Proverbs 24:21-31

21 My child, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t associate with rebels,
22 for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the LORD and the king?
23 Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.
24 A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.
25 But it will go well for those who convict the guilty; rich blessings will be showered on them.
26 An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship.
27 Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.
28 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause; don’t lie about them.
29 And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me! I’ll get even with them!”
30 I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.