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Proverbs 24

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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¹ Don’t envy evil men ⓐ or desire to be with them, ⓑ

² for their hearts plan violence, and their words stir up trouble. ⓒ

³ A house is built by wisdom, ⓓ and it is established by understanding;

⁴ by knowledge the rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.

⁵ A wise warrior is better than a strong one, [1] and a man of knowledge than one of strength; [2] ⓔ

⁶ for you should wage war with sound guidance — victory comes with many counselors. ⓕ

⁷ Wisdom is inaccessible to [3] a fool; ⓖ he does not open his mouth at the gate. ⓗ

⁸ The one who plots evil ⓘ will be called a schemer.

⁹ A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to people.

¹⁰ If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited.

¹¹ Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter. ⓙ

¹² If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,” won’t He who weighs hearts ⓚ consider it? Won’t He who protects your life ⓛ know? Won’t He repay a person according to his work? ⓜ

¹³ Eat honey, ⓝ my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate; ⓞ

¹⁴ realize that wisdom is the same for you. ⓟ If you find it, you will have a future, and your hope will never fade. ⓠ

¹⁵ Wicked man, don’t set an ambush, at the camp of the righteous man; ⓡ don’t destroy his dwelling.

¹⁶ Though a righteous man falls seven times, he will get up, ⓢ but the wicked will stumble into ruin. ⓣ

¹⁷ Don’t gloat when your enemy falls, and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, ⓤ

¹⁸ or the LORD will see, be displeased, and turn His wrath away from him.

¹⁹ Don’t be agitated by evildoers, and don’t envy the wicked. ⓥ

²⁰ For the evil have no future; ⓦ the lamp of the wicked will be put out. ⓧ

²¹ My son, fear the LORD, as well as the king, ⓨ and don’t associate with rebels, [4]

²² for destruction from them will come suddenly; who knows what distress these two can bring?

²³ These sayings also belong to the wise: ⓩ It is not good to show partiality in judgment. ⓐ

²⁵ but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a generous blessing will come to them.

²⁶ He who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.

²⁷ Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field; ⓓ afterward, build your house.

²⁸ Don’t testify against your neighbor without cause. ⓔ Don’t deceive with your lips.

²⁹ Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me; I’ll repay the man for what he has done.” ⓕ

³⁰ I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense.

³¹ Thistles had come up everywhere, weeds covered the ground, ⓖ and the stone wall was ruined.

³² I saw, and took it to heart; I looked, and received instruction:

³³ a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest,

³⁴ and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit. ⓗ

#	HCSB
1	Don’t envy evil men ⓐ or desire to be with them, ⓑ
2	for their hearts plan violence, and their words stir up trouble. ⓒ
3	A house is built by wisdom, ⓓ and it is established by understanding;
4	by knowledge the rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
5	A wise warrior is better than a strong one, [1] and a man of knowledge than one of strength; [2] ⓔ
6	for you should wage war with sound guidance — victory comes with many counselors. ⓕ
7	Wisdom is inaccessible to [3] a fool; ⓖ he does not open his mouth at the gate. ⓗ
8	The one who plots evil ⓘ will be called a schemer.
9	A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to people.
10	If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited.
11	Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter. ⓙ
12	If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,” won’t He who weighs hearts ⓚ consider it? Won’t He who protects your life ⓛ know? Won’t He repay a person according to his work? ⓜ
13	Eat honey, ⓝ my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate; ⓞ
14	realize that wisdom is the same for you. ⓟ If you find it, you will have a future, and your hope will never fade. ⓠ
15	Wicked man, don’t set an ambush, at the camp of the righteous man; ⓡ don’t destroy his dwelling.
16	Though a righteous man falls seven times, he will get up, ⓢ but the wicked will stumble into ruin. ⓣ
17	Don’t gloat when your enemy falls, and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, ⓤ
18	or the LORD will see, be displeased, and turn His wrath away from him.
19	Don’t be agitated by evildoers, and don’t envy the wicked. ⓥ
20	For the evil have no future; ⓦ the lamp of the wicked will be put out. ⓧ
21	My son, fear the LORD, as well as the king, ⓨ and don’t associate with rebels, [4]
22	for destruction from them will come suddenly; who knows what distress these two can bring?
23	These sayings also belong to the wise: ⓩ It is not good to show partiality in judgment. ⓐ
24	Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent” ⓑ — people will curse him, ⓒ and tribes will denounce him;
25	but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and a generous blessing will come to them.
26	He who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
27	Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field; ⓓ afterward, build your house.
28	Don’t testify against your neighbor without cause. ⓔ Don’t deceive with your lips.
29	Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me; I’ll repay the man for what he has done.” ⓕ
30	I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense.
31	Thistles had come up everywhere, weeds covered the ground, ⓖ and the stone wall was ruined.
32	I saw, and took it to heart; I looked, and received instruction:
33	a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest,
34	and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit. ⓗ

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Proverbs 24

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