Proverbs 24:11-25:14

  1. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
  2. 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?
  3. My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
  4. 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.
  5. Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
  6. For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
  7. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
  8. Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
  9. Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked:
  10. For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
  11. My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
  12. For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
  13. These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
  14. He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
  15. But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
  16. Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.
  17. Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
  18. Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
  19. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
  20. I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
  21. And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
  22. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
  23. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
  24. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
  1. These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
  2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
  3. The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.
  4. Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
  5. Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
  6. Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:
  7. For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
  8. Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
  9. Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
  10. Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.
  11. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
  12. As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
  13. As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
  14. Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.