Font Size
Proverbs 26:1
New Living Translation
Proverbs 26:1
New Living Translation
26 Honor is no more associated with fools
than snow with summer or rain with harvest.
Proverbs 26:1
New International Version
Proverbs 26:1
New International Version
Proverbs 19:10
New Living Translation
Proverbs 19:10
New Living Translation
10 It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury
or for a slave to rule over princes!
Proverbs 19:10
New International Version
Proverbs 19:10
New International Version
Proverbs 28:16
New Living Translation
Proverbs 28:16
New Living Translation
16 A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people,
but one who hates corruption will have a long life.
Proverbs 28:16
New International Version
Proverbs 28:16
New International Version
16 A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.
Psalm 12:8
New Living Translation
Psalm 12:8
New Living Translation
8 even though the wicked strut about,
and evil is praised throughout the land.
Psalm 12:8
New International Version
Psalm 12:8
New International Version
8 who freely strut(A) about
when what is vile is honored by the human race.
Ecclesiastes 10:5-7
New Living Translation
Ecclesiastes 10:5-7
New Living Translation
The Ironies of Life
5 There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake 6 when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth. 7 I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes—and princes walking like servants!
Read full chapter
Ecclesiastes 10:5-7
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 10:5-7
New International Version
Proverbs 26:8
New Living Translation
Proverbs 26:8
New Living Translation
8 Honoring a fool
is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.
Proverbs 26:8
New International Version
Proverbs 26:8
New International Version
8 Like tying a stone in a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool.(A)
Proverbs 17:7
New Living Translation
Proverbs 17:7
New Living Translation
7 Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool;
even less are lies fitting for a ruler.
Proverbs 17:7
New International Version
Proverbs 17:7
New International Version
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(A)
Psalm 52:1
New Living Translation
Psalm 52:1
New Living Translation
Psalm 52
For the choir director: A psalm[a] of David, regarding the time Doeg the Edomite said to Saul, “David has gone to see Ahimelech.”
1 Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior?
Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?
Footnotes
- 52:Title Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term.
Psalm 52:1
New International Version
Psalm 52:1
New International Version
Psalm 52[a]
For the director of music. A maskil[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 52:1 In Hebrew texts 52:1-9 is numbered 52:3-11.
- Psalm 52:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 15:4
New Living Translation
Psalm 15:4
New Living Translation
4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,
and honor the faithful followers of the Lord,
and keep their promises even when it hurts.
Psalm 15:4
New International Version
Psalm 15:4
New International Version
Esther 4:9
New Living Translation
Esther 4:9
New Living Translation
9 So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai’s message.
Read full chapter
Esther 4:9
New International Version
Esther 4:9
New International Version
9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said.
Esther 4:6
New Living Translation
Esther 4:6
New Living Translation
6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the square in front of the palace gate.
Read full chapter
Esther 4:6
New International Version
Esther 4:6
New International Version
6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate.
Esther 3
New Living Translation
Esther 3
New Living Translation
Haman’s Plot against the Jews
3 Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire. 2 All the king’s officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect.
3 Then the palace officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you disobeying the king’s command?” 4 They spoke to him day after day, but still he refused to comply with the order. So they spoke to Haman about this to see if he would tolerate Mordecai’s conduct, since Mordecai had told them he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. 6 He had learned of Mordecai’s nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.
7 So in the month of April,[a] during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later.[b]
8 Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. 9 If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks[c] of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.”
10 The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 The king said, “The money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit.”
12 So on April 17[d] the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king’s highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year.[e] The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.
14 A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that they would be ready to do their duty on the appointed day. 15 At the king’s command, the decree went out by swift messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa fell into confusion.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 3:7a Hebrew in the first month, the month of Nisan. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred within the months of April and May 474 B.c.; also see note on 2:16.
- 3:7b As in 3:13, which reads the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar; Hebrew reads in the twelfth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. The date selected was March 7, 473 B.c.; also see note on 2:16.
- 3:9 Hebrew 10,000 talents, about 375 tons or 340 metric tons in weight.
- 3:12 Hebrew On the thirteenth day of the first month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was April 17, 474 B.c.; also see note on 2:16.
- 3:13 Hebrew on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. The date selected was March 7, 473 B.c.; also see note on 2:16.
Esther 3
New International Version
Esther 3
New International Version
Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews
3 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,(A) elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. 2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.
3 Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”(B) 4 Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply.(C) Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.(D) 6 Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way(E) to destroy(F) all Mordecai’s people, the Jews,(G) throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.
7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur(H) (that is, the lot(I)) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on[a] the twelfth month, the month of Adar.(J)
8 Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs(K) are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey(L) the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.(M) 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents[b] of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”(N)
10 So the king took his signet ring(O) from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”
12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language(P) of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed(Q) with his own ring. 13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews(R)—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,(S) and to plunder(T) their goods. 14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.(U)
15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.(V) The king and Haman sat down to drink,(W) but the city of Susa was bewildered.(X)
Footnotes
- Esther 3:7 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have And the lot fell on.
- Esther 3:9 That is, about 375 tons or about 340 metric tons
1 Samuel 12:17-18
New Living Translation
1 Samuel 12:17-18
New Living Translation
17 You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the Lord for a king!”
18 So Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. And all the people were terrified of the Lord and of Samuel.
Read full chapter
1 Samuel 12:17-18
New International Version
1 Samuel 12:17-18
New International Version
17 Is it not wheat harvest(A) now? I will call(B) on the Lord to send thunder(C) and rain.(D) And you will realize what an evil(E) thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”
18 Then Samuel called on the Lord,(F) and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe(G) of the Lord and of Samuel.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.