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Proverbs 24
Modern English Version
Proverbs 24
Modern English Version
Saying Twenty
24 Do not be envious against evil men,
nor desire to be with them;
2 for their heart studies destruction,
and their lips talk of mischief.
Saying Twenty-One
3 Through wisdom is a house built,
and by understanding it is established;
4 and by knowledge the rooms will be filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.
Saying Twenty-Two
5 A wise man is strong;
yes, a man of knowledge increases strength.
6 For by wise counsel you will wage your war,
and in multitude of counselors there is safety.
Saying Twenty-Three
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool;
he does not open his mouth in the gate.
Saying Twenty-Four
8 He who devises to do evil
will be called a schemer of plots.
9 The thought of foolishness is sin,
and the scorner is an abomination to men.
Saying Twenty-Five
10 If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11 If you refrain to deliver those who are drawn unto death,
and those who are ready to be slain;
12 if you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
does not He who ponders the heart consider it?
And He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to every man according to his works?
Saying Twenty-Six
13 My son, eat honey because it is good,
and the honeycomb that is sweet to your taste;
14 so shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
when you have found it, then there will be a reward,
and your expectation will not be cut off.
Saying Twenty-Seven
15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
do not spoil his resting place;
16 for a just man falls seven times and rises up again,
but the wicked will fall into mischief.
Saying Twenty-Eight
17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18 lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him,
and He turn away His wrath from him.
Saying Twenty-Nine
19 Do not fret because of evil men,
nor be envious of the wicked;
20 for there will be no reward to the evil man;
the candle of the wicked will be put out.
Saying Thirty
21 My son, fear the Lord and the king;
and do not meddle with those who are given to change;
22 for their calamity will rise suddenly,
and who knows the ruin of them both?
More Sayings of the Wise
23 These things also belong to the wise:
It is not good to show partiality in judgment.
24 He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
him the people will curse; nations will abhor him.
25 But to those who rebuke him will be delight,
and a good blessing will come upon them.
26 Every man will kiss his lips
that gives a right answer.
27 Prepare your work outside,
and make it fit for yourself in the field;
and afterwards build your house.
28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, “I will do so to him as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”
30 I went by the field of the slothful,
and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 and it was all grown over with thorns,
and nettles covered its surface,
and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw, and considered it;
I looked on it and received instruction:
33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to sleep,
34 so your poverty will come like a stalker,
and your need as an armed man.
Proverbs 24
New International Version
Proverbs 24
New International Version
Saying 20
24 Do not envy(A) the wicked,
do not desire their company;
2 for their hearts plot violence,(B)
and their lips talk about making trouble.(C)
Saying 21
3 By wisdom a house is built,(D)
and through understanding it is established;
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.(E)
Saying 22
5 The wise prevail through great power,
and those who have knowledge muster their strength.
6 Surely you need guidance to wage war,
and victory is won through many advisers.(F)
Saying 23
7 Wisdom is too high for fools;
in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.
Saying 24
8 Whoever plots evil
will be known as a schemer.
9 The schemes of folly are sin,
and people detest a mocker.
Saying 25
10 If you falter in a time of trouble,
how small is your strength!(G)
11 Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.(H)
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
does not he who weighs(I) the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay(J) everyone according to what they have done?(K)
Saying 26
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.(L)
Saying 27
15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,
do not plunder their dwelling place;
16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,
but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.(M)
Saying 28
17 Do not gloat(N) when your enemy falls;
when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,(O)
18 or the Lord will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from them.(P)
Saying 29
19 Do not fret(Q) because of evildoers
or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evildoer has no future hope,
and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.(R)
Saying 30
21 Fear the Lord and the king,(S) my son,
and do not join with rebellious officials,
22 for those two will send sudden destruction(T) on them,
and who knows what calamities they can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise
23 These also are sayings of the wise:(U)
To show partiality(V) in judging is not good:(W)
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”(X)
will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and rich blessing will come on them.
26 An honest answer
is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Put your outdoor work in order
and get your fields ready;
after that, build your house.
28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause(Y)—
would you use your lips to mislead?
29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;
I’ll pay them back for what they did.”(Z)
30 I went past the field of a sluggard,(AA)
past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
the ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest(AB)—
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.(AC)
Modern English Version (MEV)
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.