Proverbs 24

Do not be envious of evil men;

Neither desire to be with them:

²For their hearts plot violence,

And their lips talk about mischief.

³Through wisdom a house is built;

By understanding it is established;

⁴By knowledge the rooms are filled

With all rare and beautiful treasure.

⁵A wise man has great power;

And a knowledgeable man increases strength;

⁶For by wise guidance you wage your war;

And victory is in many advisors.

⁷Wisdom is too high for a fool:

He does not open his mouth in the gate.

⁸One who plots to do evil

Will be called a schemer.

⁹The schemes of folly are sin.

The mocker is detested by men.

¹⁰If you falter in the time of trouble,

Your strength is small.

¹¹Rescue those who are being led away to death!

Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!

¹²If you say, "Behold, we didn't know this;"

Does not he who weighs the hearts consider it?

He who keeps your soul, does not he know it?

Shall he not render to every man according to his work?

¹³My son, eat honey, for it is good;

The droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:

¹⁴So you shall know wisdom to be to your soul;

If you have found it, then there will be a reward,

Your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁵Do not lay in wait, wicked man, against the home of the righteous.

Do not destroy his resting-place:

¹⁶For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again;

But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

¹⁷Do not rejoice when your enemy falls.

Do not let your heart be glad when he is overthrown;

¹⁸Lest Allah see it, and it displease him,

And he turn away his wrath from him.

¹⁹Do not fret yourself because of evildoers;

Neither be envious of the wicked:

²⁰For there will be no reward to the evil man;

And the lamp of the wicked shall be snuffed out.

²¹My son, fear Allah and the king.

Do not join those who are rebellious:

²²For their calamity will rise suddenly;

The destruction from them both--who knows?

²³These also are sayings of the wise.

To show partiality in judgment is not good.

²⁴He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous;"

Peoples shall curse him, and nations shall abhor him--

²⁵But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,

And a rich blessing will come on them.

²⁶An honest answer

Is like a kiss on the lips.

²⁷Prepare your work outside,

And get your fields ready.

Afterwards, build your house.

²⁸Do not be a witness against your neighbour without cause.

Do not deceive with your lips.

²⁹Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me;

I will render to the man according to his work."

³⁰I went by the field of the sluggard,

By the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

³¹Behold, it was all grown over with thorns.

Its surface was covered with nettles,

And its stone wall was broken down.

³²Then I saw, and considered well.

I saw, and received instruction:

³³A little sleep, a little slumber,

A little folding of the hands to sleep;

³⁴So shall your poverty come as a robber,

And your want as an armed man.