earthenware
are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24A malicious man disguises himself with his lips,
but in his heart he harbors deceit.
25Though his speech is charming, do not believe him,
for seven abominations fill his heart.
26His malice may be concealed by deception,
but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it;
if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.
28A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.

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