箴言 24

1Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:

2Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.

3By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.

4By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.

5A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.

6Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.

7Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.

8He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.

9The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.

10If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.

11Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.

12If thou say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.

13Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:

14So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.

15Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.

16For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.

17When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:

18Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

19Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:

20For evil men have no hope of things to come, and the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

21My son, fear the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.

22For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?

23These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.

24They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.

25They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.

26He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.

27Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.

28Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man with thy lips.

29Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.

30I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:

31And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.

32Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.

33Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to rest:

34And poverty shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.

1[Ne æmuleris viros malos, nec desideres esse cum eis:

2quia rapinas meditatur mens eorum, et fraudes labia eorum loquuntur.

3Sapientia ædificabitur domus, et prudentia roborabitur.

4In doctrina replebuntur cellaria, universa substantia pretiosa et pulcherrima.

5Vir sapiens fortis est, et vir doctus robustus et validus:

6quia cum dispositione initur bellum, et erit salus ubi multa consilia sunt.

7Excelsa stulto sapientia; in porta non aperiet os suum.

8Qui cogitat mala facere stultus vocabitur:

9cogitatio stulti peccatum est, et abominatio hominum detractor.

10Si desperaveris lassus in die angustiæ, imminuetur fortitudo tua.]

11[Erue eos qui ducuntur ad mortem, et qui trahuntur ad interitum, liberare ne cesses.

12Si dixeris: Vires non suppetunt; qui inspector est cordis ipse intelligit: et servatorem animæ tuæ nihil fallit, reddetque homini juxta opera sua.

13Comede, fili mi, mel, quia bonum est, et favum dulcissimum gutturi tuo.

14Sic et doctrina sapientiæ animæ tuæ: quam cum inveneris, habebis in novissimis spem, et spes tua non peribit.

15Ne insidieris, et quæras impietatem in domo justi, neque vastes requiem ejus.

16Septies enim cadet justus, et resurget: impii autem corruent in malum.

17Cum ceciderit inimicus tuus ne gaudeas, et in ruina ejus ne exsultet cor tuum:

18ne forte videat Dominus, et displiceat ei, et auferat ab eo iram suam.

19Ne contendas cum pessimis, nec æmuleris impios:

20quoniam non habent futurorum spem mali, et lucerna impiorum extinguetur.

21Time Dominum, fili mi, et regem, et cum detractoribus non commiscearis:

22quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum, et ruinam utriusque quis novit?]

23Hæc quoque sapientibus. [Cognoscere personam in judicio non est bonum.

24Qui dicunt impio: Justus es: maledicent eis populi, et detestabuntur eos tribus.

25Qui arguunt eum laudabuntur, et super ipsos veniet benedictio.

26Labia deosculabitur qui recta verba respondet.

27Præpara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum, ut postea ædifices domum tuam.

28Ne sis testis frustra contra proximum tuum, nec lactes quemquam labiis tuis.

29Ne dicas: Quomodo fecit mihi, sic faciam ei; reddam unicuique secundum opus suum.]

30[Per agrum hominis pigri transivi, et per vineam viri stulti:

31et ecce totum repleverant urticæ, et operuerant superficiem ejus spinæ, et maceria lapidum destructa erat.

32Quod cum vidissem, posui in corde meo, et exemplo didici disciplinam.

33Parum, inquam, dormies, modicum dormitabis; pauxillum manus conseres ut quiescas:

34et veniet tibi quasi cursor egestas, et mendicitas quasi vir armatus.]

1Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.

2For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions.

3By wisdom shall a house be built, and by prudence shall it be strengthened.

4By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful.

5A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant.

6For war is undertaken in an orderly manner, and safety shall be where there are many counsels.

7Wisdom is beyond the foolish; at the gate he will not open his mouth.

8Whoever intends to do evil shall be called foolish.

9The intention of the foolish is sin. And the detractor is an abomination among men.

10If you despair, being weary in the day of anguish, your strength will be diminished.

11Rescue those who are led away to death. And do not cease from delivering those who are dragged away to a violent death.

12If you would say: “I do not have sufficient strength.” He who inspects the heart, the same one understands, and nothing slips past the one who preserves your soul. And he shall repay a man according to his works.

13My son, eat honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, because it is so sweet to your throat.

14So, too, is the doctrine of wisdom to your soul. When you have found it, you will have hope in the end, and your hope shall not perish.

15Do not lie in wait, and do not seek impiety in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.

16For the just one will fall seven times, and he shall rise again. But the impious will fall into evil.

17When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,

18lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.

19Do not contend with the most wicked, and do not be a rival to the impious.

20For the evil hold no hope in the future, and the lamp of the impious will be extinguished.

21My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king. And do not mingle with detractors.

22For their perdition shall rise up suddenly. And who knows what ruin will be for each of them?

23Likewise, these things are for the wise. It is not good to base judgment on knowledge of character.

24Those who say to the impious, “You are just,” shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall detest them.

25Those who argue against the impious shall be praised, and a blessing shall come upon them.

26He shall kiss the lips, who responds with upright words.

27Prepare your outdoor work, and diligently cultivate your field, so that afterward, you may build your house.

28Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone with your lips.

29Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me.” I will repay each one according to his work.

30I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man,

31and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed.

32When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline.

33You will sleep a little,” I said. “You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest.

34And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man.”