Proverbs 24 - The Message (MSG)

Intelligence Outranks Muscle

19

24 1-2 Don’t envy bad people;
don’t even want to be around them.
All they think about is causing a disturbance;
all they talk about is making trouble.

20

3-4 It takes wisdom to build a house,
and understanding to set it on a firm foundation;
It takes knowledge to furnish its rooms
with fine furniture and beautiful draperies.

21

5-6 It’s better to be wise than strong;
intelligence outranks muscle any day.
Strategic planning is the key to warfare;
to win, you need a lot of good counsel.

22

7 Wise conversation is way over the head of fools;
in a serious discussion they haven’t a clue.

23

8-9 The person who’s always cooking up some evil
soon gets a reputation as prince of rogues.
Fools incubate sin;
cynics desecrate beauty.

Rescue the Perishing

24

10 If you fall to pieces in a crisis,
there wasn’t much to you in the first place.

25

11-12 Rescue the perishing;
don’t hesitate to step in and help.
If you say, “Hey, that’s none of my business,”
will that get you off the hook?
Someone is watching you closely, you know—
Someone not impressed with weak excuses.

26

13-14 Eat honey, dear child—it’s good for you—
and delicacies that melt in your mouth.
Likewise knowledge,
and wisdom for your soul—
Get that and your future’s secured,
your hope is on solid rock.

27

15-16 Don’t interfere with good people’s lives;
don’t try to get the best of them.
No matter how many times you trip them up,
God-loyal people don’t stay down long;
Soon they’re up on their feet,
while the wicked end up flat on their faces.

28

17-18 Don’t laugh when your enemy falls;
don’t gloat over his collapse.
God might see, and become very provoked,
and then take pity on his plight.

29

19-20 Don’t bother your head with braggarts
or wish you could succeed like the wicked.
Those people have no future at all;
they’re headed down a dead-end street.

30

21-22 Fear God, dear child—respect your leaders;
don’t be defiant or mutinous.
Without warning your life can turn upside down,
and who knows how or when it might happen?

More Sayings of the Wise

An Honest Answer

23 It’s wrong, very wrong,
to go along with injustice.

24-25 Whoever whitewashes the wicked
gets a black mark in the history books,
But whoever exposes the wicked
will be thanked and rewarded.

26 An honest answer
is like a warm hug.

27 First plant your fields;
then build your barn.

28-29 Don’t talk about your neighbors behind their backs—
no slander or gossip, please.
Don’t say to anyone, “I’ll get back at you for what you did to me.
I’ll make you pay for what you did!”

30-34 One day I walked by the field of an old lazybones,
and then passed the vineyard of a slob;
They were overgrown with weeds,
thick with thistles, all the fences broken down.
I took a long look and pondered what I saw;
the fields preached me a sermon and I listened:
“A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there,
sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next?
Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life,
with poverty as your permanent houseguest!”

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Proverbs 24 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

24 Be not envious of evil men, And desire not to be with them. 2 For destruction doth their heart meditate, And perverseness do their lips speak. 3 By wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding it establisheth itself. 4 And by knowledge the inner parts are filled, [With] all precious and pleasa...
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Proverbs 24 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

24 Follow thou not evil men (Do not thou follow evil people), desire thou not to be with them. 2 For the soul of them bethinketh (on) ravens, and their lips speak frauds. (For their minds think about robberies, and their lips speak lies.) 3 An house shall be builded by wisdom, and it shall be made s...
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Proverbs 24 - World English Bible (WEB)

24 Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;2 for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief.3 Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established;4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure.5 A wise man has great po...
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Proverbs 24 - The Voice (VOICE)

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Proverbs 24 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

24 Do not envy evil people,or desire to be with them,2 for their hearts contemplate violence,and their lips speak mischief. Strength Through Wise Counsel3 By wisdom a house is built,by understanding it is prepared,4 and by knowledge its rooms are filledwith every rare and pleasing treasure.5 A wise ...
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Proverbs 24 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

24 Be not envious of evil men,nor desire to be with them;2 for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of mischief. 3 By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.5 A wise man is mightier than a ...
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Proverbs 24 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

24 Be not envious of evil men,nor desire to be with them;2 for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of mischief. 3 By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.5 A wise man is mightier than a ...
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Proverbs 24 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

24 Do not envy the wicked, nor desire to be with them;2 for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of mischief. 3 By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.5 Wise warriors are mightier than s...
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Proverbs 24 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

24 Do not envy the wicked, nor desire to be with them,(A)2 for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of mischief.(B)3 By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established;(C)4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.5 Wise warriors are mightie...
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Proverbs 24 - New Living Translation (NLT)

24 Don’t envy evil people or desire their company.2 For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble. 3 A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables. 5 The wise are migh...
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Proverbs 24 - New Life Version (NLV)

24 Do not be jealous of sinful men. Do not want to be with them. 2 For their hearts make plans to hurt others and their lips talk about trouble. 3 A house is built by wisdom. It is made strong by understanding, 4 and by much learning the rooms are filled with all riches that are pleasing and of gr...
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Proverbs 24 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Do Not Envy Evil Men24 Do not be (A)envious of evil men,Nor desire to be with them;2 For their heart devises violence,And their lips talk of troublemaking. 3 Through wisdom a house is built,And by understanding it is established;4 By knowledge the rooms are filledWith all precious and pleasant riche...
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Proverbs 24 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Saying 2024 Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company;2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. Saying 213 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. S...
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Proverbs 24 - New International Version (NIV)

Saying 2024 Do not envy(A) the wicked, do not desire their company;2 for their hearts plot violence,(B) and their lips talk about making trouble.(C) Saying 213 By wisdom a house is built,(D) and through understanding it is established;4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful ...
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Proverbs 24 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Saying 2024 Do not want what evil people have. Don’t long to be with them.2 In their hearts they plan to hurt others. With their lips they talk about making trouble. Saying 213 By wisdom a house is built. Through understanding it is made secure.4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled with priceless...
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Proverbs 24 - New English Translation (NET)

24 Do not envy evil people,[a]do not desire[b] to be with them;2 for their hearts contemplate violence,and their lips speak harm.[c]3 By[d] wisdom a house is built,[e]and through understanding it is established;4 by knowledge its rooms are filledwith all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures.5 A ...
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