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24:1  Don't be envious of evil people, and don't try to make friends with them.
24:2  Causing trouble is all they ever think about; every time they open their mouth someone is going to be hurt.
24:3  Homes are built on the foundation of wisdom and understanding.
24:4  Where there is knowledge, the rooms are furnished with valuable, beautiful things.
24:5  Being wise is better than being strong; yes, knowledge is more important than strength.
24:6  After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle, and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win.
24:7  Wise sayings are too deep for stupid people to understand. They have nothing to say when important matters are being discussed.
24:8  If you are always planning evil, you will earn a reputation as a troublemaker.
24:9  Any scheme a fool thinks up is sinful. People hate a person who has nothing but scorn for others.
24:10  If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed.
24:11  Don't hesitate to rescue someone who is about to be executed unjustly.
24:12  You may say that it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch on you; he knows. And he will reward you according to what you do.
24:13  My child, eat honey; it is good. And just as honey from the comb is sweet on your tongue,
24:14  you may be sure that wisdom is good for the soul. Get wisdom and you have a bright future.
24:15  Don't be like the wicked who scheme to rob honest people or to take away their homes.
24:16  No matter how often honest people fall, they always get up again; but disaster destroys the wicked.
24:17  Don't be glad when your enemies meet disaster, and don't rejoice when they stumble.
24:18  The Lord will know if you are gloating, and he will not like it; and then maybe he won't punish them.
24:19  Don't let evil people worry you; don't be envious of them.
24:20  A wicked person has no future—nothing to look forward to.
24:21  Have reverence for the Lord, my child, and honor the king. Have nothing to do with people who rebel against them;
24:22  such people could be ruined in a moment. Do you realize the disaster that God or the king can cause?
24:23  The wise have also said these things: It is wrong for judges to be prejudiced.
24:24  If they pronounce a guilty person innocent, they will be cursed and hated by everyone.
24:25  Judges who punish the guilty, however, will be prosperous and enjoy a good reputation.
24:26  An honest answer is a sign of true friendship.
24:27  Don't build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living.
24:28  Don't give evidence against others without good reason, or say misleading things about them.
24:29  Don't say, “I'll do to them just what they did to me! I'll get even with them!”
24:30  I walked through the fields and vineyards of a lazy, stupid person.
24:31  They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds. The stone wall around them had fallen down.
24:32  I looked at this, thought about it, and learned a lesson from it:
24:33  Go ahead and take your nap; go ahead and sleep. Fold your hands and rest awhile,
24:34  but while you are asleep, poverty will attack you like an armed robber.