Bible in 90 Days
22 Do not say “I will repay evil”;
wait for Yahweh and he will deliver you.
23 An abomination of Yahweh is a stone and a weight,[a]
and scales of falsehood are not good.
24 Away from Yahweh are the steps of a strong man,
and how will humankind understand his ways?
25 It is a snare to humankind to say rashly “It is holy,”
and after vows, to scrutinize.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked,
and he will drive a wheel over them.
27 The lamp of Yahweh is the spirit[b] of humankind,
he who searches every innermost part.[c]
28 Loyalty and faithfulness will preserve a king,
and he is upheld with the righteousness of his throne.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,[d]
but the beauty of the aged is gray hair.
30 The blows of a wound will cleanse evil,
as will[e] beatings of the innermost part.[f]
21 Streams of water are the heart[g] of a king in the hand of Yahweh;
wherever[h] he will desire, he will turn.
2 Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes,
but Yahweh weighs hearts.[i]
3 Doing righteousness and justice is more acceptable
to Yahweh than sacrifice.
4 Haughtiness of the eyes and pride of heart,
the lamp of the wicked are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent only lead to abundance,
but all who are hasty, only to want.
6 He who makes treasure by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and seeker[j] of death.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
for they refuse to do justice.
8 Crooked is the way of a man and a foreigner,
but the pure is upright in his conduct.
9 Better to dwell on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a woman[k] of contention.
10 The soul[l] of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor will not find mercy in his eyes.
11 With the punishment of a scoffer, the simple will become wise,
and with the instruction of the wise, he will obtain knowledge.
12 The righteous observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked to ruin.
13 He who closes his ear from the cry of the poor,
he also will cry out and not be heard.
14 A gift in secret[m] will avert anger,[n]
and a concealed bribe,[o] strong wrath.
15 It is a joy to the righteous to do justice,
but dismay to those who do evil.
16 Whoever wanders from the way of understanding,
in the assembly of the dead[p] he will rest.
17 A man of want is he who loves pleasure;
he who loves wine and oil[q] will not become rich.
18 A ransom for the righteous is the wicked,
and the faithless instead of the upright.
19 Better to live in a land of wilderness
than with a wife of quarrels and provocation.
20 Precious treasure and oil are in the house of the wise,
but the foolish person[r] will devour them.[s]
21 He who pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22 To a city of warriors, the wise ascends,
and he will bring down the stronghold—its object of trust.
23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue,
he guards his life[t] from danger.
24 The proud, haughty one: “scoffer” is his name;
he acts with arrogance of pride.
25 The craving of a lazy person will kill him,
for his hands refuse to work.[u]
26 All day[v] he craves a craving,
but the righteous will give and not hold back.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
how much more when he brings it in divisiveness!
28 A false witness will perish,
but a man who listens will testify with[w] success.
29 A wicked man is strong in his countenance,[x]
but the upright will appoint his paths.
30 There is no wisdom, nor understanding,
nor counsel to oppose Yahweh.
31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle,
but to Yahweh belongs the victory.
22 A reputation[y] is to be chosen rather than[z] great riches;
favor is better than silver and gold.[aa]
2 Rich and poor have much in common;
Yahweh is the maker of all of them.
3 The clever sees danger and hides,
but the simple go on and suffer.
4 The reward of humility is the fear of Yahweh—
wealth and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
he who guards himself[ab] will keep away from them.
6 Train the child concerning his way;[ac]
even when he is old, he will not stray from it.
7 The rich will rule over the poor,
and the borrower is a slave of the lender.[ad]
8 He who sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of his anger will fail.
9 He who is generous[ae] will be blessed,
for he gives to the poor from his own bread.
10 Drive out a scoffer and strife will go out;
quarrel and abuse will cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart
and hasgracious speech,[af] his friend is the king.
12 The eyes of Yahweh keep watch over knowledge,
but he will overthrow the words of the faithless.
13 A lazy person says “A lion in the street!
In the middle of the highway, I shall be killed!”
14 A deep pit is the mouth of an adulteress,[ag]
he with whom Yahweh is angry will fall there.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart[ah] of a boy;[ai]
the rod of discipline will drive it[aj] from him.
16 He who oppresses the poor in order to enrich himself,
or gives to the rich, will come to poverty.[ak]
Words of the Wise
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise;
you shall apply your heart[al] to my teaching.
18 For it is pleasant if you guard them within you;[am]
together they will be ready upon your lips.
19 In order for your trust to be in Yahweh,
I have made them known to you today[an]—even[ao] you.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings
with admonitions and knowledge?
21 In order to show you what is right—sayings of truth—
in order to return a true saying to him who sent you.
22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
and do not crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 For Yahweh will plead their case
and despoil those who despoil them of life.[ap]
24 Do not befriend an owner[aq] of anger,[ar]
and with a man of wrath you shall not associate;
25 lest you learn his way
and become entangled in a snare to yourself.[as]
26 Do not be with those who give a pledge[at]
by becoming[au] surety.
27 If there is nothing for you to pay,[av]
why will he take your bed from under you?
28 Do not remove an ancient boundary marker
which your ancestors[aw] made.
29 A man who is skillful in his work, you shall see:
before kings, he will serve;
he will not serve before the commoners.
23 When you sit to eat with a ruler,
you shall surely observe what is before you,
2 and you shall put a knife to your throat
if you have a big appetite.[ax]
3 Do not desire his delicacies,
for[ay] it is food of deception.
4 Do not tire in order to become rich;
out of your understanding, may you desist.
5 Your eyes will alight[az] on it, but there is nothing to it,
for suddenly it will make for itself wings
like an eagle and it will be exhausted in the heavens.
6 Do not eat the bread of the stingy,[ba]
and do not desire his delicacies.
7 For, like hair in his throat,[bb] so it is.[bc]
“Eat and drink!” he will say to you,
but his heart will not be with you.
8 Your morsel you have eaten, you will vomit it up,
and you will waste your pleasant words.
9 In the ears of a fool do not speak,
for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not remove an ancient boundary marker,
and on the fields of orphans do not encroach;
11 For their redeemer is strong,
he himself will plead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart[bd] to instruction,
and your ear to sayings of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child,
if you will beat him with the rod, he will not die.
14 As for you, with the rod you shall beat him,
and his life[be] you will save from Sheol.[bf]
15 My child, if your heart[bg] is wise,
my heart will be glad—even me!
16 And my insides[bh] will rejoice
when your lips speak what is upright.
17 May your heart[bi] not envy the sinners,
but live in fear of Yahweh all day.[bj]
18 Surely[bk] there is a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
19 You, my child, hear and be wise,
and direct your heart[bl] on the road.
20 Do not be among drinkers of wine,
among gluttonous eaters of their meat.[bm]
21 For the drunkard and gluttonous, they will become poor,
and with rags, drowsiness will clothe them.
22 Listen to your father—he who gave you life,[bn]
and do not despise your mother when[bo] she is old.
23 Buy truth and do not sell it,
wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous will surely rejoice;
he who bears a wise person will be happy with him.
25 May your father and your mother be glad,
and may she who bore you rejoice.
26 My child, may you give your heart[bp] to me,
and may your eyes delight in my ways.
27 For a deep pit is a prostitute,[bq]
and a narrow well is an adulteress.[br]
28 She is also like a robber lying in wait,
and the faithless among mankind she increases.
29 To whom is woe? To whom is sorrow? To whom are quarrels? To whom is complaint?
To whom are wounds without cause? To whom is redness of the eyes?
30 To those who linger over wine,
to those who come to try mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles[bs] on the cup,
going down smoothly.
32 In the end,[bt] it will bite like a serpent,
and it will sting like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart[bu] will speak perverse things.
34 And you will be like him who lies down in the heart of the sea,
and like him who lies down on top of a mast.
35 “They struck me; I was not hurt. They beat me; I did not know it.
When I will awake, I will continue; I will seek it again.”
24 Do not envy men of evil,
and do not desire to be with them.
2 For their minds will devise violence,
and their lips will speak mischief.
3 By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established.
4 And by knowledge, rooms are filled
with all riches, precious and pleasant.
5 The warrior of wisdom is in strength,
and a man of knowledge is strong in power.
6 For with wise guidance you shall make war for yourself,
and victory is in an abundance of counsel.
7 Wisdom is too high for fools;
at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 He who plans to do evil for[bv] himself,
they will call him “master[bw] of mischief.”
9 Devising folly is a sin,
and an abomination to humankind is a scoffer.
10 If you faint on the day of adversity,
little is your strength.
11 Rescue those who are led away to the death
and those who stagger to the slaughter. If you hold back,
12 if you say, “Look, we do not know this,”
does not he who weighs hearts perceive it?
And he who keeps your soul,[bx]
he knows and will repay humankind according to his deeds.
13 My child, eat honey, for it is good,
and the dripping of the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
14 Thus know wisdom for the sake of your soul,[by]
if you find it, then there is a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against the home of the righteous;
do not do violence to his dwelling place.
16 For seven times the righteous will fall, but he will rise,
but the wicked will be overthrown by calamity.
17 While your enemies are falling, do not rejoice;
when he trips himself, may your heart[bz] not be glad
18 lest Yahweh see and it be evil in his eyes,
and turn his anger away from him.
19 Do not fret because of the evildoers;
do not envy the wicked.
20 For there will not be a future for the evil;
the lamp of the wicked will die out.
21 Fear Yahweh, my son, and the king;
with those who change, do not associate.
22 For suddenly their disaster will come,
and the ruin of both of them,[ca] who knows?
23 These sayings are also for the wise:
Partiality[cb] in judgment is not good.
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are righteous,” the people will curse him;
the nations will abhor him.
25 But they who rebuke will have delight,
and upon them blessings of goodness will come.
26 He will kiss the lips,
he who gives an honest answer.
27 Prepare your work in the street and get it ready for yourself in the field;
afterward, then[cc] you shall build your house.
28 Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor
nor deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, “Just as he has done to me, so shall I do to him;
I will pay back the man according to his deed.”
30 I passed by the field of a lazy person,
and over the vineyard of a person lacking sense;[cd]
31 and behold, it was overgrown—all of it was covered with thorns, its surface with nettles,
and its stone wall[ce] was broken down.
32 Then I myself saw and my heart[cf] considered;
I looked, and I took hold of instruction:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands for rest,
34 and your poverty will come running,
and your lack like an armed warrior.
More Proverbs of Solomon
25 These are also proverbs of Solomon which officials of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:
2 The glory of God[cg] conceals things,
but the glory of kings searches out things.
3 As heaven is to height and the earth is to depth,
so is the heart[ch] of kings—there is no searching.
4 Remove the dross from silver,
and it will become a vessel for the smith.
5 Remove the wicked before a king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.[ci]
6 Do not promote yourself before the king,
and in the place of the great ones do not stand.
7 For it is better that he say to you, “Ascend here,”
than he humble you before a noble.
What your eyes have seen,
8 do not hastily bring out to court,
for[cj] what will you do at its end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9 Argue your argument with your neighbor himself,
the secret of another do not disclose,
10 lest he who hears shame you
and your ill repute will not end.
11 Apples of gold in a setting of silver
is a matter spoken at[ck] its proper time.
12 A ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
is a rebuke of the wise to the ear of a listener.
13 Like the cold of snow on a day[cl] of harvest
is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
and the soul[cm] of his master is refreshed.[cn]
14 Like clouds and wind when there is no rain,
so too is a man who boasts in a gift of deception.
15 With patience[co] a ruler may be persuaded,
and a soft tongue will break a bone.[cp]
16 If you find honey, eat what is sufficient for you,
lest you have your fill of it and vomit it out.
17 Make your foot scarce in the house of your neighbor,
lest he become weary of you and hate you.
18 Like a club and sword and a sharp arrow
is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
19 A bad tooth and a lame foot
is the trust of a faithless person in a time[cq] of trouble.
20 Like one who removes a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on natron,[cr]
is he who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread,
and if thirsty, let him drink water.
22 For coals of fire you will heap upon his head,
and Yahweh will reward you.
23 The wind of the north produces rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry faces.
24 Better to live upon the corner of a roof
than with a woman[cs] of contention and in a shared house.
25 Like cold water[ct] upon a weary soul,[cu]
so too is good news from a distant place.
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is the righteous who gives way before the wicked.
27 To eat much honey is not good,
nor is seeking one’s honor[cv] honorable.
28 A breached city where there is no wall
is like a man who has no[cw] self-control for his spirit.
26 Like snow in the summer and like rain at the harvest,
so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like the sparrow is to fluttering and like the swallow is to flying,
so an undeserved curse does not go forth.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the back of fools.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly
lest you become like him—even you.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or else he will be wise in his own eyes.
6 Like cutting off feet or drinking violence,
so is he who sends messages in the hand of a fool.
7 Like legs that hang limp from a lame person,
so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like binding a stone in a sling,
so is giving honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn that goes up in the hand of a drunkard,
so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone,
so is he who hires a fool or he who hires passersby.
11 Like a dog returning to his vomit
is a fool reverting to his folly.
12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 A lazy person says “A lion is in the road!
A lion among the streets!”
14 The door turns on its hinge,
and a lazy person on his bed.
15 A lazy person buries his hands in the dish;
he is too tired to return it to his mouth.
16 A lazy person is wiser in his eyes
than seven who answer discreetly.
17 Grabbing onto the ears of a dog
passing by is one who meddles in a quarrel that is not his own.
18 Like a maniac who shoots
firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 so is a man who deceives his neighbor,
but says “Am I not joking?”
20 For lack of wood, a fire goes out,
and where there is no whisperer, quarreling will cease.
21 As charcoal is to hot embers and wood is to fire,
so a man of quarrels is to kindling strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels,
and they go down to the inner parts of the body.
23 Like impure silver[cx] which overlays an earthen vessel,
so are smooth lips and an evil heart[cy].
24 On his lips, an enemy will pretend,
but inside[cz] he will harbor deceit.
25 When he makes his voice gracious, do not believe him,
for seven abominations are in his heart.
26 Though hatred is covered with guile,
its evil will be exposed in the assembly.
27 He who digs a pit, in it he will fall,
and he who rolls a stone, on him it will come back.
28 A tongue of deceit hates its victim,
and a flattering mouth makes ruin.
27 Do not boast about tomorrow,[da]
for you do not know what the day will bring.
2 May another praise you and not your own mouth,
a stranger and not your own lips.
3 Heavy is a stone and weighty is sand,
but the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
4 Cruel is wrath and overwhelming is anger,
but who will stand before jealousy?
5 Better a rebuke that is open
than a love that is hidden.
6 The wounds of a friend mean well,
but the kisses of an enemy are profane.
7 An appetite[db] that is sated spurns honey,
but to an appetite[dc] that is ravenous, all bitterness is sweet.
8 Like a bird that strays from its nest,
so is a man who strays from his place.
9 Perfume and incense will gladden a heart,
and the pleasantness of one’s friend is personal advice.[dd]
10 As for your friend and a friend of your father, do not forsake them,
and the house of your brother, do not enter on the day of your calamity.
Better is a close neighbor than a distant brother.
11 Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad,
and I will answer him who reproaches me with a word.
12 When the clever sees danger, he hides;
the simple go on and suffer.
13 Take his garment, for he gives surety to a stranger,
and to an adulteress[de]—so take his pledge.
14 He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice
early in the morning,
a curse will be reckoned to him.
15 Dripping constantly on a day of heavy rain
and a woman[df] of contention are alike.
16 In restraining her, he restrains wind,[dg]
and his right hand will grasp oil[dh].
17 As iron sharpens[di] iron,
so one man sharpens another.[dj]
18 He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who guards his master[dk] will be honored.
19 As the waters reflect face to face,[dl]
so the heart of a person reflects the person.
20 Sheol[dm] and Abaddon[dn] will not be satisfied,
and the eyes of a person will not be satisfied either.
21 A crucible is for the silver, and a furnace for the gold,
but a man is tested by the mouth of him who praises him.
22 If you crush a fool in the mortar with the pestle along with[do] the crushed grain,
it will not drive folly from upon him.
23 You will surely know the condition[dp] of your flock;
your heart[dq] attends to the herds.
24 For riches are not forever,
nor a crown for generation after generation.
25 When the grass is gone, then green growth will appear,
and the herbs of the mountains will be gathered.
26 Lambs will be your clothing,
and goats the price of the field.
27 And there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
for the food of your household and the nourishment[dr] of your maidservants.
28 The wicked flee, but no one pursues,
but the righteous is bold like a lion.
2 By the rebellion of a land, her rulers increase,
but by a person of intelligence who knows justice, it will last.
3 A man who is poor and oppresses the impoverished
is a beating rain that leaves[ds] no food.
4 Those who forsake instruction will praise the wicked,
but they who guard instruction will struggle against them.
5 Men of evil do not understand justice,
but seekers of Yahweh understand completely.[dt]
6 Better to be poor and walking in one’s integrity
than to be crooked of ways when one is rich.
7 He who keeps instruction is a child of understanding,
but the companion of gluttons will shame his father.
8 He who augments his wealth with interest and with usury
gathers it for him who is kind to the poor.
9 He who turns his ear from listening to instruction,
even his prayer is an abomination.
10 He who misleads the upright onto the way of evil,
into his pits he will fall.
But as for the blameless, they will inherit good.
11 A man of wealth is wise in his own eyes,
but the intelligent poor sees through him.
12 When the righteous triumphs, great is the glory,
but with the rising of the wicked, a person will be hidden.
13 He who conceals his transgression will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes will obtain mercy.
14 Happy is the person who fears continuously,
but he who is stubborn of heart,[du] will fall into calamity.
15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is[dv] a cruel oppressor,
but those who hate unjust gain will have long[dw] days.
17 A person who is burdened with the blood of another,[dx]
until death he will flee;
do not take hold of him.
18 He who walks in integrity will be safe,
but he who takes crooked paths will fall in one.
19 He who tills his ground will have plenty bread,
but he who follows fantasies will have plenty of poverty.
20 A man of faithfulness has abundant blessings,
but he who hurries to become rich will not go unpunished.
21 Showing partiality[dy] is not good,
and over a morsel of bread, a strong man will do wrong.
22 He who hurries for wealth is a man with an evil eye,[dz]
but he does not know that poverty will come upon him.
23 He who rebukes a person will afterward find more favor
than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 He who robs his father and his mother and says, “There is no crime,”
is partner to a man who corrupts.
25 The greedy person[ea] will stir up strife,
but he who trusts in Yahweh will be enriched.
26 He who trusts in his own heart[eb] is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom will be saved.
27 For he who gives to the poor, there is no lacking,
but for he[ec] who turns his eyes, there are many curses.
28 With the rising of the wicked, humankind will be hidden,
and with their perishing, the righteous will multiply.
29 A man who is reproved, being stubborn of neck—
suddenly he will be broken, and there will not be healing.
2 When the righteous are numerous, the people will rejoice,
but when the wicked are ruling, people will groan.
3 A man who loves wisdom will make his parents glad,
but the friend of prostitutes[ed] will squander his wealth.
4 By justice a king gives stability to a land,
but a man of bribes will ruin it.
5 A strong man who flatters his neighbor
is spreading a net for his feet.
6 In transgression, an evil man is a snare,
but the righteous will sing and rejoice.[ee]
7 The righteous knows the case of the poor,
but the wicked does not understand knowledge.
8 Men of scoffing set a city aflame,
but the wise turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man goes to court with a foolish man,
then there is rankling and ridicule,[ef] but there is no relief.
10 Men of blood hate the blameless,
and they seek the life of the upright.[eg]
11 A fool gives all his breath,[eh]
but the wise holds back in quiet.
12 A ruler listening to a word of falsehood,
all his officials are wicked.
13 The poor and a man of oppression have this in common:
Yahweh gives light to the eyes of them both.[ei]
14 A king who judges with truthfulness to the poor,
his throne will be established forever.
15 As for a rod and reproof, they[ej] will give wisdom,
but a neglected child is disgraced by his mother.
16 With the increase of the wicked, transgression will increase,
but the righteous will look on his downfall.
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you rest,
and they will give delight to your soul.[ek]
18 When there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint,
but as for he who guards instruction, happiness is his.
19 By words, a servant is not disciplined,
for he will understand, but there is no giving heed.
20 You see a man who is hasty in his words:
there is more hope for a fool than him.
21 He who pampers his servant from childhood,
arrogance will be his end.[el]
22 A man of anger will stir strife,
and the owner of anger, much transgression.
23 The pride of a person will bring him humiliation,
and the lowly of spirit will obtain honor.
24 Being a partner with a thief is hating one’s life;[em]
a curse he will hear, but not disclose.
25 The fear of a person will lay a snare,
but he who trusts in Yahweh will be secure.
26 Many are those who seek the favor[en] of a ruler,
but from Yahweh one obtains justice.[eo]
27 A man of injustice is an abomination to the righteous,
but the upright[ep] is an abomination to the wicked.
The Oracle of Agur
30 The words of Agur, son of Yakeh, the oracle.
Thus says the man to Ithiel, to Ithiel, and Ucal:[eq]
2 Certainly I am more stupid than a man,
and the understanding of humankind is not for me.
3 And I have not learned wisdom,
nor will I know knowledge of the Holy One.[er]
4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of his hand?
Who has wrapped water in a[es] garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name and what is the name of his child?
For surely you know.
5 Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield for him who takes refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words
lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
7 Two things I ask from you;
do not deny me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and a lying word[et] far from me;
do not give me poverty or wealth;
provide me with food only for my need.
9 Or else I will be satisfied and will deny him
and say “Who is Yahweh?”
Or[eu] I will be poor and will steal
and profane the name of my God.
10 Do not slander a servant to his master,
or else he will curse you and you will be guilty.
11 There is a generation that will curse its father,
and its mother it will not bless.
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
but from its filthiness it will not be cleansed.
13 There is a generation—how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids they will lift.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are swords,
and its jawbones, knives,
in order to devour the poor from the earth[ev]
and the needy from humankind.
15 For the leech, there are two daughters;
“Give, give!” they cry.
As for three of these, they are not satisfied;
as for four, they do not say enough.
16 Sheol[ew] and barrenness of womb,
the land is not satisfied with water,
and fire does not say “enough!”
17 The eye that mocks a father
and scorns the obedience of a mother—
the ravens of the valley will peck it out,
and the offspring of vultures will eat it.
18 Three of these are too wonderful for me,
and four, I do not understand them:
19 the way of the eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship in the heart of the sea,
and the way of a man with a young woman.
20 This is the way of a woman committing adultery:
she eats and wipes her mouth,
and says “I have not done wrong.”
21 Under three things the earth[ex] trembles,
and under four, it is not able to bear up:
22 under a slave when he becomes king,
and a fool when he is satisfied with food;
23 under an unloved woman when she gets married,
and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.
24 There are four small things on the earth,
and they are exceedingly wise:[ey]
25 The ants are a people who are not strong,
yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 the badgers are a people who are not mighty,
yet they set their house on the rock;
27 there is no king for the locust,
yet it marches in rank;
28 a lizard you can seize with hands,
yet it is in palaces of kings.
29 There are three things that are magnificent of stride,
and four that are magnificent when moving:
30 a mighty lion among the beasts,[ez]
but he will not turn back from any face;[fa]
31 a strutting rooster or he-goat,
and a king whose army is with him.
32 If you have been foolish by exalting yourself,
and if you have devised evil, put your hand to your mouth.
33 For pressing milk produces curd,
and pressing the nose produces blood,
so pressing anger[fb] produces strife.
The Oracle of King Lemuel
31 The words of Lemuel, the king—an oracle
that his mother taught him:
2 What, my son? And what, my son in my womb?
And what, son of my vows?
3 Do not give your strength to the women,
and your ways to destroy kings.
4 It is not for the kings, O Lemuel;
drinking wine is not for the kings,
nor is strong drink for rulers.
5 Or else he will drink and forget what has been decreed,
and he will pervert the rights[fc] of all the afflicted.[fd]
6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress.[fe]
7 He will drink and forget his poverty,
and his misery he will not remember any more.
8 Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights[ff] of all the needy.[fg]
9 Open your mouth, judge righteousness,
and defend the poor and needy.
An Excellent Woman[fh]
10 A woman[fi] of excellence,[fj] who will find?
For her worth is far more than precious jewels.
11 The heart of her husband[fk] trusts in her,
and gain he will not lack.
12 She does him good, but not harm
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and she works with the diligence of her hands.[fl]
14 She is like the ships of a merchant;
from far off she brings her food;[fm]
15 And she arises while it is still night,
and gives food to her household,
and tasks to her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it,
from the fruit of her hand[fn] she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds her waist in strength,
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good;
her lamp does not go out in the night.
19 Her hands she puts onto the distaff,[fo]
and her palms hold a spindle.
20 Her palm she opens to the poor,
and her hand she reaches out to the needy.
21 She does not fear for her house when it snows,
for her entire household[fp] is clothed in crimson.
22 She makes for herself coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband[fq] is known at the gates,
in his seat among the elders of the land.
24 Linen garments she makes and sells,
and she supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the future.[fr]
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and instruction of kindness is upon her tongue.
27 She looks after the ways of her household,
and the bread of idleness she will not eat.
28 Her children rise and consider her happy,
her husband[fs] also, and he praises her;
29 “Many daughters have done excellence,[ft]
but you surpass[fu] all of them.”
30 Charm[fv] is deceit and beauty[fw] is vain;[fx]
but a woman who fears Yahweh shall be praised.
31 Give to her from the fruit of her hand,
and may they praise her works in the city gates.
Prologue
1 The words of the Teacher,[fy] the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Motto Introduced
2 “Vanity of vanities!” says the Teacher,[fz]
“Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!”
All Toil is Profitless and Repetitious
3 What does a person gain in all his toil
with which he toils under the sun?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth stands forever.
5 The sun rises, and the sun goes down;
to its place it hurries,[ga] and there it rises again.
6 The wind goes to the south and goes around to the north;
around and around it goes, and on its circuit the wind returns.
7 All the streams flow to the sea,
but the sea is never full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they continue to flow.
8 All things toil continuously;[gb]
no one can ever finish describing this.[gc]
The eye is never[gd] satisfied with seeing,
and the ear is never[ge] filled with hearing.
9 What has been—it is what will be;
what has been done—it is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 There is a thing of which it is said, “Look at this! This is new!”
But it already existed in ages past before us.
11 There is neither remembrance of former generations,
nor will there be remembrance of future generations.
Qohelet Introduces His Quest
12 I, the Teacher,[gf] was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to seek and to search by wisdom all that is done under the heavens.[gg] It is a grievous task God has given to humans.[gh] 14 I saw all the works that are done under the sun. Look! Everything is vanity and chasing wind.
16 I said to myself,[gk] “Look! I have become great and have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has preceded[gl] me over Jerusalem. I have acquired a great deal of wisdom and knowledge.”[gm] 17 So I dedicated myself[gn] to learn about wisdom and to learn about delusion and folly. However, I discovered[go] that this also is chasing wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much frustration,[gp]
and whoever increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Qohelet’s Investigation of Self-Indulgence
2 I said to myself,[gq] “Come! I will test[gr] pleasure to see whether it is worthwhile.”[gs] But look, “This also is vanity!” 2 I said of laughter, “It is folly!” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”[gt] 3 I also explored[gu] the effects of indulging my flesh[gv] with wine. My mind guiding me with wisdom, I investigated[gw] folly so that I might discover what is good under heaven[gx] for humans[gy] to do during the days of their lives.[gz]
Qohelet’s Investigation of Personal Accomplishment
4 I accomplished great things.[ha] I built for myself houses; I planted for myself vineyards. 5 I made for myself gardens and parks, and I planted all sorts of fruit trees in them. 6 I made for myself pools of water from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male slaves and female slaves, as well as children born in my house. I also had livestock, cattle, and flocks more than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered to myself silver and gold—the royal and provincial treasuries. I acquired for myself male and female singers, as well as the delight of men,[hb] voluptuous concubines.[hc]
9 Thus, I accomplished far more[hd] than anyone who was before me in Jerusalem—indeed, my wisdom stood by me. 10 I neither withheld anything from my eyes that they desired, nor did I deprive any pleasure from my heart. My heart rejoiced in all my toil, for this was my reward from all my toil. 11 Yet when I considered[he] all the effort which I expended and the toil with which I toiled to do, then behold, “Everything is vanity and chasing wind! There is nothing profitable under the sun!”
The Living Must Abandon the Work of their Hands to Others at Death
12 Next, I considered wisdom, as well as delusion and folly. What can anyone do who will come after the king that has not already been done? 13 I realized that wisdom has an advantage over folly, just as light has an advantage over darkness. 14 The wise man can see where he is walking,[hf] but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that both of them suffer the same fate. 15 So I said to myself,[hg] “If I also suffer the same fate as the fool,[hh] what advantage is my great wisdom?”[hi] So I said to myself,[hj] “This also is vanity!”
16 Certainly no one will remember the wise man or the fool in future generations.[hk] When future days come, both will have been forgotten already. How is it that the wise man dies the same as the fool? 17 So I hated life because the work done under the sun is grievous to me. For everything is vanity and chasing wind!
18 So I hated all my toil with which I have toiled under the sun, for I must leave it behind to someone who will be after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will exercise control of all the fruit of my toil with which I toiled wisely under the sun. This also is vanity!
20 So I began to despair[hl] of all the toil with which I toiled under the sun. 21 For although a person may toil with great wisdom and skill, he must leave his reward to someone who has not toiled for it. This also is vanity and a great calamity. 22 For what does a person receive for all his toil and in the longing of his heart with which he toils under the sun? 23 All his days are painful, his labor brings grief, and his heart cannot rest at night. This also is vanity!
It is Best to Simply Enjoy the Passing Pleasures of Life as Reward for Pleasing God
24 There is nothing better for a person than to eat and drink and find delight[hm] in his toil. For I also realized that this is from the hand of God! 25 For who can eat and drink, and who can enjoy life apart from him?[hn] 26 For to the person who is good in his eyes, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and heaping up only to give it to him who is pleasing to him. This also is vanity and chasing wind!
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