Proverbs 24 Today's Daily Bread

1Don't envy evil people; don't desire their company. 2For they spend their days plotting violence, and their words are always stirring up trouble.

3A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. 4Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

5A wise man is mightier than a strong man, F38 and a man of knowledge is more powerful than a strong man. 6So don't go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many counselors.

7Wisdom is too much for a fool. When the leaders gather, the fool has nothing to say.

8A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker. 9The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone despises a mocker.

10If you fail under pressure, your strength is not very great.

11Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don't stand back and let them die. 12Don't try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn't know about it. For God knows all hearts, and he sees you. He keeps watch over your soul, and he knows you knew! And he will judge all people according to what they have done.

13My child, F39 eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. 14In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short.

15Do not lie in wait like an outlaw at the home of the godly. And don't raid the house where the godly live. 16They may trip seven times, but each time they will rise again. But one calamity is enough to lay the wicked low.

17Do not rejoice when your enemies fall into trouble. Don't be happy when they stumble. 18For the LORD will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them.

19Do not fret because of evildoers; don't envy the wicked. 20For the evil have no future; their light will be snuffed out.

21My child, fear the LORD and the king, and don't associate with rebels. 22For you will go down with them to sudden disaster. Who knows where the punishment from the LORD and the king will end?

More Sayings of the Wise

23Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment. 24A judge who says to the wicked, "You are innocent," will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations. 25But blessings are showered on those who convict the guilty.

26It is an honor to receive an honest reply.

27Develop your business first before building your house.

28Do not testify spitefully against innocent neighbors; don't lie about them. 29And don't say, "Now I can pay them back for all their meanness to me! I'll get even!"

30I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one lacking sense. 31I saw that it was overgrown with thorns. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. 32Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: 33A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—34and poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
FOOTNOTES:
F38: As in Greek version; Hebrew reads A wise man is strength.
F39: Hebrew My son; also in 24:21.