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The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

Proverbschapter 24

34 verses · Solomon and others · 10th to 5th century BC · Wisdom and poetry

The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.

The line breaks below follow the poem's own punctuation. The section titles are this site's own.

A.Through Wisdom a House Is Builded; Rescue Them Drawn Unto Deathvv. 1-22

Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;

for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.

By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;

through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.

A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.

Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.

Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.

He who plots evil will be called a schemer.

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

If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!

Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.

If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it?Does not the One who guards your life know?Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?

Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.

Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul.If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.

For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,

or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.

Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.

For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.

My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.

For they will bring sudden destruction.Who knows what ruin they can bring?

B.More Sayings of the Wise: I Went by the Field of the Sluggardvv. 23-34

These also are sayings of the wise:To show partiality in judgment is not good.

Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;

but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.

An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.

Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.

Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;I will repay the man according to his work.”

I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.

Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.

I observed and took it to heart;I looked and received instruction:

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

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