Bible in 90 Days
22 (A)Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
(B)Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.
23 [a](C)Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And a [b](D)false scale is not good.
24 (E)Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord,
How then can man understand his way?
25 It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!”
And (F)after the vows to make inquiry.
26 A (G)wise king winnows the wicked,
And [c]drives the (H)threshing wheel over them.
27 The [d](I)spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the [e]innermost parts of his being.
28 [f]Loyalty and (J)truth preserve the king,
And he upholds his throne by [g]righteousness.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And the [h](K)honor of old men is their gray hair.
30 (L)Stripes that wound scour away evil,
And strokes reach the [i]innermost parts.
On Life and Conduct
21 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He (M)turns it wherever He wishes.
2 (N)Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord (O)weighs the hearts.
3 To do (P)righteousness and justice
Is desired by the Lord more than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The (Q)lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The plans of the (R)diligent lead surely to advantage,
But everyone (S)who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
6 The (T)acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the [j]pursuit of (U)death.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
Because they (V)refuse to act with justice.
8 The way of a guilty man is (W)crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.
9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than [k]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His (X)neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11 When the (Y)scoffer is punished, the [l]naive becomes wise;
But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Turning the (Z)wicked to ruin.
13 He who (AA)shuts his ear to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be (AB)answered.
14 A (AC)gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But is (AD)terror to the workers of iniquity.
16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will (AE)rest in the assembly of the [m]dead.
17 He who (AF)loves pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
18 The wicked is a (AG)ransom for the righteous,
And the (AH)treacherous is in the place of the upright.
19 (AI)It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman.
20 There is precious (AJ)treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man (AK)swallows it up.
21 He who (AL)pursues righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness and honor.
22 A (AM)wise man scales the city of the mighty
And brings down the [n]stronghold in which they trust.
23 He who (AN)guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles.
24 “Proud,” “Haughty,” “(AO)Scoffer,” are his names,
Who acts with (AP)insolent pride.
25 The (AQ)desire of the sluggard puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
26 All day long he [o]is craving,
While the righteous (AR)gives and does not hold back.
27 The (AS)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with evil intent!
28 A (AT)false witness will perish,
But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.
29 A wicked man [p](AU)displays a bold face,
But as for the (AV)upright, he makes his way sure.
30 There is (AW)no wisdom and no understanding
And no counsel against the Lord.
31 The (AX)horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But (AY)victory belongs to the Lord.
On Life and Conduct
22 A (AZ)good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor [q]have a common bond,
The Lord is the (BA)maker of them all.
3 The (BB)prudent sees the evil and hides himself,
But the [r]naive go on, and are punished for it.
4 The reward of humility and the [s]fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor and life.
5 (BC)Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards himself will be far from them.
6 (BD)Train up a child [t]in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The (BE)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.
8 He who (BF)sows iniquity will reap vanity,
And the (BG)rod of his fury will perish.
9 He who [u]is (BH)generous will be blessed,
For he (BI)gives some of his food to the poor.
10 (BJ)Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out,
Even strife and dishonor will cease.
11 He who loves (BK)purity of heart
And [v]whose speech is (BL)gracious, the king is his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.
13 The (BM)sluggard says, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of [w](BN)an adulteress is a deep pit;
He who is (BO)cursed of the Lord will fall [x]into it.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The (BP)rod of discipline will remove it far from him.
16 He (BQ)who oppresses the poor to make [y]more for himself
Or who gives to the rich, (BR)will only come to poverty.
17 (BS)Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your mind to my knowledge;
18 For it will be (BT)pleasant if you keep them within you,
[z]That they may be ready on your lips.
19 So that your (BU)trust may be in the Lord,
I have [aa]taught you today, even you.
20 Have I not written to you [ab](BV)excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you (BW)know the [ac]certainty of the words of truth
That you may [ad](BX)correctly answer him who sent you?
22 (BY)Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Or (BZ)crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 For the Lord will (CA)plead their case
And [ae]take the life of those who rob them.
24 Do not associate with a man given to anger;
Or go with a (CB)hot-tempered man,
25 Or you will (CC)learn his ways
And [af]find a snare for yourself.
26 Do not be among those who (CD)give [ag]pledges,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he (CE)take your bed from under you?
28 (CF)Do not move the ancient boundary
Which your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will (CG)stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men.
On Life and Conduct
23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider carefully [ah]what is before you,
2 And put a knife to your throat
If you are a (CH)man of great appetite.
3 Do not (CI)desire his delicacies,
For it is deceptive food.
4 (CJ)Do not weary yourself to gain wealth,
(CK)Cease from your [ai]consideration of it.
5 [aj]When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.
For (CL)wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
6 (CM)Do not eat the bread of [ak]a (CN)selfish man,
Or desire his delicacies;
7 For as he [al]thinks within himself, so he is.
He says to you, “Eat and drink!”
But (CO)his heart is not with you.
8 You will (CP)vomit up [am]the morsel you have eaten,
And waste your [an]compliments.
10 Do not move the ancient boundary
Or (CS)go into the fields of the fatherless,
11 For their (CT)Redeemer is strong;
(CU)He will plead their case against you.
12 Apply your heart to discipline
And your ears to words of knowledge.
13 (CV)Do not hold back discipline from the child,
Although you [ap]strike him with the rod, he will not die.
14 You shall [aq]strike him with the rod
And (CW)rescue his soul from Sheol.
15 My son, if your heart is (CX)wise,
My own heart also will be glad;
16 And my [ar]inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak (CY)what is right.
17 (CZ)Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But live in the [as](DA)fear of the Lord [at]always.
18 Surely there is a [au](DB)future,
And your (DC)hope will not be cut off.
19 Listen, my son, and (DD)be wise,
And (DE)direct your heart in the way.
20 Do not be with (DF)heavy drinkers of wine,
Or with (DG)gluttonous eaters of meat;
21 For the (DH)heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,
And (DI)drowsiness will clothe one with rags.
22 (DJ)Listen to your father who begot you,
And (DK)do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 (DL)Buy truth, and do not sell it,
Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And (DM)he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.
25 Let your (DN)father and your mother be glad,
And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.
26 (DO)Give me your heart, my son,
And let your eyes [av](DP)delight in my ways.
27 For a harlot is a (DQ)deep pit
And an [aw](DR)adulterous woman is a narrow well.
28 Surely she (DS)lurks as a robber,
And increases the [ax]faithless among men.
29 Who has (DT)woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who (DU)linger long over wine,
Those who go to [ay]taste (DV)mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it [az]sparkles in the cup,
When it (DW)goes down smoothly;
32 At the last it (DX)bites like a serpent
And stings like a (DY)viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things
And your [ba]mind will (DZ)utter perverse things.
34 And you will be like one who lies down in the [bb]middle of the sea,
Or like one who lies down on the top of a [bc]mast.
35 “They (EA)struck me, but I did not become [bd]ill;
They beat me, but I did not know it.
When shall I awake?
I will (EB)seek [be]another drink.”
Precepts and Warnings
24 Do not be (EC)envious of evil men,
Nor desire to (ED)be with them;
2 For their [bf]minds devise (EE)violence,
And their lips (EF)talk of trouble.
3 (EG)By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
4 And by knowledge the rooms are (EH)filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A (EI)wise man is [bg]strong,
And a man of knowledge [bh]increases power.
6 For (EJ)by wise guidance you will [bi]wage war,
And (EK)in abundance of counselors there is victory.
8 One who (EN)plans to do evil,
Men will call a [bj]schemer.
9 The (EO)devising of folly is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 If you (EP)are slack in the day of distress,
Your strength is limited.
11 (EQ)Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.
12 If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He not (ER)consider it (ES)who weighs the hearts?
And (ET)does He not know it who (EU)keeps your soul?
And will He not [bk](EV)render to man according to his work?
13 My son, eat (EW)honey, for it is good,
Yes, the (EX)honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;
14 Know that (EY)wisdom is thus for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a [bl](EZ)future,
And your hope will not be cut off.
15 (FA)Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;
16 For a (FB)righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the (FC)wicked stumble in time of calamity.
17 (FD)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18 Or the Lord will see it and [bm]be displeased,
And turn His anger away from him.
19 (FE)Do not fret because of evildoers
Or be (FF)envious of the wicked;
20 For (FG)there will be no [bn](FH)future for the evil man;
The (FI)lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My son, [bo](FJ)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not associate with those who are given to change,
22 For their (FK)calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?
23 These also are (FL)sayings of the wise.
To [bp](FM)show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 He (FN)who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
(FO)Peoples will curse him, nations will abhor him;
25 But (FP)to those who rebuke the wicked will be delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 He kisses the lips
Who gives [bq]a right answer.
27 Prepare your work outside
And (FQ)make it ready for yourself in the field;
Afterwards, then, build your house.
28 Do not be a (FR)witness against your neighbor without cause,
And (FS)do not deceive with your lips.
29 (FT)Do not say, “Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me;
I will [br]render to the man according to his work.”
30 I passed by the field of the sluggard
And by the vineyard of the man (FU)lacking [bs]sense,
31 And behold, it was completely (FV)overgrown with thistles;
Its surface was covered with [bt](FW)nettles,
And its stone (FX)wall was broken down.
32 When I saw, I [bu]reflected upon it;
I looked, and received instruction.
33 “(FY)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”
34 Then your poverty will come as [bv]a robber
And your want like [bw]an armed man.
Similitudes, Instructions
25 These also are (FZ)proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.
2 It is the glory of God to (GA)conceal a matter,
But the glory of (GB)kings is to search out a matter.
3 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take away the (GC)dross from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the (GD)smith;
5 Take away the (GE)wicked before the king,
And his (GF)throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not claim honor in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of great men;
7 For (GG)it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not go out (GH)hastily to [bx]argue your case;
[by]Otherwise, what will you do in [bz]the end,
When your neighbor humiliates you?
9 [ca](GI)Argue your case with your neighbor,
And (GJ)do not reveal the secret of another,
10 Or he who hears it will reproach you,
And the evil report about you will not [cb]pass away.
11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a (GK)word spoken in [cc]right circumstances.
12 Like [cd]an (GL)earring of gold and an (GM)ornament of (GN)fine gold
Is a wise reprover to a (GO)listening ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in the [ce]time of harvest
Is a (GP)faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Like (GQ)clouds and (GR)wind without rain
Is a man who boasts [cf]of his gifts falsely.
15 By [cg](GS)forbearance a ruler may be persuaded,
And a soft tongue breaks the bone.
16 Have you (GT)found honey? Eat only [ch]what you need,
That you not have it in excess and vomit it.
17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become [ci]weary of you and hate you.
18 Like a club and a (GU)sword and a sharp (GV)arrow
Is a man who bears (GW)false witness against his neighbor.
19 Like a bad tooth and [cj]an unsteady foot
Is confidence in a (GX)faithless man in time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on [ck]soda,
Is he who sings songs to [cl]a troubled heart.
21 (GY)If [cm]your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For you will [cn]heap burning coals on his head,
And (GZ)the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
And a [co](HA)backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.
24 It is (HB)better to live in a corner of the roof
Than [cp]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25 Like cold water to a weary soul,
So is (HC)good news from a distant land.
26 Like a (HD)trampled spring and a [cq]polluted well
Is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat much honey,
Nor is it glory to (HE)search out [cr]one’s own glory.
28 Like a (HF)city that is broken into and without walls
Is a man (HG)who has no control over his spirit.
Similitudes, Instructions
26 Like snow in summer and like (HH)rain in harvest,
So honor is not (HI)fitting for a fool.
2 Like a (HJ)sparrow in its [cs]flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
So a (HK)curse without cause does not [ct]alight.
3 A (HL)whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a (HM)rod for the back of fools.
4 (HN)Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Or you will also be like him.
5 (HO)Answer a fool as his folly deserves,
That he not be (HP)wise in his own eyes.
6 He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.
7 Like the legs which [cu]are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like [cv]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn which [cw]falls into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 [cx]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
11 Like (HQ)a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who (HR)repeats [cy]his folly.
12 Do you see a man (HS)wise in his own eyes?
(HT)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 The (HU)sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
A lion is [cz]in the open square!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the (HV)sluggard on his bed.
15 The (HW)sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.
16 The sluggard is (HX)wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can [da]give a discreet answer.
17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and [db]meddles with (HY)strife not belonging to him.
18 Like a madman who throws
(HZ)Firebrands, arrows and death,
19 So is the man who (IA)deceives his neighbor,
And says, “(IB)Was I not joking?”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no (IC)whisperer, (ID)contention quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a (IE)contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The (IF)words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [dc]innermost parts of the body.
23 Like an earthen (IG)vessel overlaid with silver (IH)dross
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 He who (II)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he lays up (IJ)deceit in his [dd]heart.
25 When [de]he (IK)speaks graciously, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred (IL)covers itself with guile,
His wickedness will be (IM)revealed before the assembly.
27 He who (IN)digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates [df]those it crushes,
And a (IO)flattering mouth works ruin.
Warnings and Instructions
27 (IP)Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you (IQ)do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 Let (IR)another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But (IS)who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is (IT)open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
6 Faithful are the (IU)wounds of a friend,
But [dg]deceitful are the (IV)kisses of an enemy.
7 A sated [dh]man [di]loathes honey,
But to a famished [dj]man any bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a (IW)bird that wanders from her nest,
So is a man who (IX)wanders from his [dk]home.
9 (IY)Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
So a [dl]man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.
10 Do not forsake your own (IZ)friend or (JA)your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.
11 (JB)Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
That I may (JC)reply to him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,
The [dm]naive proceed and pay the penalty.
13 (JD)Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;
And for an [dn]adulterous woman hold him in pledge.
14 (JE)He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be reckoned a curse to him.
15 A (JF)constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 He who would [do]restrain her [dp]restrains the wind,
And [dq]grasps oil with his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens another.
18 He who tends the (JG)fig tree will eat its fruit,
And he who (JH)cares for his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
So the heart of man reflects man.
20 [dr](JI)Sheol and [ds]Abaddon are (JJ)never satisfied,
Nor are the (JK)eyes of man ever satisfied.
21 The (JL)crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And each (JM)is tested by the praise accorded him.
22 Though you (JN)pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 (JO)Know well the [dt]condition of your flocks,
And pay attention to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a (JP)crown endure to all generations.
25 When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,
And the herbs of the mountains are (JQ)gathered in,
26 The lambs will be for your clothing,
And the goats will bring the price of a field,
27 And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your maidens.
Warnings and Instructions
28 The wicked (JR)flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are [du]bold as a lion.
2 By the transgression of a land (JS)many are its princes,
But (JT)by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.
3 A (JU)poor man who oppresses the lowly
Is like a driving rain [dv]which leaves no food.
4 Those who forsake the law (JV)praise the wicked,
But those who keep the law (JW)strive with them.
5 Evil men (JX)do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord (JY)understand all things.
6 (JZ)Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than he who is [dw]crooked though he be rich.
7 He who keeps the law is a discerning son,
But he who is a companion of (KA)gluttons humiliates his father.
8 He who increases his wealth by (KB)interest and usury
Gathers it (KC)for him who is gracious to the poor.
9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,
Even his (KD)prayer is an abomination.
10 He who leads the upright astray in an evil way
Will (KE)himself fall into his own pit,
But the (KF)blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich man is (KG)wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding [dx]sees through him.
12 When the (KH)righteous triumph, there is great glory,
But (KI)when the wicked rise, men [dy]hide themselves.
13 He who (KJ)conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But he who (KK)confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
14 How blessed is the man who (KL)fears always,
But he who (KM)hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like a (KN)roaring lion and a rushing bear
Is a (KO)wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A (KP)leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,
But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 A man who is (KQ)laden with the guilt of human blood
Will [dz]be a fugitive until death; let no one support him.
18 He who walks blamelessly will be delivered,
But he who is [ea](KR)crooked will fall all at once.
19 (KS)He who tills his land will (KT)have plenty of food,
But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.
20 A (KU)faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who (KV)makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To [eb](KW)show partiality is not good,
(KX)Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
22 A man with an (KY)evil eye (KZ)hastens after wealth
And does not know that want will come upon him.
23 He who (LA)rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
Than he who (LB)flatters with the tongue.
24 He who (LC)robs his father or his mother
And says, “It is not a transgression,”
Is the (LD)companion of a man who destroys.
25 An [ec]arrogant man (LE)stirs up strife,
But he who (LF)trusts in the Lord (LG)will [ed]prosper.
26 He who (LH)trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But he who walks wisely will be delivered.
27 He who (LI)gives to the poor will never want,
But he who [ee]shuts his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Warnings and Instructions
29 A man who hardens his neck after (LJ)much reproof
Will (LK)suddenly be broken [ef]beyond remedy.
2 When the (LL)righteous [eg]increase, the people rejoice,
But when a wicked man rules, people groan.
3 A man who (LM)loves wisdom makes his father glad,
But he who (LN)keeps company with harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The (LO)king gives stability to the land by justice,
But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.
5 A man who (LP)flatters his neighbor
Is spreading a net for his steps.
6 By transgression an evil man is (LQ)ensnared,
But the righteous (LR)sings and rejoices.
7 The (LS)righteous [eh]is concerned for the rights of the poor,
The wicked does not understand such [ei]concern.
8 Scorners (LT)set a city aflame,
But (LU)wise men turn away anger.
9 When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man,
[ej]The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.
10 Men of (LV)bloodshed hate the blameless,
But the upright [ek]are concerned for his life.
11 A (LW)fool [el]always loses his temper,
But a (LX)wise man holds it back.
12 If a (LY)ruler pays attention to falsehood,
All his ministers become wicked.
13 The (LZ)poor man and the oppressor [em]have this in common:
The Lord gives (MA)light to the eyes of both.
14 If a (MB)king judges the poor with truth,
His (MC)throne will be established forever.
15 The (MD)rod and reproof give wisdom,
But a child [en]who gets his own way (ME)brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked [eo]increase, transgression increases;
But the (MF)righteous will see their fall.
17 (MG)Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also [ep](MH)delight your soul.
18 Where there is (MI)no [eq]vision, the people (MJ)are unrestrained,
But (MK)happy is he who keeps the law.
19 A slave will not be instructed by words alone;
For though he understands, there will be no response.
20 Do you see a man who is (ML)hasty in his words?
There is (MM)more hope for a fool than for him.
21 He who pampers his slave from childhood
Will in the end find him to be a son.
22 An (MN)angry man stirs up strife,
And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
23 A man’s (MO)pride will bring him low,
But a (MP)humble spirit will obtain honor.
24 He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
He (MQ)hears the oath but tells nothing.
25 The (MR)fear of man [er]brings a snare,
But he who (MS)trusts in the Lord will be exalted.
26 (MT)Many seek the ruler’s [es]favor,
But (MU)justice for man comes from the Lord.
27 An (MV)unjust man is abominable to the righteous,
And he who is (MW)upright in the way is abominable to the wicked.
The Words of Agur
30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the [et]oracle.
The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 Surely I am more (MX)stupid than any man,
And I do not have the understanding of a man.
3 Neither have I learned wisdom,
Nor do I have the (MY)knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has (MZ)ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the (NA)wind in His fists?
Who has (NB)wrapped the waters in [eu]His garment?
Who has (NC)established all the ends of the earth?
What is His (ND)name or His son’s name?
Surely you know!
5 Every (NE)word of God is tested;
He is a (NF)shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 (NG)Do not add to His words
Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.
7 Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep deception and [ev]lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the (NH)food that is my portion,
9 That I not be (NI)full and deny (NJ)You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or that I not be (NK)in want and steal,
And (NL)profane the name of my God.
10 Do not slander a slave to his master,
Or he will (NM)curse you and you will be found guilty.
11 There is a [ew]kind of man who (NN)curses his father
And does not bless his mother.
12 There is a [ex]kind who is (NO)pure in his own eyes,
Yet is not washed from his filthiness.
13 There is a [ey]kind—oh how (NP)lofty are his eyes!
And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.
14 There is a [ez]kind of man whose (NQ)teeth are like swords
And his (NR)jaw teeth like knives,
To (NS)devour the afflicted from the earth
And the needy from among men.
15 The leech has two daughters,
“Give,” “Give.”
There are three things that will not be satisfied,
Four that will not say, “Enough”:
16 [fa](NT)Sheol, and the (NU)barren womb,
Earth that is never satisfied with water,
And fire that never says, “Enough.”
17 The eye that (NV)mocks a father
And [fb](NW)scorns a mother,
The (NX)ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young (NY)eagles will eat it.
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Four which I do not understand:
19 The way of an (NZ)eagle in the sky,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,
And the way of a man with a maid.
20 This is the way of an (OA)adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wrong.”
21 Under three things the earth quakes,
And under four, it cannot bear up:
22 Under a (OB)slave when he becomes king,
And a fool when he is satisfied with food,
23 Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband,
And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.
24 Four things are small on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25 The (OC)ants are not a strong people,
But they prepare their food in the summer;
26 The [fc](OD)shephanim are not mighty people,
Yet they make their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king,
Yet all of them go out in (OE)ranks;
28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands,
Yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29 There are three things which are stately in their march,
Even four which are stately when they walk:
30 The lion which is (OF)mighty among beasts
And does not [fd](OG)retreat before any,
31 The [fe]strutting rooster, the male goat also,
And a king when his army is with him.
32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself
Or if you have plotted evil, (OH)put your hand on your mouth.
33 For the [ff]churning of milk produces butter,
And pressing the nose brings forth blood;
So the [fg]churning of (OI)anger produces strife.
The Words of Lemuel
31 The words of King Lemuel, the [fh]oracle which his mother taught him:
2 What, O my son?
And what, O (OJ)son of my womb?
And what, O son of my (OK)vows?
3 (OL)Do not give your strength to women,
Or your ways to that which (OM)destroys kings.
4 It is not for (ON)kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to (OO)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
5 For they will drink and forget what is decreed,
And (OP)pervert the [fi]rights of all the [fj]afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is (OQ)perishing,
And wine to him [fk](OR)whose life is bitter.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty
And remember his trouble no more.
8 (OS)Open your mouth for the mute,
For the [fl]rights of all the [fm]unfortunate.
9 Open your mouth, (OT)judge righteously,
And [fn]defend the (OU)rights of the afflicted and needy.
Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An (OV)excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far (OW)above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her [fo]hands [fp]in delight.
14 She is like (OX)merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She (OY)rises also while it is still night
And (OZ)gives food to her household
And [fq]portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [fr]her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She (PA)girds [fs]herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her [ft]hands grasp the spindle.
20 She [fu](PB)extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are (PC)clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes (PD)coverings for herself;
Her clothing is (PE)fine linen and (PF)purple.
23 Her husband is known (PG)in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes (PH)linen garments and sells them,
And [fv]supplies belts to the [fw]tradesmen.
25 Strength and (PI)dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the [fx]future.
26 She (PJ)opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the [fy]teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the (PK)bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who [fz](PL)fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the [ga]product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
The Futility of All Endeavor
1 The words of the (PM)Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
3 (PO)What advantage does man have in all his work
Which he does under the sun?
4 A generation goes and a generation comes,
But the (PP)earth [ge]remains forever.
5 Also, (PQ)the sun rises and the sun sets;
And [gf]hastening to its place it rises there again.
6 [gg](PR)Blowing toward the south,
Then turning toward the north,
The wind continues [gh]swirling along;
And on its circular courses the wind returns.
7 All the rivers [gi]flow into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full.
To the place where the rivers [gj]flow,
There they [gk]flow again.
8 All things are wearisome;
Man is not able to tell it.
(PS)The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
9 (PT)That which has been is that which will be,
And that which has been done is that which will be done.
So there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one might say,
“See this, it is new”?
Already it has existed for ages
Which were before us.
11 There is (PU)no remembrance of [gl]earlier things;
And also of the [gm]later things which will occur,
There will be for them no remembrance
Among those who will come [gn]later still.
The Futility of Wisdom
12 I, the (PV)Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I (PW)set my [go]mind to seek and (PX)explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is [gp]a grievous (PY)task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. 14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is [gq](PZ)vanity and striving after wind. 15 What is (QA)crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I [gr]said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased (QB)wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my [gs]mind has observed [gt]a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I (QC)set my [gu]mind to know wisdom and to (QD)know madness and folly; I realized that this also is (QE)striving after wind. 18 Because (QF)in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.
The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions
2 I said [gv]to myself, “Come now, I will test you with (QG)pleasure. So [gw]enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. 2 (QH)I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” 3 I explored with my [gx]mind how to (QI)stimulate my body with wine while my [gy]mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of (QJ)folly, until I could see (QK)what good there is for the sons of men [gz]to do under heaven the few [ha]years of their lives. 4 I enlarged my works: I (QL)built houses for myself, I planted (QM)vineyards for myself; 5 I made (QN)gardens and (QO)parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made (QP)ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and I had [hb](QQ)homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and (QR)herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 Also, I collected for myself silver and (QS)gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself (QT)male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines.
9 Then I became (QU)great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 (QV)All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my (QW)reward for all my labor. 11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had [hc]exerted, and behold all was [hd](QX)vanity and striving after wind and there was (QY)no profit under the sun.
Wisdom Excels Folly
12 So I turned to (QZ)consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except (RA)what has already been done? 13 And I saw that (RB)wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. 14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the (RC)fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that (RD)one fate befalls them both. 15 Then I said [he]to myself, “(RE)As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. (RF)Why then have I been extremely wise?” So [hf]I said to myself, “This too is vanity.” 16 For there is (RG)no [hg]lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And (RH)how the wise man and the fool alike die! 17 So I (RI)hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was [hh]grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.
The Futility of Labor
18 Thus I hated (RJ)all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must (RK)leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or (RL)a fool? Yet he will have [hi]control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is (RM)vanity. 20 Therefore I [hj]completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and (RN)skill, then he (RO)gives his [hk]legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what does a man get in (RP)all his labor and in [hl]his striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 Because all his days his task is painful and (RQ)grievous; even at night his [hm]mind (RR)does not rest. This too is vanity.
24 There is (RS)nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and [hn]tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is (RT)from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without [ho]Him? 26 For to a person who is good in His sight (RU)He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may (RV)give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is (RW)vanity and striving after wind.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.