Proverbs 24

אַל־תְּ֭קַנֵּא בְּאַנְשֵׁ֣י רָעָ֑ה וְאַל־(תתאו) [תִּ֝תְאָ֗יו] לִהְי֥וֹת אִתָּֽם׃

Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;

Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

כִּי־שֹׁ֭ד יֶהְגֶּ֣ה לִבָּ֑ם וְ֝עָמָ֗ל שִׂפְתֵיהֶ֥ם תְּדַבֵּֽרְנָה׃

for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.

For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

בְּ֭חָכְמָה יִבָּ֣נֶה בָּ֑יִת וּ֝בִתְבוּנָ֗ה יִתְכּוֹנָֽן׃

By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

וּ֭בְדַעַת חֲדָרִ֣ים יִמָּלְא֑וּ כָּל־ה֖וֹן יָקָ֣ר וְנָעִֽים׃

through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.

And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

גֶּֽבֶר־חָכָ֥ם בַּע֑וֹז וְאִֽישׁ־דַּ֝֗עַת מְאַמֶּץ־כֹּֽחַ׃

A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.

A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

כִּ֣י בְ֭תַחְבֻּלוֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֣ מִלְחָמָ֑ה וּ֝תְשׁוּעָ֗ה בְּרֹ֣ב יוֹעֵֽץ׃

Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.

For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

רָאמ֣וֹת לֶֽאֱוִ֣יל חָכְמ֑וֹת בַּ֝שַּׁ֗עַר לֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּֽיהוּ׃

Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.

Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

מְחַשֵּׁ֥ב לְהָרֵ֑עַ ל֝֗וֹ בַּֽעַל־מְזִמּ֥וֹת יִקְרָֽאוּ׃

He who plots evil will be called a schemer.

He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

זִמַּ֣ת אִוֶּ֣לֶת חַטָּ֑את וְתוֹעֲבַ֖ת לְאָדָ֣ם לֵֽץ׃

A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.

The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

הִ֭תְרַפִּיתָ בְּי֥וֹם צָרָ֗ה צַ֣ר כֹּחֶֽכָה׃

If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

הַ֭צֵּל לְקֻחִ֣ים לַמָּ֑וֶת וּמָטִ֥ים לַ֝הֶ֗רֶג אִם־תַּחְשֽׂוֹךְ׃

Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.

If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

כִּֽי־תֹאמַ֗ר הֵן֮ לֹא־יָדַ֪עְנ֫וּ זֶ֥ה הֲֽלֹא־תֹ֘כֵ֤ן לִבּ֨וֹת ׀ הֽוּא־יָבִ֗ין וְנֹצֵ֣ר נַ֭פְשְׁךָ ה֣וּא יֵדָ֑ע וְהֵשִׁ֖יב לְאָדָ֣ם כְּפָעֳלֽוֹ׃

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?

If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

אֱכָל־בְּנִ֣י דְבַ֣שׁ כִּי־ט֑וֹב וְנֹ֥פֶת מָ֝ת֗וֹק עַל־חִכֶּֽךָ׃

Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

כֵּ֤ן ׀ דְּעֶ֥ה חָכְמָ֗ה לְנַ֫פְשֶׁ֥ךָ אִם־מָ֭צָאתָ וְיֵ֣שׁ אַחֲרִ֑ית וְ֝תִקְוָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תִכָּרֵֽת׃

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.

So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

אַל־תֶּאֱרֹ֣ב רָ֭שָׁע לִנְוֵ֣ה צַדִּ֑יק אַֽל־תְּשַׁדֵּ֥ד רִבְצוֹ׃

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.

Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

כִּ֤י שֶׁ֨בַע ׀ יִפּ֣וֹל צַדִּ֣יק וָקָ֑ם וּ֝רְשָׁעִ֗ים יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ בְרָעָֽה׃

For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

בִּנְפֹ֣ל (אויביך) [אֽ֭וֹיִבְךָ] אַל־תִּשְׂמָ֑ח וּ֝בִכָּשְׁל֗וֹ אַל־יָגֵ֥ל לִבֶּֽךָ׃

Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

פֶּן־יִרְאֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה וְרַ֣ע בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְהֵשִׁ֖יב מֵעָלָ֣יו אַפּֽוֹ׃

or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.

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

אַל־תִּתְחַ֥ר בַּמְּרֵעִ֑ים אַל־תְּ֝קַנֵּ֗א בָּרְשָׁעִֽים׃

Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.

Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;

כִּ֤י ׀ לֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֣ה אַחֲרִ֣ית לָרָ֑ע נֵ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָֽךְ׃

For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

יְרָֽא־אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּנִ֣י וָמֶ֑לֶךְ עִם־שׁ֝וֹנִ֗ים אַל־תִּתְעָרָֽב׃

My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.

My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

כִּֽי־פִ֭תְאֹם יָק֣וּם אֵידָ֑ם וּפִ֥יד שְׁ֝נֵיהֶ֗ם מִ֣י יוֹדֵֽעַ׃

For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?

For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

גַּם־אֵ֥לֶּה לַֽחֲכָמִ֑ים הַֽכֵּר־פָּנִ֖ים בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט בַּל־טֽוֹב׃

These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.

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

אֹ֤מֵ֨ר ׀ לְרָשָׁע֮ צַדִּ֪יק אָ֥תָּה יִקְּבֻ֥הוּ עַמִּ֑ים יִזְעָמ֥וּהוּ לְאֻמִּֽים׃

Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;

He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

וְלַמּוֹכִיחִ֥ים יִנְעָ֑ם וַֽ֝עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם תָּב֥וֹא בִרְכַּת־טֽוֹב׃

but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.

But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

שְׂפָתַ֥יִם יִשָּׁ֑ק מֵ֝שִׁ֗יב דְּבָרִ֥ים נְכֹחִֽים׃

An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.

Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

הָ֘כֵ֤ן בַּח֨וּץ ׀ מְלַאכְתֶּ֗ךָ וְעַתְּדָ֣הּ בַּשָּׂדֶ֣ה לָ֑ךְ אַ֝חַ֗ר וּבָנִ֥יתָ בֵיתֶֽךָ׃

Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.

Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

אַל־תְּהִ֣י עֵד־חִנָּ֣ם בְּרֵעֶ֑ךָ וַ֝הֲפִתִּ֗יתָ בִּשְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃

Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

אַל־תֹּאמַ֗ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָֽשָׂה־לִ֭י כֵּ֤ן אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּ֑וֹ אָשִׁ֖יב לָאִ֣ישׁ כְּפָעֳלֽוֹ׃

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”

Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

עַל־שְׂדֵ֣ה אִישׁ־עָצֵ֣ל עָבַ֑רְתִּי וְעַל־כֶּ֝֗רֶם אָדָ֥ם חֲסַר־לֵֽב׃

I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

וְהִנֵּ֨ה עָ֘לָ֤ה כֻלּ֨וֹ ׀ קִמְּשֹׂנִ֗ים כָּסּ֣וּ פָנָ֣יו חֲרֻלִּ֑ים וְגֶ֖דֶר אֲבָנָ֣יו נֶהֱרָֽסָה׃

Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.

And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

וָֽאֶחֱזֶ֣ה אָ֭נֹכִֽי אָשִׁ֣ית לִבִּ֑י רָ֝אִ֗יתִי לָקַ֥חְתִּי מוּסָֽר׃

I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:

Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

מְעַ֣ט שֵׁ֭נוֹת מְעַ֣ט תְּנוּמ֑וֹת מְעַ֓ט ׀ חִבֻּ֖ק יָדַ֣יִם לִשְׁכָּֽב׃

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

וּבָֽא־מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ רֵישֶׁ֑ךָ וּ֝מַחְסֹרֶ֗יךָ כְּאִ֣ישׁ מָגֵֽן׃

and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.