Proverbs 24:1-25 ▼

1 Be not thou enuious to folow wicked men, and desire not to be among them:

2 For their heart imagineth to do hurt, and their lippes talke mischiefe.

3 Thorowe wysdome is an house buylded, & with vnderstanding is it set vp.

4 Thorowe discretion shall the chaumbers be filled with all costly and pleasaunt riches.

5 A wise man is euer strong: yea a man of vnderstanding increaseth strength.

6 For with discretion must warres be taken in hand: and where as are many that can geue counsaile, there is health.

7 Wysdome is to hye a thyng for a foole: for he dare not open his mouth in the gate.

8 He that imagineth mischiefe, maye well be called an vngratious person.

9 The wicked thought of the foolishe is sinne: and the scornefull is an abhomination vnto men.

10 If thou be faynt in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.

11 Deliuer them that are drawen vnto death, and ceasse not to preserue them that are led to be slayne:

12 If thou wylt say, beholde I knewe not of it: doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? And he that kepeth thy soule, knoweth he it not? Shall not he also recompence euery man according to his workes?

13 My sonne, eate thou hony because it is good, and the hony combe, for it is sweete vnto thy mouth:

14 So sweete shal the knowledge of wysdome be vnto thy soule when thou hast found it: and there shalbe hope, and thy hope shall not be cut of.

15 Laye no priuie wayte (O wicked man) against the house of the righteous, and spoyle not his resting place.

16 For a iust man falleth seuen tymes, and ryseth vp agayne: but the vngodly fall into mischiefe.

17 Reioyce not thou at the fall of thyne enemie, and let not thyne heart be glad when he stumbleth:

18 Lest the Lorde when he seeth it be angry, and turne his wrath from hym vnto thee.

19 Fret not thy selfe because of the malitious, neither be enuious at the wicked:

20 For the wicked shall haue no posteritie, and the candle of the vngodly shalbe put out.

21 My sonne, feare thou the Lorde and the kyng, and kepe no company with them that slide backe from his feare:

22 For their destruction shall rise sodainlye: and who knoweth the aduersitie that may come from them both?

23 It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement.

24 He that saith to the vngodly thou art righteous, hym shall the people curse, yea the comminaltie shall abhorre him:

25 But they that rebuke the vngodly in them doth God delight, and a rych blessing shall come vpon them.