Bible in 90 Days
Psalm 135
Yahweh Is Great
1 Hallelujah!
Praise the name of Yahweh.
Give praise, you servants of Yahweh(A)
2 who stand in the house of Yahweh,
in the courts of the house of our God.(B)
3 Praise Yahweh, for Yahweh is good;
sing praise to His name, for it is delightful.(C)
4 For Yahweh has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel as His treasured possession.(D)
5 For I know that Yahweh is great;
our Lord is greater than all gods.(E)
6 Yahweh does whatever He pleases
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all the depths.(F)
7 He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain
and brings the wind from His storehouses.(G)
8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both man and beast.(H)
9 He sent signs and wonders against you, Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his officials.(I)
10 He struck down many nations
and slaughtered mighty kings:(J)
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
and all the kings of Canaan.(K)
12 He gave their land as an inheritance,
an inheritance to His people Israel.(L)
13 Yahweh, Your name endures forever,
Your reputation, Yahweh,
through all generations.(M)
14 For Yahweh will vindicate His people
and have compassion on His servants.(N)
15 The idols of the nations are of silver and gold,
made by human hands.(O)
16 They have mouths but cannot speak,(P)
eyes, but cannot see.
17 They have ears but cannot hear;
indeed, there is no breath in their mouths.(Q)
18 Those who make them are just like them,
as are all who trust in them.(R)
19 House of Israel, praise Yahweh!(S)
House of Aaron, praise Yahweh!(T)
20 House of Levi, praise Yahweh!
You who revere the Lord, praise the Lord!(U)
21 May the Lord be praised from Zion;(V)
He dwells in Jerusalem.(W)
Hallelujah!
Psalm 136
God’s Love Is Eternal
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.(X)
His love is eternal.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love is eternal.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords.(Y)
His love is eternal.
4 He alone does great wonders.(Z)
His love is eternal.
5 He made the heavens skillfully.(AA)
His love is eternal.
6 He spread the land on the waters.(AB)
His love is eternal.
7 He made the great lights:(AC)
His love is eternal.
8 the sun to rule by day,
His love is eternal.
9 the moon and stars to rule by night.(AD)
His love is eternal.
10 He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians(AE)
His love is eternal.
11 and brought Israel out from among them
His love is eternal.
12 with a strong hand and outstretched arm.(AF)
His love is eternal.
13 He divided the Red Sea(AG)
His love is eternal.
14 and led Israel through,(AH)
His love is eternal.
15 but hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.(AI)
His love is eternal.
16 He led His people in the wilderness.(AJ)
His love is eternal.
17 He struck down great kings
His love is eternal.
18 and slaughtered famous kings—
His love is eternal.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites
His love is eternal.
20 and Og king of Bashan—
His love is eternal.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love is eternal.
22 an inheritance to Israel His servant.(AK)
His love is eternal.
23 He remembered us in our humiliation(AL)
His love is eternal.
24 and rescued us from our foes.(AM)
His love is eternal.
25 He gives food to every creature.(AN)
His love is eternal.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven!(AO)
His love is eternal.
Psalm 137
Lament of the Exiles
1 By the rivers of Babylon—
there we sat down and wept
when we remembered Zion.(AP)
2 There we hung up our lyres
on the poplar trees,(AQ)
3 for our captors there asked us for songs,
and our tormentors, for rejoicing:
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”(AR)
4 How can we sing the Lord’s song
on foreign soil?(AS)
5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill.(AT)
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy!(AU)
7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites said
that day[a] at Jerusalem:
“Destroy it! Destroy it
down to its foundations!”(AV)
8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy is the one who pays you back
what you have done to us.(AW)
9 Happy is he who takes your little ones
and dashes them against the rocks.(AX)
Psalm 138
A Thankful Heart
Davidic.
1 I will give You thanks with all my heart;(AY)
I will sing Your praise before the heavenly beings.[b](AZ)
2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
and give thanks to Your name
for Your constant love and truth.
You have exalted Your name
and Your promise above everything else.(BA)
3 On the day I called, You answered me;
You increased strength within me.[c](BB)
4 All the kings on earth will give You thanks, Lord,
when they hear what You have promised.[d](BC)
5 They will sing of the Lord’s ways,
for the Lord’s glory is great.(BD)
6 Though the Lord is exalted,
He takes note of the humble;
but He knows the haughty from a distance.(BE)
7 If I walk into the thick of danger,
You will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.(BF)
You will extend Your hand;
Your right hand will save me.(BG)
8 The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.(BH)
Lord, Your love is eternal;
do not abandon the work of Your hands.(BI)
Psalm 139
The All-Knowing, Ever-Present God
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
1 Lord, You have searched me and known me.(BJ)
2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up;
You understand my thoughts from far away.(BK)
3 You observe my travels and my rest;
You are aware of all my ways.(BL)
4 Before a word is on my tongue,
You know all about it, Lord.(BM)
5 You have encircled me;
You have placed Your hand on me.(BN)
6 This extraordinary knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.(BO)
7 Where can I go to escape Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?(BP)
8 If I go up to heaven, You are there;(BQ)
if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.(BR)
9 If I live at the eastern horizon
or settle at the western limits,[e]
10 even there Your hand will lead me;
Your right hand will hold on to me.(BS)
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,
and the light around me will be night”(BT)—
12 even the darkness is not dark to You.
The night shines like the day;
darkness and light are alike to You.(BU)
13 For it was You who created my inward parts;[f]
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.(BV)
14 I will praise You
because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.[g][h]
Your works are wonderful,
and I know this very well.(BW)
15 My bones were not hidden from You
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.(BX)
16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in Your book and planned
before a single one of them began.(BY)
17 God, how difficult[i] Your thoughts are
for me to comprehend;
how vast their sum is!
18 If I counted them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand;(BZ)
when I wake up,[j] I am still with You.(CA)
19 God, if only You would kill the wicked—
you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me(CB)—
20 who invoke You deceitfully.
Your enemies swear by You falsely.(CC)
21 Lord, don’t I hate those who hate You,
and detest those who rebel against You?
22 I hate them with extreme hatred;
I consider them my enemies.(CD)
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.(CE)
24 See if there is any offensive[k] way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.(CF)
Psalm 140
Prayer for Rescue
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
1 Rescue me, Lord, from evil men.
Keep me safe from violent men(CG)
2 who plan evil in their hearts.
They stir up wars all day long.(CH)
3 They make their tongues
as sharp as a snake’s bite;
viper’s venom is under their lips.(CI)
4 Protect me, Lord,
from the clutches of the wicked.(CJ)
Keep me safe from violent men
who plan to make me stumble.[l](CK)
5 The proud hide a trap with ropes for me;
they spread a net along the path
and set snares for me.(CL)
6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
Listen, Lord, to my cry for help.(CM)
7 Lord God, my strong Savior,
You shield my head on the day of battle.(CN)
8 Lord, do not grant the desires of the wicked;
do not let them achieve their goals.
Otherwise, they will become proud.(CO)
9 When those who surround me rise up,[m]
may the trouble their lips cause overwhelm them.(CP)
10 Let hot coals fall on them.
Let them be thrown into the fire,
into the abyss, never again to rise.(CQ)
11 Do not let a slanderer stay in the land.
Let evil relentlessly[n] hunt down a violent man.(CR)
12 I[o] know that the Lord upholds
the just cause of the poor,
justice for the needy.(CS)
13 Surely the righteous will praise Your name;
the upright will live in Your presence.(CT)
Psalm 141
Protection from Sin and Sinners
A Davidic psalm.
1 Lord, I call on You; hurry to help me.
Listen to my voice when I call on You.(CU)
2 May my prayer be set before You as incense,(CV)
the raising of my hands as the evening offering.(CW)
3 Lord, set up a guard for my mouth;
keep watch at the door of my lips.(CX)
4 Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing
or perform wicked acts
with men who commit sin.
Do not let me feast on their delicacies.(CY)
5 Let the righteous one strike me—
it is an act of faithful love;
let him rebuke me—
it is oil for my head;
let me[p] not refuse it.(CZ)
Even now my prayer is against
the evil acts of the wicked.[q](DA)
6 When their rulers[r] will be thrown off
the sides of a cliff,
the people[s] will listen to my words,
for they are pleasing.(DB)
7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil,
turning up rocks,
so our[t] bones have been scattered
at the mouth of Sheol.(DC)
8 But my eyes look to You, Lord God.
I seek refuge in You; do not let me die.[u](DD)
9 Protect me from[v] the trap they have set for me,
and from the snares of evildoers.(DE)
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.(DF)
Psalm 142
A Cry of Distress
A Davidic Maskil. When he was in the cave.(DG) A prayer.
1 I cry aloud to the Lord;(DH)
I plead aloud to the Lord for mercy.(DI)
2 I pour out my complaint before Him;
I reveal my trouble to Him.(DJ)
3 Although my spirit is weak within me,
You know my way.(DK)
Along this path I travel
they have hidden a trap for me.(DL)
4 Look to the right and see:[w]
no one stands up for me;
there is no refuge for me;
no one cares about me.(DM)
5 I cry to You, Lord;
I say, “You are my shelter,
my portion in the land of the living.”(DN)
6 Listen to my cry,
for I am very weak.(DO)
Rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.(DP)
7 Free me from prison
so that I can praise Your name.
The righteous will gather around me
because You deal generously with me.(DQ)
Psalm 143
A Cry for Help
A Davidic psalm.
1 Lord, hear my prayer.
In Your faithfulness listen to my plea,
and in Your righteousness answer me.(DR)
2 Do not bring Your servant into judgment,(DS)
for no one alive is righteous in Your sight.(DT)
3 For the enemy has pursued me,
crushing me to the ground,
making me live in darkness
like those long dead.(DU)
4 My spirit is weak within me;
my heart is overcome with dismay.(DV)
5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all You have done;
I reflect on the work of Your hands.(DW)
6 I spread out my hands to You;
I am like parched land before You.(DX)
7 Answer me quickly, Lord;
my spirit fails.(DY)
Don’t hide Your face from me,
or I will be like those
going down to the Pit.(DZ)
8 Let me experience
Your faithful love in the morning,
for I trust in You.(EA)
Reveal to me the way I should go
because I long for You.(EB)
9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
I come to You for protection.[x](EC)
10 Teach me to do Your will,
for You are my God.(ED)
May Your gracious Spirit
lead me on level ground.(EE)
11 Because of Your name, Yahweh,
let me live.
In Your righteousness deliver me from trouble,(EF)
12 and in Your faithful love destroy my enemies.
Wipe out all those who attack me,
for I am Your servant.(EG)
Psalm 144
A King’s Prayer
Davidic.
1 May the Lord, my rock, be praised,(EH)
who trains my hands for battle
and my fingers for warfare.(EI)
2 He is my faithful love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer.
He is my shield,(EJ) and I take refuge in Him;(EK)
He subdues my people[y] under me.(EL)
3 Lord, what is man, that You care for him,
the son of man, that You think of him?(EM)
4 Man is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.(EN)
5 Lord, part Your heavens and come down.(EO)
Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.(EP)
6 Flash Your lightning and scatter the foe;[z]
shoot Your arrows and rout them.(EQ)
7 Reach down[aa] from heaven;(ER)
rescue me from deep water, and set me free
from the grasp of foreigners(ES)
8 whose mouths speak lies,
whose right hands are deceptive.(ET)
9 God, I will sing a new song to You;
I will play on a ten-stringed harp for You(EU)—
10 the One who gives victory to kings,
who frees His servant David
from the deadly sword.(EV)
11 Set me free and rescue me
from the grasp of foreigners(EW)
whose mouths speak lies,
whose right hands are deceptive.(EX)
12 Then our sons will be like plants
nurtured in their youth,
our daughters, like corner pillars
that are carved in the palace style.(EY)
13 Our storehouses will be full,
supplying all kinds of produce;(EZ)
our flocks will increase by thousands
and tens of thousands in our open fields.(FA)
14 Our cattle will be well fed.[ab]
There will be no breach in the walls,
no going into captivity,[ac]
and no cry of lament in our public squares.(FB)
15 Happy are the people with such blessings.
Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.(FC)
Psalm 145
Praising God’s Greatness
A Davidic hymn.
1 I[ad] exalt You, my God the King,
and praise Your name forever and ever.(FD)
2 I will praise You every day;
I will honor Your name forever and ever.(FE)
3 Yahweh is great and is highly praised;(FF)
His greatness is unsearchable.(FG)
4 One generation will declare Your works to the next
and will proclaim Your mighty acts.(FH)
5 I[ae] will speak of Your splendor and glorious majesty
and[af] Your wonderful works.(FI)
6 They will proclaim the power of Your awe-inspiring acts,
and I will declare Your greatness.[ag](FJ)
7 They will give a testimony of Your great goodness
and will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.(FK)
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in faithful love.(FL)
9 The Lord is good to everyone;(FM)
His compassion rests on all He has made.(FN)
10 All You have made will thank You, Lord;
the[ah] godly will praise You.(FO)
11 They will speak of the glory of Your kingdom
and will declare Your might,(FP)
12 informing all people of Your mighty acts
and of the glorious splendor of Your[ai] kingdom.(FQ)
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;
Your rule is for all generations.(FR)
The Lord is faithful in all His words
and gracious in all His actions.[aj](FS)
14 The Lord helps all who fall;
He raises up all who are oppressed.[ak](FT)
15 All eyes look to You,
and You give them their food at the proper time.(FU)
16 You open Your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.(FV)
17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways
and gracious in all His acts.(FW)
18 The Lord is near all who call out to Him,
all who call out to Him with integrity.(FX)
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry for help and saves them.(FY)
20 The Lord guards all those who love Him,
but He destroys all the wicked.(FZ)
21 My mouth will declare Yahweh’s praise;
let every living thing
praise His holy name forever and ever.(GA)
Psalm 146
The God of Compassion
1 Hallelujah!
My soul, praise the Lord.(GB)
2 I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing to my God as long as I live.(GC)
3 Do not trust in nobles,
in man, who cannot save.(GD)
4 When his breath[al] leaves him,
he returns to the ground;
on that day his plans die.(GE)
5 Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,(GF)
6 the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them.(GG)
He remains faithful forever,(GH)
7 executing justice for the exploited
and giving food to the hungry.(GI)
The Lord frees prisoners.(GJ)
8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.(GK)
The Lord raises up those who are oppressed.[am](GL)
The Lord loves the righteous.(GM)
9 The Lord protects foreigners
and helps the fatherless and the widow,(GN)
but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.(GO)
10 The Lord reigns forever;
Zion, your God reigns for all generations.(GP)
Hallelujah!
Psalm 147
God Restores Jerusalem
1 Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing to our God,
for praise is pleasant and lovely.(GQ)
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;(GR)
He gathers Israel’s exiled people.(GS)
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.(GT)
4 He counts the number of the stars;
He gives names to all of them.(GU)
5 Our Lord is great, vast in power;
His understanding is infinite.[an](GV)
6 The Lord helps the afflicted
but brings the wicked to the ground.(GW)
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
play the lyre to our God,(GX)
8 who covers the sky with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
and causes grass to grow on the hills.(GY)
9 He provides the animals with their food,
and the young ravens, what they cry for.(GZ)
10 He is not impressed by the strength of a horse;
He does not value the power[ao] of a man.(HA)
11 The Lord values those who fear Him,
those who put their hope in His faithful love.(HB)
12 Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion!(HC)
13 For He strengthens the bars of your gates
and blesses your children within you.(HD)
14 He endows your territory with prosperity;[ap](HE)
He satisfies you with the finest wheat.(HF)
15 He sends His command throughout the earth;
His word runs swiftly.(HG)
16 He spreads snow like wool;
He scatters frost like ashes;(HH)
17 He throws His hailstones like crumbs.
Who can withstand His cold?(HI)
18 He sends His word and melts them;
He unleashes His winds,[aq] and the waters flow.(HJ)
19 He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and judgments to Israel.(HK)
20 He has not done this for any nation;
they do not know[ar] His judgments.(HL)
Hallelujah!
Psalm 148
Creation’s Praise of the Lord
1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise Him in the heights.(HM)
2 Praise Him, all His angels;
praise Him, all His hosts.(HN)
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
praise Him, all you shining stars.(HO)
4 Praise Him, highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.(HP)
5 Let them praise the name of Yahweh,
for He commanded, and they were created.(HQ)
6 He set them in position forever and ever;
He gave an order that will never pass away.(HR)
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
all sea monsters and ocean depths,(HS)
8 lightning[as] and hail, snow and cloud,
powerful wind that executes His command,(HT)
9 mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,(HU)
10 wild animals and all cattle,
creatures that crawl and flying birds,(HV)
11 kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all judges of the earth,(HW)
12 young men as well as young women,
old and young together.(HX)
13 Let them praise the name of Yahweh,
for His name alone is exalted.
His majesty covers heaven and earth.(HY)
14 He has raised up a horn for His people,
resulting in praise to all His godly ones,
to the Israelites, the people close to Him.(HZ)
Hallelujah!
Psalm 149
Praise for God’s Triumph
1 Hallelujah!
Sing to the Lord a new song,(IA)
His praise in the assembly of the godly.(IB)
2 Let Israel celebrate its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.(IC)
3 Let them praise His name with dancing
and make music to Him with tambourine and lyre.(ID)
4 For Yahweh takes pleasure in His people;(IE)
He adorns the humble with salvation.(IF)
5 Let the godly celebrate in triumphal glory;
let them shout for joy on their beds.(IG)
6 Let the exaltation of God be in their mouths[at]
and a double-edged sword in their hands,(IH)
7 inflicting vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,(II)
8 binding their kings with chains
and their dignitaries with iron shackles,(IJ)
9 carrying out the judgment decreed against them.
This honor is for all His godly people.(IK)
Hallelujah!
Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
1 Hallelujah!
Praise God in His sanctuary.
Praise Him in His mighty heavens.(IL)
2 Praise Him for His powerful acts;(IM)
praise Him for His abundant greatness.(IN)
3 Praise Him with trumpet blast;(IO)
praise Him with harp and lyre.(IP)
4 Praise Him with tambourine and dance;(IQ)
praise Him with flute and strings.(IR)
5 Praise Him with resounding cymbals;
praise Him with clashing cymbals.(IS)
6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.(IT)
Hallelujah!
The Purpose of Proverbs
1 The proverbs of Solomon(IU) son of David, king of Israel:
2 For learning what wisdom and discipline are;
for understanding insightful sayings;
3 for receiving wise instruction
in righteousness, justice, and integrity;(IV)
4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,[au](IW)
knowledge and discretion(IX) to a young man—
5 a wise man will listen and increase his learning,(IY)
and a discerning man will obtain guidance—
6 for understanding a proverb or a parable,[av]
the words of the wise, and their riddles.(IZ)
Avoid the Path of the Violent
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching,(JC)
9 for they will be a garland(JD) of grace on your head
and a gold chain around your neck.(JE)
10 My son, if sinners entice you,(JF)
don’t be persuaded.(JG)
11 If they say—“Come with us!
Let’s set an ambush(JH) and kill someone.[aw]
Let’s attack some innocent person(JI) just for fun![ax]
12 Let’s swallow them alive,(JJ) like Sheol,
still healthy as they go down to the Pit.(JK)
13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable property
and fill our houses with plunder.(JL)
14 Throw in your lot with us,
and we’ll all share our money”[ay]—
15 my son, don’t travel that road with them(JM)
or set foot on their path,(JN)
16 because their feet run toward trouble
and they hurry to commit murder.[az](JO)
17 It is foolish to spread a net
where any bird can see it,
18 but they set an ambush to kill themselves;[ba]
they attack their own lives.
19 Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly;(JP)
it takes the lives of those who receive it.[bb]
Wisdom’s Plea
20 Wisdom calls out in the street;
she raises her voice in the public squares.(JQ)
21 She cries out above[bc] the commotion;
she speaks at the entrance of the city gates:
22 “How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?
How long will you mockers(JR) enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?(JS)
23 If you respond to my warning,[bd](JT)
then I will pour out my spirit on you(JU)
and teach you my words.
24 Since I called out and you refused,(JV)
extended my hand and no one paid attention,(JW)
25 since you neglected all my counsel(JX)
and did not accept my correction,
26 I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity.(JY)
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when trouble and stress overcome you.
28 Then they will call me, but I won’t answer;
they will search for me, but won’t find me.(JZ)
29 Because they hated knowledge,
didn’t choose to fear the Lord,(KA)
30 were not interested in my counsel,
and rejected all my correction,(KB)
31 they will eat the fruit of their way(KC)
and be glutted with their own schemes.(KD)
32 For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them,(KE)
and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will live securely
and be free from the fear of danger.”(KF)
Wisdom’s Worth
2 My son, if you accept my words(KG)
and store up my commands within you,
2 listening closely[be] to wisdom
and directing your heart to understanding;
3 furthermore, if you call out to insight
and lift your voice to understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it like hidden treasure,(KH)
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and discover the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.(KI)
7 He stores up success[bf] for the upright;
He is a shield for those who live with integrity(KJ)
8 so that He may guard the paths of justice
and protect the way of His loyal followers.(KK)
9 Then you will understand righteousness, justice,
and integrity—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your mind,
and knowledge will delight your heart.
11 Discretion will watch over you,
and understanding will guard you,(KL)
12 rescuing you from the way of evil—
from the one who says perverse things,
13 from those who abandon the right paths
to walk in ways of darkness,(KM)
14 from those who enjoy doing evil(KN)
and celebrate perversion,
15 whose paths are crooked,(KO)
and whose ways are devious.(KP)
16 It will rescue you from a forbidden woman,(KQ)
from a stranger[bg] with her flattering talk,(KR)
17 who abandons the companion of her youth(KS)
and forgets the covenant of her God;
18 for her house sinks down to death
and her ways to the land of the departed spirits.(KT)
19 None return who go to her;
none reach the paths of life.(KU)
20 So follow the way of good people,(KV)
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will inhabit the land,
and those of integrity will remain in it;(KW)
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,(KX)
and the treacherous uprooted from it.(KY)
Trust the Lord
3 My son, don’t forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commands;(KZ)
2 for they will bring you
many days, a full life,[bh](LA) and well-being.(LB)
3 Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.
Tie them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.(LC)
4 Then you will find favor and high regard
in the sight of God and man.(LD)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,(LE)
and do not rely on your own understanding;(LF)
6 think about Him in all your ways,
and He will guide you on the right paths.[bi](LG)
7 Don’t consider yourself to be wise;(LH)
fear the Lord and turn away from evil.(LI)
8 This will be healing for your body[bj](LJ)
and strengthening for your bones.(LK)
9 Honor the Lord with your possessions
and with the first produce of your entire harvest;(LL)
10 then your barns will be completely filled,
and your vats will overflow with new wine.(LM)
11 Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,
and do not loathe His discipline;(LN)
12 for the Lord disciplines the one He loves,
just as a father, the son he delights in.(LO)
Wisdom Brings Happiness
13 Happy is a man who finds wisdom(LP)
and who acquires understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver,
and her revenue is better than gold.(LQ)
15 She is more precious than jewels;(LR)
nothing you desire compares with her.(LS)
16 Long life[bk] is in her right hand;
in her left, riches and honor.(LT)
17 Her ways are pleasant,(LU)
and all her paths, peaceful.
18 She is a tree of life(LV) to those who embrace her,
and those who hold on to her are happy.
19 The Lord founded the earth by wisdom(LW)
and established the heavens by understanding.
20 By His knowledge the watery depths broke open,(LX)
and the clouds dripped with dew.(LY)
21 Maintain your competence and discretion.
My son, don’t lose sight of them.(LZ)
22 They will be life for you[bl][bm](MA)
and adornment[bn] for your neck.
23 Then you will go safely on your way;
your foot will not stumble.(MB)
24 When you lie[bo] down, you will not be afraid;(MC)
you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant.
25 Don’t fear sudden danger
or the ruin of the wicked when it comes,(MD)
26 for the Lord will be your confidence[bp]
and will keep your foot from a snare.(ME)
Treat Others Fairly
27 When it is in your power,[bq]
don’t withhold good(MF) from the one it belongs to.
28 Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come back later.
I’ll give it tomorrow”—when it is there with you.(MG)
29 Don’t plan any harm against your neighbor,(MH)
for he trusts you and lives near you.
30 Don’t accuse anyone without cause,(MI)
when he has done you no harm.
31 Don’t envy a violent man(MJ)
or choose any of his ways;
32 for the devious are detestable to the Lord,
but He is a friend[br] to the upright.(MK)
33 The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked,(ML)
but He blesses the home of the righteous;
34 He mocks those who mock,
but gives grace to the humble.(MM)
35 The wise will inherit honor,
but He holds up fools to dishonor.[bs]
A Father’s Example
4 Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline,(MN)
and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
2 for I am giving you good instruction.(MO)
Don’t abandon my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
tender and precious to my mother,
4 he taught me and said:
“Your heart must hold on to my words.
Keep my commands and live.(MP)
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;(MQ)
don’t forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you;
love her,(MR) and she will guard you.
7 Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom.
And whatever else you get, get understanding.(MS)
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
if you embrace her, she will honor you.(MT)
9 She will place a garland of grace on your head;
she will give you a crown of beauty.”(MU)
Two Ways of Life
10 Listen, my son. Accept my words,(MV)
and you will live many years.(MW)
11 I am teaching you the way of wisdom;
I am guiding you on straight paths.(MX)
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered;(MY)
when you run, you will not stumble.(MZ)
13 Hold on to instruction; don’t let go.(NA)
Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Don’t set foot on the path of the wicked;(NB)
don’t proceed in the way of evil ones.
15 Avoid it; don’t travel on it.
Turn away from it, and pass it by.
16 For they can’t sleep
unless they have done what is evil;
they are robbed of sleep
unless they make someone stumble.(NC)
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,(ND)
shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;(NE)
they don’t know what makes them stumble.(NF)
The Straight Path
20 My son, pay attention to my words;
listen closely to my sayings.(NG)
21 Don’t lose sight of them;(NH)
keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
and health to one’s whole body.
23 Guard your heart above all else,[bt]
for it is the source of life.(NI)
24 Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly,(NJ)
and don’t let your lips talk deviously.
25 Let your eyes look forward;
fix your gaze[bu] straight ahead.(NK)
26 Carefully consider the path[bv] for your feet,(NL)
and all your ways will be established.
27 Don’t turn to the right or to the left;(NM)
keep your feet away from evil.
Avoid Seduction
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen closely[bw] to my understanding(NN)
2 so that you may maintain discretion
and your lips safeguard knowledge.(NO)
3 Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey
and her words are[bx] smoother than oil,
4 in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood(NP)
and as sharp as a double-edged sword.(NQ)
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps head straight for Sheol.(NR)
6 She doesn’t consider the path of life;
she doesn’t know that her ways are unstable.
7 So now, my sons, listen to me,
and don’t turn away from the words of my mouth.(NS)
8 Keep your way far from her.
Don’t go near the door of her house.(NT)
9 Otherwise, you will give up your vitality to others
and your years to someone cruel;
10 strangers will drain your resources,
and your earnings will end up in a foreigner’s house.
11 At the end of your life, you will lament
when your physical body has been consumed,
12 and you will say, “How I hated discipline,
and how my heart despised correction.(NU)
13 I didn’t obey my teachers
or listen closely[by] to my mentors.
14 I am on the verge of complete ruin
before the entire community.”
Enjoy Marriage
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
water flowing from your own well.(NV)
16 Should your springs flow in the streets,
streams of water in the public squares?(NW)
17 They should be for you alone
and not for you to share with strangers.
18 Let your fountain be blessed,
and take pleasure in the wife of your youth.(NX)
19 A loving doe, a graceful fawn—
let her breasts always satisfy you;(NY)
be lost in her love forever.
20 Why, my son, would you be infatuated
with a forbidden woman
or embrace the breast of a stranger?(NZ)
21 For a man’s ways are before the Lord’s eyes,(OA)
and He considers all his paths.(OB)
22 A wicked man’s iniquities entrap him;(OC)
he is entangled in the ropes of his own sin.(OD)
23 He will die because there is no discipline,(OE)
and be lost because of his great stupidity.
Financial Entanglements
6 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor[bz]
or entered into an agreement with[ca] a stranger,[cb](OF)
2 you have been trapped by the words of your lips[cc]—
ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3 Do this, then, my son, and free yourself,
for you have put yourself in your neighbor’s power:
Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.
4 Don’t give sleep to your eyes
or slumber to your eyelids.(OG)
5 Escape like a gazelle from a hunter,[cd]
like a bird from a fowler’s trap.[ce](OH)
Laziness
6 Go to the ant,(OI) you slacker!(OJ)
Observe its ways and become wise.
7 Without leader, administrator, or ruler,
8 it prepares its provisions in summer;
it gathers its food during harvest.(OK)
9 How long will you stay in bed, you slacker?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,(OL)
11 and your poverty will come like a robber,
your need, like a bandit.(OM)
The Malicious Man
12 A worthless person,(ON) a wicked man
goes around speaking dishonestly,(OO)
13 winking(OP) his eyes, signaling with his feet,
and gesturing with his fingers.
14 He always plots evil(OQ) with perversity in his heart—
he stirs up trouble.(OR)
15 Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly;
he will be shattered instantly—beyond recovery.(OS)
What the Lord Hates
16 The Lord hates six things;
in fact, seven are detestable to Him:
17 arrogant eyes,(OT) a lying tongue,(OU)
hands that shed innocent blood,(OV)
18 a heart that plots wicked schemes,(OW)
feet eager to run to evil,(OX)
19 a lying witness who gives false testimony,(OY)
and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.(OZ)
Warning against Adultery
20 My son, keep your father’s command,
and don’t reject your mother’s teaching.(PA)
21 Always bind them to your heart;
tie them around your neck.(PB)
22 When you walk here and there, they will guide you;
when you lie down, they will watch over you;
when you wake up, they will talk to you.
23 For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light,(PC)
and corrective discipline is the way to life.(PD)
24 They will protect you from an evil woman,[cf]
from the flattering[cg] tongue of a stranger.(PE)
25 Don’t lust in your heart for her beauty(PF)
or let her captivate you with her eyelashes.(PG)
26 For a prostitute’s fee is only a loaf of bread,[ch]
but an adulteress[ci] goes after a precious life.(PH)
27 Can a man embrace fire[cj]
and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can a man walk on burning coals
without scorching his feet?
29 So it is with the one who sleeps with
another man’s wife;
no one who touches her will go unpunished.(PI)
30 People don’t despise the thief if he steals
to satisfy himself when he is hungry.(PJ)
31 Still, if caught, he must pay seven times as much;(PK)
he must give up all the wealth in his house.
32 The one who commits adultery[ck] lacks sense;
whoever does so destroys himself.(PL)
33 He will get a beating[cl] and dishonor,
and his disgrace will never be removed.
34 For jealousy enrages a husband,(PM)
and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not be appeased by anything
or be persuaded by lavish gifts.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.