Bible in 90 Days
O Yahweh, Your Name Is Everlasting
135 [a](A)Praise Yah!
Praise the name of Yahweh;
Praise Him, O (B)slaves of Yahweh,
2 You who stand in the house of Yahweh,
In the (C)courts of the house of our God!
3 [b]Praise Yah, for (D)Yahweh is good;
(E)Sing praises to His name, (F)for it is lovely.
4 For Yah has (G)chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His [c](H)treasured possession.
5 For I know that (I)Yahweh is great
And that our Lord is greater (J)than all gods.
6 (K)Whatever Yahweh pleases, He does,
In heaven and on earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
7 The One who (L)causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;
Who (M)makes lightnings for the rain,
Who (N)brings forth the wind from His storehouses.
8 [d]He (O)struck the firstborn of Egypt,
From man to beast.
9 [e]He sent (P)signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt,
Amongst (Q)Pharaoh and all his slaves.
10 [f](R)He (S)struck many nations
And slew mighty kings,
11 (T)Sihon, king of the Amorites,
And (U)Og, king of Bashan,
And (V)all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12 And He (W)gave their land as an inheritance,
An inheritance to Israel His people.
13 O Yahweh, Your (X)name is everlasting,
O Yahweh, Your [g]remembrance is [h]from generation to generation.
14 For Yahweh will (Y)render justice for His people
And (Z)will give comfort to His slaves.
15 The (AA)idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of man’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
They have eyes, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear,
Surely, there is not any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
All who trust in them.
19 O house of (AB)Israel, bless Yahweh;
O house of Aaron, bless Yahweh;
20 O house of Levi, bless Yahweh;
You (AC)who fear Yahweh, bless Yahweh.
21 Blessed be Yahweh (AD)from Zion,
Who (AE)dwells in Jerusalem.
[i]Praise Yah!
His Lovingkindness Endures Forever
136 (AF)Give thanks to Yahweh, for (AG)He is good,
For (AH)His lovingkindness endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the (AI)God of gods,
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the (AJ)Lord of lords,
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
4 To Him who (AK)alone does great [j]wonders,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
5 To Him who (AL)made the heavens (AM)with [k]skill,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
6 To Him who (AN)spread out the earth above the waters,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
7 To Him who (AO)made the great lights,
For His lovingkindness endures forever:
8 The (AP)sun to rule [l]by day,
For His lovingkindness endures forever,
9 The (AQ)moon and stars to rule [m]by night,
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
10 To Him who (AR)struck [n]the Egyptians through their firstborn,
For His lovingkindness endures forever,
11 Then (AS)brought Israel out from their midst,
For His lovingkindness endures forever,
12 With a (AT)strong hand and an (AU)outstretched arm,
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
13 To Him who (AV)divided the [o]Red Sea in two,
For His lovingkindness endures forever,
14 And (AW)made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His lovingkindness endures forever,
15 But (AX)He [p]overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the [q]Red Sea,
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
16 To Him who (AY)led His people through the wilderness,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
17 To Him who (AZ)struck great kings,
For His lovingkindness endures forever,
18 And (BA)killed [r]mighty kings,
For His lovingkindness endures forever:
19 (BB)Sihon, king of the Amorites,
For His lovingkindness endures forever,
20 And (BC)Og, king of Bashan,
For His lovingkindness endures forever,
21 And (BD)gave their land as an inheritance,
For His lovingkindness endures forever,
22 Even an inheritance to Israel His (BE)servant,
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
23 Who (BF)remembered us in our low estate,
For His lovingkindness endures forever,
24 And has (BG)snatched us from our adversaries,
For His lovingkindness endures forever;
25 Who (BH)gives food to all flesh,
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the (BI)God of heaven,
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
We Wept When We Remembered Zion
137 By the (BJ)rivers of Babylon,
There we sat and also (BK)wept,
When we remembered Zion.
2 Upon the [s](BL)willows in the midst of it
We (BM)hung our lyres.
3 For there our captors (BN)asked us about the words of a song,
And (BO)our tormentors asked joyfully, saying,
“Sing for us one of the songs of Zion.”
4 How can we sing a song of (BP)Yahweh
In a foreign land?
5 If I (BQ)forget you, O Jerusalem,
May my right hand [t]forget her skill.
6 May my (BR)tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
If I do not remember you,
If I do not [u](BS)exalt Jerusalem
Above my chief joy.
7 Remember, O Yahweh, against the sons of (BT)Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, “Tear it down! Tear it down
(BU)To its very foundation.”
8 O daughter of Babylon, you (BV)devastated one,
How blessed will be the one who (BW)repays you
With [v]the recompense with which you have recompensed us.
9 How blessed will be the one who seizes and (BX)dashes your infants
Against the cliff.
I Will Give Thanks to Your Name
Of David.
138 (BY)I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing praises to You before the (BZ)gods.
2 I will worship (CA)toward Your holy temple
And (CB)give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your [w]truth;
For You have (CC)magnified Your [x]word [y]according to all Your name.
3 On the day I (CD)called, You answered me;
You made me bold with (CE)strength in my soul.
4 (CF)All the kings of the earth, O Yahweh, will give You thanks,
When they hear the words of Your mouth.
5 And they will (CG)sing of the ways of Yahweh,
For (CH)great is the glory of Yahweh.
6 For (CI)Yahweh is high,
Yet He (CJ)sees the lowly,
But the (CK)one who exalts himself He knows from afar.
7 Though I (CL)walk in the midst of [z]distress, You will [aa](CM)revive me;
You will (CN)stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will (CO)save me.
8 Yahweh will (CP)accomplish what concerns me;
O Yahweh, Your (CQ)lovingkindness endures forever;
(CR)Do not fail the (CS)works of Your hands.
Where Can I Go from Your Spirit?
For the choir director. Of David. A Psalm.
139 O Yahweh, You have (CT)searched me and known me.
2 You (CU)know [ab]when I sit down and [ac]when I rise up;
You (CV)understand my thought from afar.
3 You [ad](CW)scrutinize my [ae]path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 [af]Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Yahweh, You (CX)know it all.
5 You have (CY)enclosed me behind and before,
And You have (CZ)put Your hand upon me.
6 Such (DA)knowledge is (DB)too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
7 (DC)Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 (DD)If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, (DE)You are there.
9 If I lift up the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will (DF)lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the (DG)darkness will (DH)bruise me,
And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even the (DI)darkness is not too dark for You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
(DJ)Darkness and light are alike to You.
13 For You (DK)formed my [ag]inward parts;
You (DL)wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for [ah]I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
(DM)Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My [ai](DN)frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And (DO)intricately woven in the (DP)depths of the earth;
16 Your (DQ)eyes have seen my unshaped substance;
And in (DR)Your book all of them were written
The (DS)days that were formed for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
17 How precious are Your (DT)thoughts to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would (DU)outnumber the sand.
When (DV)I awake, I am still with You.
19 Oh that You would (DW)slay the wicked, O God!
(DX)O (DY)men of bloodshed, depart from me.
20 For they (DZ)speak [aj]against You wickedly,
And Your enemies [ak](EA)take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not (EB)hate those who hate You, O Yahweh?
And do I not (EC)revile those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.
23 (ED)Search me, O God, and know my heart;
(EE)Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there be any [al](EF)hurtful way in me,
And (EG)lead me in the (EH)everlasting way.
Rescue Me, O Yahweh, from Evil Men
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
140 (EI)Rescue me, O Yahweh, from evil men;
Guard me from (EJ)violent men
2 Who (EK)think up evil things in their hearts;
They (EL)continually stir up wars.
3 They (EM)sharpen their tongues as a serpent;
(EN)Poison of an asp is under their lips. [am]Selah.
4 (EO)Keep me, O Yahweh, from the hands of the wicked;
(EP)Guard me from violent men
Who [an]give thought to [ao](EQ)trip up my steps.
5 The proud have (ER)hidden a trap for me, and cords;
They have spread a (ES)net by the [ap]wayside;
They have set (ET)snares for me. Selah.
6 I (EU)said to Yahweh, “You are my God;
(EV)Give ear, O Yahweh, to the (EW)voice of my supplications.
7 O Yahweh, O Lord, (EX)the strength of my salvation,
You have (EY)covered my head in the day of [aq]battle.
8 Do not grant, O Yahweh, the (EZ)desires of the wicked;
Do not promote (FA)his evil [ar]scheme, that they not be exalted. Selah.
9 “As for the head of those who surround me,
May the (FB)trouble from their lips cover them.
10 May (FC)burning coals be shaken out upon them;
May He (FD)cause them to fall into the fire,
Into [as]bottomless pits from which they (FE)can never rise.
11 May a [at]slanderer not be established in the earth;
(FF)May evil hunt the violent man [au]speedily.”
12 I know that Yahweh will (FG)maintain the cause for the afflicted
And (FH)judgment for the needy.
13 Surely the (FI)righteous will give thanks to Your name;
The (FJ)upright will abide in Your presence.
My Prayer as Incense Before You
A Psalm of David.
141 O Yahweh, I call upon You; (FK)hasten to me!
(FL)Give ear to my voice when I call to You!
2 May my prayer be established as (FM)incense before You;
The (FN)lifting up of my hands as the (FO)evening offering.
3 Set a (FP)guard, O Yahweh, [av]over my mouth;
Keep watch over the (FQ)door of my lips.
4 (FR)Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice deeds in wickedness
With men who are (FS)workers of iniquity;
And (FT)do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the (FU)righteous smite me in lovingkindness and reprove me;
It is (FV)oil upon the head;
Let not my head refuse it,
[aw]For still my prayer (FW)is [ax]against their evil deeds.
6 Their judges are (FX)thrown down by the sides of the cliff,
And they hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7 As when one (FY)plows and splits open the earth,
Our (FZ)bones have been scattered at the (GA)mouth of Sheol.
8 For my (GB)eyes are toward You, O Yahweh, O Lord;
In You I (GC)take refuge; (GD)do not pour out my soul to death.
9 Keep me from the [ay](GE)jaws of the trap which they have set for me,
And from the (GF)snares of workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked (GG)fall into their own nets,
As for myself—meanwhile, (GH)I am passing by.
Give Heed to My Cry
A [az]Maskil of David. When he was [ba]in the cave. A Prayer.
142 With my voice to Yahweh, I (GI)cry aloud;
With my voice to Yahweh, I (GJ)make supplication.
2 I (GK)pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my (GL)distress before Him.
3 When (GM)my spirit [bb]was faint within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have (GN)hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see;
That there is (GO)no one who regards me;
(GP)A way of escape has been destroyed from me;
(GQ)No one cares for my soul.
5 I cried out to You, O Yahweh;
I said, “You are (GR)my refuge,
My (GS)portion in the (GT)land of the living.
6 (GU)Give heed to my cry of lamentation,
For I am (GV)brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are too (GW)strong for me.
7 (GX)Bring my soul out of prison,
To give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will encircle me,
For You will (GY)deal bountifully with me.”
My Soul Reaches for You
A Psalm of David.
143 O Yahweh, hear my prayer,
(GZ)Give ear to my supplications!
Answer me in Your (HA)faithfulness, in Your (HB)righteousness!
2 And (HC)do not enter into judgment with Your slave,
For (HD)no one living is righteous in Your sight.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
He has crushed my life (HE)to the ground;
He (HF)has made me inhabit dark places, like those who have long been dead.
4 Therefore (HG)my spirit was faint within me;
My heart was [bc](HH)appalled within me.
5 I (HI)remember the days of old;
I (HJ)meditate on all You have done;
I (HK)muse on the work of Your hands.
6 I (HL)stretch out my hands to You;
My (HM)soul reaches for You like a weary land. [bd]Selah.
7 (HN)Answer me quickly, O Yahweh, my (HO)spirit wastes away;
(HP)Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like (HQ)those who go down to the pit.
8 Cause me to hear Your (HR)lovingkindness (HS)in the morning;
For I trust (HT)in You;
Cause me to know the (HU)way in which I should walk;
For to You I (HV)lift up my soul.
9 (HW)Deliver me from my enemies, O Yahweh,
I have concealed myself in You.
10 (HX)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let (HY)Your good Spirit (HZ)lead me on level [be]ground.
11 (IA)For the sake of Your name, O Yahweh, (IB)revive me.
(IC)In Your righteousness bring my soul out of distress.
12 And in Your lovingkindness, [bf](ID)cut off my enemies
And cause all those who assail my soul to (IE)perish,
For (IF)I am Your slave.
Blessed Be Yahweh, My Rock
Of David.
144 Blessed be Yahweh, (IG)my rock,
Who (IH)trains my hands for war,
My fingers for battle;
2 My lovingkindness and (II)my fortress,
My (IJ)stronghold and my deliverer,
My (IK)shield and He in whom I take refuge,
Who (IL)subdues [bg]my people under me.
3 O Yahweh, (IM)what is man, that You know him?
Or the son of man, that You think of him?
4 (IN)Man is like a breath;
His (IO)days are like a passing shadow.
5 O Yahweh, (IP)bow Your heavens, and (IQ)come down;
(IR)Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
6 Flash forth (IS)lightning and scatter them;
Send out Your (IT)arrows and confuse them.
7 Send forth Your hand (IU)from on high;
Set me free and (IV)deliver me out of many waters,
Out of the hand of (IW)foreigners
8 Whose mouth (IX)speaks worthlessness,
And whose (IY)right hand is a right hand of lying.
9 O God, I will sing a (IZ)new song to You;
Upon a (JA)harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 Who (JB)gives salvation to kings,
Who (JC)sets David His servant free from the evil sword.
11 Set me free and deliver me out of the hand of the sons of a (JD)foreigner,
Whose mouth (JE)speaks worthlessness
And whose (JF)right hand is a right hand of lying.
12 That our sons would be as (JG)grown-up plants in their youth,
And our daughters as (JH)corner pillars [bh]fashioned as for a palace;
13 That our (JI)granaries would be full, furnishing every kind of produce,
And our flocks would bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields outside;
14 That our (JJ)cattle would [bi]bear
Without [bj](JK)mishap and without [bk](JL)loss,
And without (JM)outcry in our streets!
15 How blessed are the people for whom this is so;
How (JN)blessed are the people for whom God is Yahweh!
Yahweh’s Greatness Is Unsearchable
A Praise of David.
Aleph
Beth
2 Every day I will bless You,
And I will (JR)praise Your name forever and ever.
Gimel
Daleth
4 One (JU)generation shall laud Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty deeds.
He
5 On the (JV)glorious [bl]splendor of Your majesty
And (JW)on the words of Your wondrous deeds, I will muse.
Vav
6 Men shall speak of the strength of Your [bm](JX)fearsome acts,
And I will (JY)recount Your greatness.
Zayin
7 They shall pour forth the memory of Your (JZ)abundant goodness
And will (KA)shout joyfully of Your righteousness.
Heth
8 Yahweh is (KB)gracious and compassionate;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
Teth
Yodh
Kaph
11 They shall speak of the (KG)glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your might;
Lamedh
12 To (KH)make known to the sons of men His mighty deeds
And the (KI)glory of the majesty of His kingdom.
Mem
13 Your kingdom is [bn]an (KJ)everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures from generation to every generation.
Samekh
Ayin
15 The eyes of all wait on You,
And You (KM)give them their food in due time.
Pe
16 You (KN)open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Tsadhe
17 Yahweh is (KO)righteous in all His ways
And holy in all His works.
Qoph
Resh
19 He will (KR)work out the desire of those who fear Him;
He will (KS)hear their cry for help and He will save them.
Shin
Tav
21 My (KV)mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh,
And (KW)all flesh will (KX)bless His holy name forever and ever.
I Will Praise Yahweh Throughout My Life
146 [bo]Praise Yah!
(KY)Praise Yahweh, O my soul!
2 I will praise Yahweh (KZ)throughout my life;
I will (LA)sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 (LB)Do not trust in nobles,
In merely a son of (LC)man, in whom there is (LD)no salvation.
4 His (LE)spirit departs, he (LF)returns to [bp]the earth;
In that very day his (LG)plans perish.
5 How (LH)blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose (LI)hope is in Yahweh his God,
6 Who (LJ)made heaven and earth,
The (LK)sea and all that is in them;
Who (LL)keeps truth forever;
7 Who (LM)does justice for the oppressed;
Who (LN)gives food to the hungry.
Yahweh (LO)sets the prisoners free.
8 Yahweh (LP)opens the eyes of the blind;
Yahweh (LQ)raises up those who are bowed down;
Yahweh (LR)loves the righteous;
9 Yahweh (LS)keeps the sojourners;
He [bq](LT)helps up the orphan and the widow,
But He bends (LU)the way of the wicked.
10 Yahweh will (LV)reign forever,
Your God, O Zion, [br]from generation to generation.
[bs]Praise Yah!
He Heals the Brokenhearted
147 [bt]Praise Yah!
For (LW)it is good to sing praises to our God;
For [bu]it is pleasant and praise is (LX)becoming.
2 Yahweh (LY)builds up Jerusalem;
He (LZ)gathers the [bv]outcasts of Israel.
3 He is the One who heals the (MA)brokenhearted
And who (MB)binds up their [bw]wounds,
4 Who (MC)counts the number of the stars;
He [bx](MD)gives names to all of them.
5 (ME)Great is our Lord and abundant in power;
His (MF)discernment is [by]infinite.
6 Yahweh [bz](MG)helps up the afflicted;
He brings down the wicked to the ground.
7 (MH)Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving;
Sing praises to our God on the lyre.
8 He is the One who (MI)covers the heavens with clouds,
The One who (MJ)provides rain for the earth,
The One who (MK)makes grass to sprout on the mountains,
9 Who (ML)gives to the animal its food,
And to the (MM)young ravens which call out.
10 He does not delight in the might of the (MN)horse;
He (MO)does not take pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 Yahweh (MP)is pleased with those who fear Him,
(MQ)Those who wait for His lovingkindness.
12 Laud Yahweh, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He strengthened the (MR)bars of your gates;
He (MS)blessed your sons within you.
14 He is the One who (MT)sets [ca]peace in your borders,
He (MU)satisfies you with (MV)the [cb]finest of the wheat,
15 The One who sends forth His (MW)command to the earth;
His (MX)word runs very swiftly,
16 The One who gives (MY)snow like wool;
He scatters the (MZ)frost like ashes,
17 Who casts forth His (NA)ice as fragments;
Who can stand before His (NB)cold?
18 He (NC)sends forth His word and melts them;
He (ND)causes His wind to blow and so the waters flow,
19 Who (NE)declares His words to Jacob,
His (NF)statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 He (NG)has not done so with any nation;
So as for His judgments, they have (NH)not known them.
[cc]Praise Yah!
Praise Yahweh!
148 [cd]Praise Yah!
Praise Yahweh (NI)from the heavens;
Praise Him (NJ)in the heights!
2 Praise Him, (NK)all His angels;
Praise Him, (NL)all His hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!
4 Praise Him, (NM)heavens of heavens,
And the (NN)waters that are above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of Yahweh,
For (NO)He commanded and they were created.
6 He caused them to (NP)stand forever and ever;
He gave a (NQ)statute and it will never pass away.
7 Praise Yahweh from the earth,
(NR)Sea monsters and all (NS)deeps;
8 (NT)Fire and hail, (NU)snow and (NV)clouds;
(NW)Stormy wind, (NX)doing His word;
9 (NY)Mountains and all hills;
Fruit (NZ)trees and all cedars;
10 (OA)Beasts and all cattle;
(OB)Creeping things and winged bird;
11 (OC)Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all [ce]judges of the earth;
12 Both choice men as well as virgins;
The old with the young.
13 Let them praise the name of Yahweh,
For His (OD)name alone is set on high;
His (OE)splendor is above earth and heaven.
14 And He has (OF)raised up a horn for His people,
(OG)Praise for all His holy ones;
For the sons of Israel, a people (OH)near to Him.
[cf]Praise Yah!
Yahweh Takes Pleasure in His People
149 [cg]Praise Yah!
Sing to Yahweh a (OI)new song,
His praise (OJ)in the assembly of the holy ones.
2 Let Israel be glad in (OK)his Maker;
Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their (OL)King.
3 Let them praise His name with (OM)dancing;
With (ON)tambourine and lyre let them sing praises to Him.
4 For Yahweh (OO)takes pleasure in His people;
He will (OP)beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.
5 Let the (OQ)holy ones exult in glory;
Let them (OR)sing for joy on their beds.
6 Let the (OS)exaltations of God be in their throats,
And a (OT)two-edged (OU)sword in their hand,
7 To (OV)execute vengeance on the nations
And punishments on the peoples,
8 To bind their kings (OW)with chains
And their (OX)honored men with fetters of iron,
9 To (OY)execute on them the judgment written;
This is the (OZ)majesty of all His holy ones.
[ch]Praise Yah!
Praise Him, Praise Yah!
150 [ci]Praise Yah!
Praise God in His (PA)sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty [cj](PB)expanse.
2 Praise Him for His (PC)mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to the abundance of His (PD)greatness.
3 Praise Him with (PE)trumpet blast;
Praise Him with (PF)harp and lyre.
4 Praise Him with (PG)tambourine and dancing;
Praise Him with (PH)stringed instruments and (PI)pipe.
5 Praise Him with resounding (PJ)cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals.
6 Let (PK)everything that has breath praise Yah.
[ck]Praise Yah!
To Know Wisdom
1 The (PL)proverbs of Solomon (PM)the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know (PN)wisdom and discipline,
To understand the sayings of (PO)understanding,
3 To (PP)receive discipline [cl]that leads to insight,
(PQ)Righteousness, justice, and equity,
4 To give (PR)prudence to the [cm](PS)simple,
To the youth (PT)knowledge and discretion;
5 Let the wise man hear and (PU)increase in learning,
And a (PV)man of understanding will acquire guidance,
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their (PW)riddles.
7 (PX)The fear of [cn]Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge;
[co]Ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline.
The Enticement of Sinners
8 (PY)Hear, my son, your father’s discipline
And (PZ)do not abandon your mother’s [cp]instruction;
9 For they are a (QA)garland of grace for your head
And [cq](QB)ornaments about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners (QC)entice you,
(QD)Do not be willing.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let us (QE)lie in wait for blood,
Let us (QF)ambush the innocent without cause;
12 Let us (QG)swallow them alive like Sheol,
And whole, as those who (QH)go down to the pit;
13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth,
We will fill our houses with spoil;
14 Cast in your lot [cr]with us,
We shall all have one purse,”
15 My son, (QI)do not walk in the way with them.
(QJ)Withhold your feet from their pathway,
16 For (QK)their feet run to evil
And they hasten to shed blood.
17 For it is [cs]no use that a net is spread
In the sight of any [ct]bird;
18 But they (QL)lie in wait for their own blood;
They ambush their own [cu]lives.
19 So are the paths of everyone who is (QM)greedy for gain;
It takes away the [cv]life of its possessors.
The Call of Wisdom
20 (QN)Wisdom shouts in the street,
She gives forth her voice in the square;
21 At the head of the noisy streets she calls out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
22 “How long, O (QO)simple ones, will you love simplicity?
And (QP)scoffers delight in scoffing
And [cw]fools (QQ)hate knowledge?
23 Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will (QR)pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because (QS)I called and you (QT)refused,
I (QU)stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25 And you (QV)neglected all my counsel
And were not (QW)willing to accept my reproof;
26 I will also (QX)laugh at your (QY)disaster;
I will mock when your (QZ)dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm
And your disaster comes like a (RA)whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will (RB)call on me, but I will not answer;
They will (RC)seek me earnestly but they will not find me,
29 Because they (RD)hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of Yahweh.
30 They (RE)were not willing to accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof.
31 So they shall (RF)eat of the fruit of their way
And be (RG)satisfied with their own devices.
32 For the (RH)turning away of the simple will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But (RI)he who listens to me shall dwell securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”
Yahweh Gives Wisdom
2 My son, if you will (RJ)receive my words
And (RK)treasure my commandments within you,
2 (RL)To make your ear pay attention to wisdom,
Incline your heart to discernment;
3 For if you call out for understanding,
Give your voice for discernment;
4 If you seek her as (RM)silver
And search for her as for (RN)hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the (RO)fear of Yahweh
And find the knowledge of God.
6 For (RP)Yahweh gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and discernment.
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright,
A (RQ)shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 To guard the paths of justice,
And He (RR)keeps the way of His holy ones.
9 Then you will understand (RS)righteousness and justice
And equity—every (RT)good track.
10 For (RU)wisdom will enter your heart
And (RV)knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 Discretion will (RW)keep you,
Discernment will guard you,
12 To (RX)deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks (RY)perverse things;
13 From those who (RZ)forsake the paths of uprightness
To walk in the (SA)ways of darkness;
14 Who are (SB)glad to do evil
And they rejoice in the perversity of evil;
15 Whose paths are (SC)crooked,
And who are devious in their tracks;
16 To deliver you from the [cx](SD)strange woman,
From the [cy](SE)foreign woman who flatters with her words;
17 Who forsakes the close (SF)companion of her youth
And forgets the (SG)covenant of her God;
18 For (SH)her house [cz]sinks down to death
And her tracks descend to the [da]dead;
19 All (SI)who go to her will not return,
And they will not reach the (SJ)paths of life.
20 So that you will (SK)walk in the way of good men
And keep to the (SL)paths of the righteous.
21 For (SM)the upright will dwell in the land
And (SN)the blameless will remain in it;
22 But (SO)the wicked will be cut off from the land
And (SP)the treacherous will be (SQ)torn away from it.
Trust, Fear, and Honor Yahweh
3 My son, (SR)do not forget my [db]law,
But let your heart (SS)guard my commandments;
2 For (ST)length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.
3 Do not let (SU)lovingkindness and truth forsake you;
(SV)Bind them around your neck,
(SW)Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will (SX)find favor and (SY)good insight
In the eyes of God and man.
5 (SZ)Trust in Yahweh with all your heart
And (TA)do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways [dc](TB)acknowledge Him,
And He will (TC)make your paths straight.
7 (TD)Do not be wise in your own eyes;
(TE)Fear Yahweh and turn away from evil.
8 It will be (TF)healing to your [dd]body
And (TG)refreshment to your bones.
9 (TH)Honor Yahweh from your wealth
And from the (TI)first of all your produce;
10 So your (TJ)barns will be filled with plenty
And your (TK)vats will burst with new wine.
11 (TL)My son, do not reject the [de]discipline of Yahweh
Or loathe His reproof,
12 For (TM)whom Yahweh loves He reproves,
Even (TN)as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.
13 (TO)How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who obtains discernment.
14 For her (TP)profit is better than the profit of silver
And her produce better than fine gold.
15 She is (TQ)more precious than [df]pearls;
And nothing you desire compares with her.
16 (TR)Length of days is in her right hand;
In her left hand are (TS)riches and glory.
17 Her (TT)ways are pleasant ways
And all her pathways are (TU)peace.
18 She is a (TV)tree of life to those who seize her,
And all those who hold her fast are blessed.
19 Yahweh (TW)by wisdom founded the earth,
By discernment He (TX)established the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the (TY)deeps were split up
And the (TZ)skies drip with dew.
21 My son, (UA)let them not deviate from your eyes;
Guard sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be (UB)life for your soul
And (UC)grace for your neck.
23 Then you will (UD)walk in your way securely
And your foot will not (UE)stumble.
24 When you (UF)lie down, you will not be in dread;
You will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant.
25 (UG)Do not be afraid of sudden dread
Nor of the (UH)storm of the wicked when it comes;
26 For Yahweh will be [dg]your confidence
And will (UI)keep your foot from being caught.
27 (UJ)Do not withhold good from [dh]those to whom it is due,
When it is in your hand to do it.
28 (UK)Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When it is there with you.
29 (UL)Do not devise [di]harm against your neighbor,
While he lives securely beside you.
30 (UM)Do not contend with a man without cause,
If he has dealt you no [dj]harm.
31 (UN)Do not envy a man of violence
And do not choose any of his ways.
32 For the (UO)devious one is an abomination to Yahweh;
But His (UP)secret council is with the upright.
33 The (UQ)curse of Yahweh is on the house of the wicked one,
But He (UR)blesses the abode of the righteous.
34 Though (US)He scoffs at the scoffers,
Yet (UT)He gives grace to the humble.
35 (UU)The wise will inherit glory,
But [dk]fools raise up disgrace.
A Father’s Wise Instruction
4 Hear, O sons, the (UV)discipline of a father,
And (UW)pay attention that you may know understanding,
2 For I give you [dl]sound (UX)learning;
(UY)Do not forsake my [dm]instruction.
3 When I was a son to my father,
(UZ)Tender and (VA)the only son before my mother,
4 Then he (VB)instructed me and said to me,
“Let your heart (VC)hold fast my words;
(VD)Keep my commandments and live;
5 (VE)Acquire wisdom! (VF)Acquire understanding!
Do not forget and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
(VG)Love her, and she will guard you.
7 [dn](VH)The beginning of wisdom is: (VI)Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, acquire understanding.
8 (VJ)Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will give (VK)for your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Hear, my son, and (VL)receive my sayings
And the (VM)years of your life will be many.
11 I have (VN)instructed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright tracks.
12 When you walk, your (VO)steps will not be impeded;
And if you run, you (VP)will not stumble.
13 (VQ)Seize discipline; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your (VR)life.
14 (VS)Do not enter the path of wicked men
And do not step into the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not pass by it;
(VT)Stray from it and pass on.
16 For they (VU)do not sleep unless they do evil;
And [do]they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.
17 For they (VV)eat the bread of wickedness
And drink the wine of violence.
18 But the (VW)path of the righteous is like the (VX)light of dawn,
That (VY)shines brighter and brighter until the (VZ)fullness of day.
19 The (WA)way of the wicked is like thick darkness;
They do not know over what they [dp](WB)stumble.
20 My son, (WC)pay attention to my words;
(WD)Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 (WE)Do not let them deviate from your eyes;
(WF)Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are (WG)life to those who find them
And (WH)healing to all his flesh.
23 Guard your heart with all diligence,
For (WI)from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you a (WJ)perverse mouth
And (WK)put devious lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And even let your eyelids be fixed straight in front of you.
26 (WL)Watch the track of your feet
And all your (WM)ways will be established.
27 (WN)Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
(WO)Turn your foot from evil.
Warning Against Adultery
5 My son, (WP)pay attention to my wisdom,
(WQ)Incline your ear to my discernment;
2 That you may (WR)keep discretion
And that your (WS)lips may guard knowledge.
3 For the lips of a (WT)strange woman (WU)drip honey
And (WV)smoother than oil is her [dq]speech;
4 But her end is (WW)bitter as wormwood,
(WX)Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet (WY)go down to death,
Her steps take hold of Sheol,
6 Lest she watch the (WZ)path of life;
Her tracks are (XA)unstable, she (XB)does not know it.
7 (XC)So now, my sons, listen to me
And (XD)do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
8 (XE)Keep your way far from her
And do not go near the (XF)door of her house,
9 Lest you give your splendor to others
And your years to the cruel one;
10 Lest strangers be satisfied by your strength
And by your painful labor, those in the house of a foreigner;
11 And you groan at your [dr]end,
When your flesh and your body are consumed;
12 And you say, “How I have (XG)hated discipline!
And my heart (XH)spurned reproof!
13 I have not listened to the voice of my (XI)instructors,
And I have not inclined my ear to my teachers!
14 I was almost in utter ruin
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”
15 Drink water from your own cistern
And [ds]fresh water from your own well.
16 Should your (XJ)springs be dispersed abroad,
Streams of water in the streets?
17 Let them be for you alone,
And not for strangers with you.
18 Let your (XK)fountain be blessed,
And (XL)be glad in the (XM)wife of your youth.
19 As a loving (XN)hind and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
Be [dt]intoxicated always with her love.
20 So why should you, my son, be intoxicated with a (XO)strange woman
And embrace the bosom of a (XP)foreign woman?
21 For the (XQ)ways of a man are before the eyes of Yahweh,
And He (XR)watches all his tracks.
22 His (XS)own iniquities will capture him who is the wicked one,
And with the cords of his sin he will be held fast.
23 He will (XT)die for lack of discipline,
And in the abundance of his [du]folly he will [dv]stumble in intoxication.
Practical Warnings
6 My son, if you have become a (XU)guarantor for your neighbor,
Have struck your [dw]hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 If you have been snared with the words of your mouth,
Have been caught with the words of your mouth,
3 Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself;
Since you have come into the [dx]hand of your neighbor,
Go, humble yourself, and badger your neighbor.
4 Give no (XV)sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids;
5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand
And like a (XW)bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the (XX)ant, O (XY)sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having (XZ)no chief,
Officer or ruler,
8 Prepares her food (YA)in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest.
9 How long will you lie down, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 “(YB)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to [dy]rest”—
11 (YC)Your poverty will come in like [dz]a vagabond
And your want like [ea]an armed man.
12 A (YD)vile person, a wicked man,
Is the one who walks with a (YE)perverse mouth,
13 Who (YF)winks with his eyes, who [eb]signals with his feet,
Who [ec]points with his fingers;
14 Who with (YG)perversity in his heart continually (YH)devises evil,
Who [ed](YI)spreads contentions.
15 Therefore (YJ)his disaster will come suddenly;
(YK)Instantly he will be broken and there will be (YL)no healing.
16 There are six things which Yahweh hates,
Even seven which are an abomination [ee]to Him:
17 (YM)Haughty eyes, a (YN)lying tongue,
And hands that (YO)shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises (YP)wicked thoughts,
(YQ)Feet that hasten to run to evil,
19 A (YR)false witness who breathes out lies,
And one who [ef](YS)spreads strife among brothers.
Warning Against Adultery
20 (YT)My son, observe the commandment of your father
And do not abandon the [eg]law of your mother;
21 (YU)Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you (YV)walk about, [eh]they will lead you;
When you sleep, [ei]they will keep watch over you;
And when you awake, [ej]they will speak to you.
23 For (YW)the commandment is a lamp and the [ek]law is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
24 To (YX)keep you from the evil woman,
From the smooth tongue of the foreign woman.
25 (YY)Do not desire her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her capture you with her (YZ)eyelids.
26 For (ZA)on account of [el]a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread,
And [em]an adulteress (ZB)hunts for the precious [en]life.
27 Can a man [eo]take fire in his bosom
And his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can a man walk on hot coals
And his feet not be scorched?
29 So is the one who (ZC)goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her (ZD)will not [ep]go unpunished.
30 [eq]Men do not despise a thief if he steals
To (ZE)fill [er]himself when he is hungry;
31 But when he is found, he must (ZF)repay sevenfold;
He must give all the [es]substance of his house.
32 The one who commits adultery with a woman is (ZG)lacking a heart of wisdom;
He who would (ZH)destroy his soul does it.
33 Wounds and disgrace he will find,
And his reproach will not be blotted out.
34 For (ZI)jealousy [et]enrages a man,
And he will not spare in the (ZJ)day of vengeance.
35 He will not [eu]accept any ransom,
He will not be willing though you give many bribes.
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