Bible in 90 Days
22 Don’t ever say, “I’ll pay them back for what they did to me!” Wait for the Lord. He will make things right.
23 The Lord hates for people to use the wrong weights to cheat others. It is wrong to use scales that are not accurate.
24 The Lord guides our steps, and we never know where he will lead us.[a]
25 Think carefully before you promise to give something to God. Later, you might wish you had not made that promise.
26 Like a farmer who separates wheat from the chaff, a wise king will decide who is wrong and crush them.
27 Your spirit is like a lamp to the Lord. He is able to see into your deepest parts.[b]
28 A king who is loyal and true will keep his power. Loyalty will keep his kingdom strong.
29 We admire a young man for his strength, but we respect an old man for his gray hair.
30 A beating can remove evil and make you completely clean.[c]
21 To the Lord, a king’s mind is like a ditch used to water the fields. He can lead the king wherever he wants him to go.
2 People think that whatever they do is right, but the Lord judges the reasons for everything they do.
3 Do what is right and fair. The Lord loves that more than sacrifices.
4 Proud looks and proud thoughts are sins. They show a person is evil.
5 Careful planning leads to profit. Acting too quickly leads to poverty.
6 Wealth that comes from telling lies disappears quickly and leads to death.
7 The bad things that evil people do will destroy them, because they refuse to do what is right.
8 Criminals cause trouble wherever they go, but good people are honest and fair.
9 It is better to live in a small corner on the roof than to share the house with a woman who is always arguing.
10 Evil people always want to do more evil, and they show no mercy to people around them.
11 When you punish a proud person who laughs at what is right, even fools will learn something.[d] But a little instruction is enough for the wise to learn what they should.
12 God is good. He knows what the wicked are doing, and he will punish them.
13 Those who refuse to help the poor will not receive help when they need it themselves.
14 If anyone is angry with you, give them a gift in private. A gift given in secret will calm even the strongest anger.
15 A decision that is fair makes good people happy, but it makes those who are evil very afraid.
16 Whoever leaves the path of wisdom will be on their way to an early death.
17 Loving pleasure leads to poverty. Wine and luxury will never make you wealthy.
18 The wicked must pay for what happens to good people—the cheaters will be taken in exchange for the honest.
19 It is better to live alone in the desert than with a quick-tempered wife who loves to argue.
20 Wise people save the nice things they have. Fools use up everything as soon as they get it.
21 People who try hard to do good and be faithful will find life, goodness, and honor.
22 A wise person can defeat a city full of warriors and tear down the defenses they trust in.
23 People who are careful about what they say will save themselves from trouble.
24 Proud people think they are better than others. They show they are evil by what they do.
25 Lazy people will cause their own destruction because they refuse to work.
26 Some people are greedy and never have enough. Good people are generous and have plenty.
27 God hates sacrifices from the wicked, especially when their reason for offering them is evil.
28 Witnesses who lie will be caught and punished. A careful listener will always be there to speak up.
29 Good people know they are right, but the wicked have to pretend.
30 There is no one wise enough to make a plan that can succeed if the Lord is against it.
31 You can prepare your horses for battle, but only the Lord can give you the victory.
22 It is better to be respected than to be rich. A good name is worth more than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor are the same. The Lord made them all.
3 Wise people see trouble coming and get out of its way, but fools go straight to it and suffer for it.
4 Respect the Lord and be humble. Then you will have wealth, honor, and true life.
5 Evil people are trapped by many troubles, but those who want to live avoid them.
6 Teach children in a way that fits their needs, and even when they are old, they will not leave the right path.
7 The rich rule over the poor. The one who borrows is a slave to the one who lends.
8 Those who spread trouble will harvest trouble. In the end, they will be destroyed for the trouble they caused.
9 Generous people will be blessed, because they share their food with the poor.
10 Get rid of the proud who laugh at what is right, and trouble will leave with them. All arguments and insults will end.
11 Love a pure heart and kind words, and the king will be your friend.
12 The Lord watches over true knowledge, and he opposes those who try to deceive others.
13 A person who is lazy and wants to stay home says, “There is a lion outside, and I might be killed in the streets!”
14 The sin of adultery is a trap, and the Lord gets very angry with those who fall into it.
15 Children do foolish things, but if you punish them, they will learn not to do them.
16 These two things will make you poor: hurting the poor to make yourself rich and giving gifts to the rich.
Thirty Wise Sayings
17 Listen carefully to these words from the wise. Pay attention to what I have learned. 18 It will be good for you to remember these words and have them ready when they are needed. 19 I will teach you these things now. I want you to trust the Lord. 20 I have written 30 sayings for you.[e] These are words of advice and wisdom. 21 They will teach you things that you can know for sure to be true. Then you can give good answers to the one who sent you.
— 1 —
22 It is easy to steal from the poor, but don’t do it. And don’t take advantage of them in court. 23 The Lord is on their side. He supports the poor, and he will take from those who take from them.
— 2 —
24 Don’t be friends with people who become angry easily. Don’t stay around quick-tempered people. 25 If you do, you may learn to be like them. Then you will have the same problems they do.
— 3 —
26 Don’t promise to pay someone else’s debt. 27 If you cannot pay, you will lose everything you have. So why should you lose the bed you sleep on?
— 4 —
28 Never move an old property line that was marked long ago by your ancestors.
— 5 —
29 Skilled workers will always serve kings. They will never have to work for less important people.
— 6 —
23 When you sit and eat with an important person, remember who you are with. 2 Never eat too much, even if you are very hungry. 3 Don’t eat too much of his fine food. It might be a trick.
— 7 —
4 Don’t ruin your health trying to get rich. If you are smart, you will give it up. 5 In the blink of an eye, money can disappear, as if it grew wings and flew away like a bird.
— 8 —
6 Don’t eat with selfish people. Control any desire you have for their finest foods. 7 They might tell you to eat and drink all you want, but they don’t really mean it. They are the kind of people who are only thinking about the cost. 8 And if you eat their food, you will get sick and be embarrassed.
— 9 —
9 Don’t try to teach fools. They will make fun of your wise words.
— 10 —
10 Never move an old property line, and don’t take land that belongs to orphans. 11 The Lord will be against you. He is powerful and protects orphans.
— 11 —
12 Listen to your teacher and learn all you can.
— 12 —
13 Always correct children when they need it. If you spank them, it will not kill them. 14 In fact, you might save their lives.
— 13 —
15 My son, it makes me happy when you make a wise decision. 16 It makes me feel good inside when you say the right things.
— 14 —
17 Never envy evil people, but always respect the Lord. 18 This will give you something to hope for that will not disappoint you.
— 15 —
19 So listen, my son, and be wise. Always be careful to follow the right path. 20 Don’t make friends with people who drink too much wine and eat too much food. 21 Those who eat and drink too much become poor. They sleep too much and end up wearing rags.
— 16 —
22 Listen to your father. Without him, you would never have been born. Respect your mother, even when she is old. 23 Truth, wisdom, learning, and understanding are worth paying money for. They are worth far too much to ever sell. 24 The father of a good person is very happy. A wise child brings him joy. 25 Make both of your parents happy. Give your mother that same joy.
— 17 —
26 My son, listen closely to what I am saying. Let my life be your example. 27 Prostitutes and bad women are a trap. They are like a deep well that you cannot escape. 28 A bad woman waits for you like a thief, and she causes many men to be unfaithful to their wives.
— 18 —
29-30 Who gets into fights and arguments? Who gets hurt for no reason and has red, bloodshot eyes? People who stay out too late drinking wine, staring into their strong drinks.
31 So be careful with wine. It is pretty and red as it sparkles in the cup. And it goes down so smoothly when you drink it. 32 But in the end, it will bite like a snake.
33 Wine will cause you to see strange things and to say things that make no sense. 34 When you lie down, you will think you are on a rough sea and feel like you are at the top of the mast. 35 You will say, “They hit me, but I never felt it. They beat me, but I don’t remember it. Now I can’t wake up. I need another drink.”
— 19 —
24 Don’t be jealous of evil people. Have no desire to be around them. 2 In their hearts they plan to do evil. All they talk about is making trouble.
— 20 —
3 Good homes are built on wisdom and understanding. 4 Knowledge fills the rooms with rare and beautiful treasures.
— 21 —
5 Wisdom makes a man more powerful. Knowledge gives a man strength. 6 Get good advice before you start a war. To win, you must have many good advisors.
— 22 —
7 Fools cannot understand wisdom. They have nothing to say when people are discussing important things.
— 23 —
8 If you start planning ways to do wrong, people will learn that you are a troublemaker. 9 Such foolish plans are wrong, and people have no respect for someone who laughs at what is right.
— 24 —
10 If you are weak in times of trouble, that is real weakness.
— 25 —
11 If you see someone on their way to death or in danger of being killed, you must do something to save them. 12 You cannot say, “It’s none of my business.” The Lord knows everything, and he knows why you do things. He watches you, and he will pay you back for what you do.
— 26 —
13 My son, eat honey; it is good. Honey straight from the honeycomb is the sweetest. 14 In the same way, know that wisdom is good for you. Wisdom will give you something to hope for that will not disappoint you.
— 27 —
15 Don’t be like a criminal who makes plans to rob those who are good or take away their homes. 16 Good people might fall again and again, but they always get up. It is the wicked who are defeated by their troubles.
— 28 —
17 Don’t be happy when your enemy has troubles. Don’t be glad when they fall. 18 The Lord will see this, and he might be upset with you and decide not to punish your enemy.
— 29 —
19 Don’t let those who are evil upset you, and don’t be jealous of them. 20 They have no hope. Their light will burn out.
— 30 —
21 Son, respect the Lord and the king, and don’t join with those who are against them, 22 because people like that can quickly be destroyed. You have no idea how much trouble God and the king can make for their enemies.
More Wise Sayings
23 These are also words from the wise:
A judge must be fair. He must not support some people simply because he knows them. 24 The people will turn against a judge who lets the guilty go free. Even the people of other nations will curse him. 25 But if a judge punishes the guilty, then people will be happy with him, and he will be a blessing to them.
26 An honest answer is as pleasing as a kiss on the lips.
27 First get your fields ready, next plant your crops, and then build your house.
28 Don’t speak against someone without a good reason, or you will appear foolish.
29 Don’t say, “You hurt me, so I will do the same to you. I will punish you for what you did to me.”
30 I walked past a field that belonged to a lazy man. It was a vineyard that belonged to someone who understood nothing. 31 Weeds were growing everywhere! Wild vines covered the ground, and the wall around the vineyard was broken and falling down. 32 I looked at this and thought about it. This is what I learned: 33 a little sleep, a little rest, folding your arms, and taking a nap— 34 these things will make you poor very quickly. Soon you will have nothing, as if a thief broke in and took everything away.
More Wise Sayings From Solomon
25 These are some more wise sayings from Solomon. These proverbs were copied by servants of Hezekiah, the king of Judah.
2 We honor God for the things he keeps secret. But we honor kings for the things they can discover.
3 We cannot discover how high the sky is above us or how deep the earth is below. The same is true with the minds of kings. We cannot understand them.
4 Remove the worthless things from silver to make it pure, and a worker can make something beautiful. 5 Take the evil advisors away from a king, and goodness will make his kingdom strong.
6 Don’t brag about yourself before the king and pretend you are someone important. 7 It is much better for the king to invite you to take a more important position than to embarrass you in front of his officials.
8 Don’t be too quick to tell a judge about something you saw. You will be embarrassed if someone else proves you wrong.
9 If you want to tell your friends about your own problems, tell them. But don’t discuss what someone told you in private. 10 Whoever hears it will lose their respect for you and will never trust you again.
11 Saying the right thing at the right time is like a golden apple in a silver setting. 12 Wise advice to a listening ear is like gold earrings or fine jewelry.
13 To his master who sent him, a messenger who can be trusted is as refreshing as a drink of cold water on a hot summer day.[f]
14 People who promise to give gifts but never give them are like clouds and wind that bring no rain.
15 With patience, you can make anyone change their thinking, even a ruler. Gentle speech is very powerful.
16 Honey is good, but don’t eat too much of it, or you will be sick. 17 And don’t visit your neighbors’ homes too often, or they will begin to hate you.
18 A person who gives false testimony against a neighbor is as deadly as a club, a sword, or a very sharp arrow. 19 Never depend on a liar in times of trouble. It’s like chewing with a bad tooth or walking with a crippled foot.
20 Singing happy songs to a sad person is as foolish as taking a coat off on a cold day or mixing soda and vinegar.
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat. If they are thirsty, give them some water. 22 This will make them feel the burning pain of shame,[g] and the Lord will reward you for being good to them.
23 Just as wind blowing from the north brings rain, telling secrets brings anger.
24 It is better to live in a small corner of the roof than to share the house with a woman who is always arguing.
25 Good news from a faraway place is like a cool drink of water when you are hot and thirsty.
26 Good people who don’t stand strong against evil are like springs that have been polluted or pools that have turned dirty and muddy.
27 Just as eating too much honey is not good, it is not good for people to always be looking for honor.
28 People who cannot control themselves are like cities without walls to protect them.
Wise Sayings About Fools
26 Just as snow should not fall in summer, nor rain at harvest time, so people should not honor a fool.
2 Don’t worry when someone curses you for no reason. Nothing bad will happen. Such words are like birds that fly past and never stop.
3 You have to whip a horse, you have to put a bridle on a mule, and you have to beat a fool.
4-5 There is no good way to answer fools when they say something stupid. If you answer them, then you, too, will look like a fool. If you don’t answer them, they will think they are smart.
6 Never let a fool carry your message. If you do, it will be like cutting off your own feet. You are only asking for trouble.
7 A fool trying to say something wise is like a crippled person trying to walk.
8 Showing honor to a fool is as bad as tying a rock in a sling.
9 A fool trying to say something wise is like a drunk trying to pick a thorn out of his hand.
10 Hiring a fool or a stranger who is just passing by is dangerous—you don’t know who might get hurt.
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit, a fool does the same foolish things again and again.
12 People who think they are wise when they are not are worse than fools.
13 A person who is lazy and wants to stay home says, “What if there is a lion out there? Really, there might be a lion in the street!”
14 Like a door on its hinges, a lazy man turns back and forth on his bed.
15 Lazy people are too lazy to lift the food from their plate to their mouth.
16 Lazy people think they are seven times smarter than the people who really have good sense.
17 To step between two people arguing is as foolish as going out into the street and grabbing a stray dog by the ears.
18-19 Anyone who would trick someone and then say, “I was only joking” is like a fool who shoots flaming arrows into the air and accidentally kills someone.
20 Without wood, a fire goes out. Without gossip, arguments stop.
21 Charcoal keeps the coals glowing, wood keeps the fire burning, and troublemakers keep arguments alive.
22 People love to hear gossip. It is like tasty food on its way to the stomach.
23 Good words that hide an evil heart are like silver paint over a cheap, clay pot. 24 Evil people say things to make themselves look good, but they keep their evil plans a secret. 25 What they say sounds good, but don’t trust them. They are full of evil ideas. 26 They hide their evil plans with nice words, but in the end, everyone will see the evil they do.
27 Whoever digs a pit can fall into it. Whoever rolls a large stone can be crushed by it.
28 Liars hate the people they hurt, and false praise can hurt people.
27 Never brag about what you will do in the future; you have no idea what tomorrow will bring.
2 Never praise yourself. Let others do it.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand is hard to carry, but the irritation caused by a fool is much harder to bear.
4 Anger is cruel and can destroy like a flood, but jealousy is much worse.
5 Open criticism is better than hidden love.
6 You can trust what your friend says, even when it hurts. But your enemies want to hurt you, even when they act nice.
7 When you are full, you will not even eat honey. When you are hungry, even something bitter tastes sweet.
8 A man away from home is like a bird away from its nest.
9 Perfume and incense make you feel good, and so does good advice from a friend.
10 Don’t forget your own friends or your father’s friends. If you have a problem, go to your neighbor for help. It is better to ask a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.
11 My son, be wise. This will make me happy. Then I will be able to answer those who criticize me.
12 Wise people see trouble coming and get out of its way, but fools go straight to the trouble and suffer for it.
13 When you make a deal with a stranger, get something from him and any other foreigners with him to make sure he will pay you.
14 Don’t wake up your neighbors early in the morning with a shout of “Good morning!” They will treat it like a curse, not a blessing.
15 A complaining wife is like water that never stops dripping on a rainy day. 16 Stopping her is like trying to stop the wind or trying to hold oil in your hand.
17 As one piece of iron sharpens another, so friends keep each other sharp.
18 People who take care of fig trees are allowed to eat the fruit. In the same way, people who take care of their masters will be rewarded.
19 Just as you can see your own face reflected in water, so your heart reflects the kind of person you are.
20 Just as the place of death and destruction is never full, people always want more and more.
21 People use fire to purify gold and silver. In the same way, you are tested by the praise people give you.
22 Even if you pound fools to powder like grain in a bowl, you will never force the foolishness out of them.
23 Learn all you can about your sheep. Take care of your goats the best you can. 24 Neither wealth nor nations last forever. 25 Cut the hay, and new grass will grow. Then gather the new plants that grow on the hills. 26 Cut the wool from your lambs, and make your clothes. Sell some of your goats, and buy some land. 27 Then there will be plenty of goat’s milk for you and your family, with enough to keep the servants healthy.
28 The wicked are afraid of everything, but those who live right are as brave as lions.
2 A lawless nation will have many bad leaders. But a smart leader will rule for a long time in a land where people obey the law.
3 A leader who takes advantage of the poor is like a hard rain that destroys the crops.[h]
4 Those who refuse to obey the law promote evil. Those who obey the law oppose evil.
5 The wicked don’t understand justice, but those who love the Lord understand it completely.
6 It is better to be poor and honest than rich and evil.
7 A smart son obeys the laws, but a son who spends time with worthless people brings shame to his father.
8 If you get rich by charging high interest rates, your wealth will go to someone who is kind to the poor.
9 When people do not listen to God’s teachings, he does not listen to their prayers.
10 Those who plan to hurt good people will fall into their own traps, but good things will happen to those who are good.
11 The rich always think they are wise, but a poor person who is wise can see the truth.
12 When good people become leaders, everything is great, but when the wicked rise to power, everyone hides.
13 Whoever hides their sins will not be successful, but whoever confesses their sins and stops doing wrong will receive mercy.
14 People who respect others will be blessed, but stubborn people will have plenty of troubles.
15 An evil ruler over those who are helpless is like an angry lion or a charging bear.
16 A foolish ruler hurts the people under him, but a ruler who hates wrong will rule for a long time.
17 A murderer will never have peace. Don’t support such a person.
18 Honest people will be safe, but dishonest people will be ruined.
19 Whoever works hard will have plenty to eat, but whoever wastes their time with dreams will always be poor.
20 People who can be trusted will have many blessings, but those who are just trying to get rich in a hurry will be punished.
21 It is wrong for a judge to support someone simply because he knows them. But some judges will change their decisions for the price of a loaf of bread.
22 Selfish people only want to get rich. They do not realize that they are very close to being poor.
23 Correct someone, and later they will thank you. That is much better than just saying something to be nice.
24 Someone might steal from their parents and say, “I did nothing wrong.” But that person is as bad as an enemy who smashes everything in the house.
25 Greedy people might sue you in court, but those who trust the Lord are rewarded.
26 It is foolish to be too confident. Those who ask for advice are wise and will escape disaster.
27 Whoever gives to the poor will have plenty. Whoever refuses to help them will get nothing but curses.
28 When the wicked rise to power, everyone hides. When they are defeated, good people multiply.
29 Some people refuse to bend when someone corrects them. Eventually they will break, and there will be no one to repair the damage.
2 When the rulers are good, the people are happy. When the rulers are evil, the people complain.
3 A son who loves wisdom makes his father happy. One who wastes his money on prostitutes will lose his wealth.
4 A nation will be strong when it has a fair and just king. A nation will be weak when it has a king who is selfish and demands gifts.
5 If you give false praise to others in order to get what you want, you are only setting a trap for yourself.
6 Evil people are defeated by their sin, but good people will sing and be happy.
7 Good people want to do what is right for the poor, but the wicked don’t care.
8 Proud people who laugh at what is right cause problems that divide whole cities, but people who are wise are able to calm those who are angry.
9 If someone who is wise tries to settle a problem with a fool, the fool will argue and say stupid things, and they will never agree.
10 If you always try to be honest, murderers will hate you, but those who do what is right will want you to be their friend.
11 Fools are quick to express their anger, but wise people are patient and control themselves.
12 If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be evil.
13 In one way the poor and those who steal from them are the same—the Lord made them both.
14 If a king judges the poor fairly, he will rule for a long time.
15 Punishment and discipline can make children wise, but children who are never corrected will bring shame to their mother.
16 If the wicked are ruling the nation, sin will be everywhere, but those who live right will win in the end.
17 Correct your children whenever they are wrong. Then you will always be proud of them. They will never make you ashamed.
18 If a nation is not guided by God, the people will lose self-control, but the nation that obeys God’s law will be happy.
19 Servants will not learn a lesson if you only talk to them. They might understand you, but they will not obey.
20 There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.
21 Give your servants everything they want, and they will learn to be wasteful.
22 An angry person causes arguments, and someone who is quick-tempered is guilty of many sins.
23 Your pride can bring you down. Humility will bring you honor.
24 You are your own worst enemy if you take part in a crime. You will not be able to tell the truth even when people threaten you.
25 Fear can be a trap, but if you trust in the Lord, you will be safe.
26 Many people want the friendship of a ruler, but the Lord is the only one who judges people fairly.
27 Good people think the wicked are disgusting, and the wicked feel disgust for those who are honest.
Wise Sayings of Agur Son of Jakeh
30 These are the wise sayings of Agur son of Jakeh from Massa. He says, “God, I am tired, so tired. How can I keep going?”[i]
2 I am stupid. I am not as smart as other people are. 3 I have not learned to be wise. I know nothing about the Holy One.[j] 4 Who has ever gone up to heaven and come back down? Who gathered the winds in his hand? Who can gather up all the water in his lap? Who set the limits for the world? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Do you know?
5 You can trust this: Every word that God speaks is true. God is a safe place for those who go to him. 6 So don’t try to change what God says. If you do, he will punish you and prove that you are a liar.
7 God, I ask you to do two things for me before I die. 8 Don’t let me tell lies. And don’t make me too rich or too poor—give me only enough food for each day. 9 If I have too much, I might deny that I need you, Lord. But if I am too poor, I might steal and bring shame to the name of my God.
10 Never say bad things about a slave to his master. If you do, he will curse you, and you will suffer for it.
11 Some people curse their fathers and refuse to bless their mothers.
12 Some people think they are pure, but they have done nothing to remove the filth of their sin.
13 Some people are so proud of themselves, and they look down on everyone else.
14 There are people whose teeth are like swords and their jaws like knives. They take everything they can from the poor.
15 Greedy people know only two things[k]: “Give me,” and “Give me.” There are three other things that are never satisfied—really, four things that never have enough: 16 the place of death, a woman with no children, dry ground that needs rain, and a fire that will never stop by itself.
17 People who make fun of their father or refuse to obey their mother should have their eyes plucked out by wild birds and be eaten by vultures.
18 There are three things that are hard for me to understand—really, four things that I don’t understand: 19 an eagle flying in the sky, a snake moving on a rock, a ship moving across the ocean, and a man in love with a woman.
20 A woman who is not faithful to her husband acts innocent. She eats, wipes her mouth, and says she has done nothing wrong.
21 There are three things that make trouble on the earth—really, four that the earth cannot bear: 22 a slave who becomes a king, fools who have everything they need, 23 a woman whose husband hated her but still married her, and a servant girl who becomes ruler over the woman she serves.
24 There are four things on the earth that are small but very wise:
25 Ants are small and weak, but they save their food all summer;
26 badgers are small animals, but they make their homes in the rocks;
27 locusts have no king, but they are able to work together;
28 lizards are small enough to catch with your hands, but you can find them living in kings’ palaces.
29 There are three things that act important when they walk—really, there are four:
30 a lion—he is the warrior of the animals and runs from nothing,
31 a rooster walking proudly,[l]
a goat,
and a king among his people.
32 If you have been foolish enough to become proud and make plans against other people, stop and think about what you are doing.
33 Stirring milk causes butter to form. Hitting someone’s nose causes blood to flow. And making people angry causes trouble.
Wise Words for a King
31 These are the wise sayings that King Lemuel’s mother taught him:
2 I prayed for a son, and you are the son I gave birth to. 3 Don’t waste your strength on women. Women destroy kings, so don’t waste yourself on them. 4 Lemuel, it is not wise for kings to drink wine. It is not wise for rulers to want beer. 5 They may drink too much and forget what the law says. Then they might take away the rights of the poor. 6 Give beer to people without hope. Give wine to those who are in trouble. 7 Let them drink to forget their troubles. Let them forget they are poor.
8 Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Help people who are in trouble. 9 Stand up for what you know is right, and judge all people fairly. Protect the rights of the poor and those who need help.
The Perfect Wife
10 [m] How hard it is to find the perfect wife.[n]
She is worth far more than jewels.
11 Her husband depends on her.
He will never be poor.
12 She does good for her husband all her life.
She never causes him trouble.
13 She is always gathering wool and flax[o]
and enjoys making things with her hands.
14 She is like a ship from a faraway place.
She brings home food from everywhere.
15 She wakes up early in the morning,
cooks food for her family, and gives the servants their share.
16 She looks at land and buys it.
She uses the money she has earned and plants a vineyard.
17 She works very hard.
She is strong and able to do all her work.
18 She works late into the night
to make sure her business earns a profit.
19 She makes her own thread
and weaves her own cloth.
20 She always gives to the poor
and helps those who need it.
21 She does not worry about her family when it snows.
She has given them all good, warm clothes.
22 She makes sheets and spreads for the beds,
and she wears clothes of fine linen.
23 Her husband is a respected member of the city council,
where he meets with the other leaders.
24 She makes clothes and belts
and sells them to the merchants.
25 She is a strong person,[p] and people respect her.
She looks to the future with confidence.
26 She speaks with wisdom
and teaches others to be loving and kind.
27 She oversees the care of her house.
She is never lazy.
28 Her children say good things about her.
Her husband brags about her and says,
29 “There are many good women,
but you are the best.”
30 Grace and beauty can fool you,
but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised.
31 Give her the reward she deserves.
Praise her in public for what she has done.
1 These are the words from the Teacher, a son of David and king of Jerusalem.
2 Everything is so meaningless. The Teacher says that it is all a waste of time![q] 3 Do people really gain anything from all the hard work they do in this life[r]?
Things Never Change
4 People live and people die, but the earth continues forever. 5 The sun rises and the sun goes down, and then it hurries to rise again in the same place.
6 The wind blows to the south, and the wind blows to the north. The wind blows around and around. Then it turns and blows back to the place it began.
7 All rivers flow again and again to the same place. They all flow to the sea, but the sea never becomes full.
8 Words cannot fully explain things,[s] but people continue speaking.[t] Words come again and again to our ears, but our ears don’t become full. And our eyes don’t become full of what we see.
Nothing Is New
9 All things continue the way they have been since the beginning. The same things will be done that have always been done. There is nothing new in this life.
10 Someone might say, “Look, this is new,” but that thing has always been here. It was here before we were.
11 People don’t remember what happened long ago. In the future, they will not remember what is happening now. And later, other people will not remember what the people before them did.
Does Wisdom Bring Happiness?
12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I decided to study and to use my wisdom to learn about everything that is done in this life. I learned that it is a very hard thing that God has given us to do. 14 I looked at everything done on earth, and I saw that it is all a waste of time. It is like trying to catch the wind.[u] 15 If something is crooked, you cannot say it is straight. And if something is missing, you cannot say it is there.
16 I said to myself, “I am very wise. I am wiser than all the kings who ruled Jerusalem before me. I know what wisdom and knowledge really are.”
17 I decided to learn how wisdom and knowledge are better than thinking foolish thoughts. But I learned that trying to become wise is like trying to catch the wind. 18 With much wisdom comes frustration. The one who gains more wisdom also gains more sorrow.
Does “Having Fun” Bring Happiness?
2 I said to myself, “I should have fun—I should enjoy everything as much as I can.” But I learned that this is also useless. 2 It is foolish to laugh all the time. Having fun does not do any good.
3 So I decided to fill my body with wine while I filled my mind with wisdom. I tried this foolishness because I wanted to find a way to be happy. I wanted to see what was good for people to do during their few days of life.
Does Hard Work Bring Happiness?
4 Then I began doing great things. I built houses, and I planted vineyards for myself. 5 I planted gardens, and I made parks. I planted all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made pools of water for myself, and I used them to water my growing trees. 7 I bought men and women slaves, and there were slaves born in my house. I owned many great things. I had herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. I owned more things than any other person in Jerusalem did.
8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself. I took treasures from kings and their nations. I had men and women singing for me. I had everything any man could want.
9 I became very rich and famous. I was greater than anyone who lived in Jerusalem before me. My wisdom was always there to help me. 10 Anything my eyes saw and wanted, I got for myself. My mind was pleased with everything I did. And this happiness was the reward for all my hard work.
11 But then I looked at everything I had done and the wealth I had gained. I decided it was all a waste of time! It was like trying to catch the wind.[v] There is nothing to gain from anything we do in this life.[w]
Maybe Wisdom Is the Answer
12 Then I decided to think about what it means to be wise or to be foolish or to do crazy things. And I thought about the one who will be the next king. The new king will do the same as the kings before him.[x] 13 I saw that wisdom is better than foolishness in the same way that light is better than darkness. 14 Wise people use their minds like eyes to see where they are going. But for fools, it is as if they are walking in the dark.
I also saw that fools and wise people both end the same way. 15 I thought to myself, “The same thing that happens to a fool will also happen to me. So why have I tried so hard to become wise?” I said to myself, “Being wise is also useless.” 16 Whether people are wise or foolish, they will still die, and no one will remember either one of them forever. In the future, people will forget everything both of them did. So the two are really the same.
Is There Real Happiness in Life?
17 This made me hate life. It was depressing to think that everything in this life is useless, like trying to catch the wind.
18 I began to hate all the hard work I had done, because I saw that the people who live after me would get the things that I worked for. I will not be able to take them with me. 19 Some other person will control everything I worked and studied for. And I don’t know if that person will be wise or foolish. This is also senseless.
20 So I became sad about all the work I had done. 21 People can work hard using all their wisdom and knowledge and skill. But they will die and other people will get the things they worked for. They did not do the work, but they will get everything. That makes me very sad. It is also not fair and is senseless.
22 What do people really have after all their work and struggling in this life? 23 Throughout their life, they have pain, frustrations, and hard work. Even at night, a person’s mind does not rest. This is also senseless.
24-25 There is no one who has tried to enjoy life more than I have. And this is what I learned: The best thing people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy the work they must do. I also saw that this comes from God.[y] 26 If people do good and please God, he will give them wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But those who sin will get only the work of gathering and carrying things. God takes from the bad person and gives to the good person. But all this work is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International