GOODMORNING!

Proverbs 24

-19-

 ¹ Don’t be jealous of crooks

   or want to be their friends.

    ²All they think about

   and talk about

   is violence and cruelty.

-20-

 ³ Use wisdom and understanding

   to establish your home;

    ⁴let good sense fill the rooms

   with priceless treasures.

-21-

 ⁵ Wisdom brings strength,

   and knowledge gives power.

    ⁶Battles are won

   by listening to advice

   and making a lot of plans.

-22-

 ⁷ Wisdom is too much for fools!

   Their advice is no good.

-23-

 ⁸ No one but troublemakers

   think up trouble.

    ⁹Everyone hates senseless fools

   who think up ways to sin.

-24-

 ¹⁰ Don’t give up and be helpless

   in times of trouble.

-25-

 ¹¹ Don’t fail to rescue those

   who are doomed to die.

    ¹²Don’t say, “I didn’t know it!”

   God can read your mind.

   He watches each of us

   and knows our thoughts.

   And God will pay us back

   for what we do.

-26-

 ¹³ Honey is good for you,

   my children,

   and it tastes sweet.

    ¹⁴Wisdom is like honey

   for your life–

   if you find it,

   your future is bright.

-27-

 ¹⁵ Don’t be a cruel person

   who attacks good people

   and hurts their families.

    ¹⁶Even if good people

   fall seven times,

   they will get back up.

   But when trouble strikes

   the wicked,

   that’s the end of them.

-28-

 ¹⁷ Don’t be happy

   to see your enemies trip

   and fall down.

    ¹⁸The LORD will find out

   and be unhappy.

   Then he will stop

   being angry with them.

-29-

 ¹⁹ Don’t let evil people

   worry you

   or make you jealous.

    ²⁰They will soon be gone

   like the flame of a lamp

   that burns out.

-30-

 ²¹ My children, you must respect

   the LORD and the king,

   and you must not make friends

   with anyone

   who rebels

   against either of them.

    ²²Who knows what sudden disaster

   the LORD or a ruler

   might bring?

More Sayings That Make Good Sense

 ²³Here are some more sayings

   that make good sense:

   When you judge,

   you must be fair.

    ²⁴If you let the guilty

   go free,

   people of all nations

   will hate and curse you.

    ²⁵But if you punish the guilty,

   things will go well for you,

   and you will prosper.

    ²⁶Giving an honest answer

   is a sign

   of true friendship.

    ²⁷Get your fields ready

   and plant your crops

   before starting a home.

    ²⁸Don’t accuse anyone

   who isn’t guilty.

   Don’t ever tell a lie

    ²⁹or say to someone,

   “I’ll get even with you!”

    ³⁰I once walked by the field

   and the vineyard

   of a lazy fool.

    ³¹Thorns and weeds

   were everywhere,

   and the stone wall

   had fallen down.

    ³²When I saw this,

   it taught me a lesson:

    ³³Sleep a little. Doze a little.

   Fold your hands

   and twiddle your thumbs.

    ³⁴Suddenly poverty hits you

   and everything is gone!