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)A man’s steps are ordained by the Lord;
How then can a person understand his way?
25 It is a trap for a person to say carelessly, “It is holy!”
And (F)after the vows to make inquiry.
26 A (G)wise king scatters the wicked,
And [c]drives a (H)threshing wheel over them.
27 The [d](I)spirit of a person is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the [e]innermost parts of his being.
28 [f]Loyalty and (J)truth watch over the king,
And he upholds his throne by [g]loyalty.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And the [h](K)honor of old men is their gray hair.
30 (L)Bruising wounds clean away evil,
And blows cleanse 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 pleases.
2 (N)Every person’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord (O)examines the hearts.
3 To do (P)righteousness and justice
Is preferred 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 certainly lead to advantage,
But everyone (S)who is in a hurry certainly comes 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 sweep them away,
Because they (V)refuse to act with justice.
8 The way of a guilty person is (W)crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.
9 It is better to live on 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 is shown no compassion in his eyes.
11 When the (Y)scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise;
But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The [l]righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Bringing the (Z)wicked to ruin.
13 One who (AA)shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor
Will also call out himself, and not be (AB)answered.
14 A (AC)gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe [m]in an inside pocket, strong wrath.
15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But (AD)terror to those who practice injustice.
16 A person who wanders from the way of understanding
Will (AE)rest in the assembly of the [n]dead.
17 One who (AF)loves pleasure will become a poor person;
One 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 irritating woman.
20 There is precious (AJ)treasure and oil in the home of the wise,
But a foolish person (AK)swallows it up.
21 One who (AL)pursues righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A (AM)wise person scales the city of the mighty
And brings down the [o]stronghold in which they trust.
23 One who (AN)guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles.
24 “Proud,” “Arrogant,” “(AO)Scoffer,” are his names,
One who acts with (AP)insolent pride.
25 The (AQ)desire of the [p]lazy one puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
26 All day long he [q]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 a person who listens will speak forever.
29 A wicked person [r](AU)displays a bold face,
But as for the (AV)upright, he makes his way sure.
30 There is (AW)no wisdom, no understanding,
And no [s]plan against the Lord.
31 The (AX)horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But the (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 [t]have a common bond,
The Lord is the (BA)Maker of them all.
3 A (BB)prudent person sees evil and hides himself,
But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.
4 The reward of humility and [u]the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor, and life.
5 (BC)Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
One who guards himself will be far from them.
6 (BD)Train up a child [v]in the way he should go,
Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.
7 The (BE)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.
8 One who (BF)sows injustice will reap disaster,
And the (BG)rod of his fury will perish.
9 One who [w]is (BH)generous will be blessed,
Because he (BI)gives some of his food to the poor.
10 (BJ)Drive out the scoffer, and strife will leave,
Even quarreling and dishonor will cease.
11 One who loves (BK)purity of heart
And [x]whose speech is (BL)gracious, the king is his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord protect knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous person.
13 The [y](BM)lazy one says, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of [z](BN)an adulteress is a deep pit;
He who is (BO)cursed of the Lord will fall [aa]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 One (BQ)who oppresses the poor to make [ab]more for himself,
Or gives to the rich, (BR)will only come to poverty.
17 (BS)Extend 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,
[ac]So that they may be ready on your lips.
19 So that your (BU)trust may be in the Lord,
I have [ad]taught you today, you indeed.
20 Have I not written to you [ae](BV)excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you (BW)know the [af]certainty of the words of truth,
So that you may [ag](BX)correctly answer him who sent you?
22 (BY)Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Nor (BZ)crush the needy at the gate;
23 For the Lord will (CA)plead their case
And [ah]take the life of those who rob them.
24 Do not make friends with a person given to anger,
Or go with a (CB)hot-tempered person,
25 Or you will (CC)learn his ways
And [ai]find a snare for yourself.
26 Do not be among those who (CD)shake hands,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to repay,
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 person skilled in his work?
He will (CG)stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure people.
On Life and Conduct
23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider carefully [aj]what is before you,
2 And put a knife to your throat
If you are a (CH)person of great appetite.
3 Do not (CI)desire his delicacies,
For it is deceptive food.
4 (CJ)Do not weary yourself to gain wealth;
[ak](CK)Stop dwelling on it.
5 [al]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 [am]a (CN)selfish person;
Or desire his delicacies;
7 For as he [an]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 [ao]the morsel you have eaten
And waste your [ap]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 withhold discipline from a child;
Though you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
14 You shall 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]innermost being will rejoice
When your lips speak (CY)what is right.
17 (CZ)Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But live in [as]the (DA)fear of the Lord [at]always.
18 Certainly 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 fathered you,
And (DK)do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 (DL)Buy truth, and do not sell it,
Get wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And (DM)he who fathers 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 prostitute is a (DQ)deep pit,
And a [aw](DR)strange woman is a narrow well.
28 Certainly she (DS)lurks as a robber,
And increases the treacherous among mankind.
29 Who has (DT)woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has red eyes?
30 Those who (DU)linger long over wine,
Those who go to [ax]taste (DV)mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
When it [ay]sparkles in the cup,
When it (DW)goes down smoothly;
32 In the end it (DX)bites like a snake
And stings like a (DY)viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things
And your [az]mind will (DZ)say perverse things.
34 And you will be like one who lies down in the [ba]middle of the sea,
Or like one who lies down on the top of a [bb]mast.
35 “They (EA)struck me, but I did not become [bc]ill;
They beat me, but I did not know it.
When will I awake?
I will (EB)seek [bd]another drink.”
Precepts and Warnings
24 Do not be (EC)envious of evil people,
Nor desire to (ED)be with them;
2 For their [be]minds plot (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 [bf]strong,
And a person of knowledge [bg]increases power.
6 For (EJ)by wise guidance you will [bh]wage war,
And (EK)in an abundance of counselors there is victory.
8 One who (EN)plans to do evil,
People will call a [bi]schemer.
9 The (EO)devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to humanity.
10 If you (EP)show yourself lacking courage on the day of distress,
Your strength is meager.
11 (EQ)Rescue those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to the slaughter, Oh hold them back!
12 If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
Does He (ER)who weighs the hearts not (ES)consider it?
And (ET)does He who (EU)watches over your soul not know it?
And will He not [bj](EV)repay a person 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 the same for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a [bk](EZ)future,
And your hope will not be cut off.
15 (FA)Do not lie in ambush, you wicked person, against the home of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;
16 For a (FB)righteous person falls seven times and rises again,
But the (FC)wicked stumble in time of disaster.
17 (FD)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
18 Otherwise, the Lord will see and [bl]be displeased,
And turn His anger away from him.
19 (FE)Do not get upset because of evildoers
Or be (FF)envious of the wicked;
20 For (FG)there will be no [bm](FH)future for the evil person;
The (FI)lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My son, [bn](FJ)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not get involved with those [bo]of high rank,
22 For their (FK)disaster will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin that can come from both of them?
23 These also are (FL)sayings of the wise:
To [bp](FM)show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 One (FN)who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
(FO)Peoples will curse him, nations will scold him;
25 But (FP)for those who rebuke the wicked there will be delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26 One who gives [bq]a right answer
Kisses the lips.
27 Prepare your work outside,
And (FQ)make it ready for yourself in the field;
Afterward, then, build your house.
28 Do not be a (FR)witness against your neighbor for no reason,
And (FS)do not deceive with your lips.
29 (FT)Do not say, “I shall do the same to him as he has done to me;
I will [br]repay the person according to his work.”
30 I passed by the field of [bs]a lazy one,
And by the vineyard of a person (FU)lacking [bt]sense,
31 And behold, it was completely (FV)overgrown with weeds;
Its surface was covered with (FW)weeds,
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 like [bv]a drifter,
And your need like [bw]an armed man.
Similitudes and 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 [bx](GC)impurities 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 boast in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the same place [by]as great people;
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 [bz]argue your case;
[ca]Otherwise, what will you do in [cb]the end,
When your neighbor humiliates you?
9 [cc](GI)Argue your case with your neighbor,
And (GJ)do not reveal the secret of another,
10 Or one who hears it will put you to shame,
And the evil report about you will not [cd]pass away.
11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver,
Is a (GK)word spoken at [ce]the proper time.
12 Like [cf]an (GL)earring of gold and a (GM)jewelry piece of (GN)fine gold,
Is a wise person who offers rebukes to a (GO)listening ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in the [cg]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 person who boasts [ch]of his gifts falsely.
15 Through [ci](GS)patience a ruler may be persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks bone.
16 Have you (GT)found honey? Eat only [cj]what you need,
So that you do not have it in excess and vomit it.
17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Or he will become [ck]weary of you and hate you.
18 Like a club, a (GU)sword, and a sharp (GV)arrow
Is a person who gives (GW)false testimony against his neighbor.
19 Like a bad tooth and [cl]an unsteady foot
Is confidence in a (GX)treacherous person in time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on [cm]soda,
Is one who sings songs to [cn]a troubled heart.
21 (GY)If [co]your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For you will [cp]heap burning coals on his head,
And (GZ)the Lord will reward you.
23 The north wind brings rain,
And a [cq](HA)gossiping tongue brings an angry face.
24 It is (HB)better to live on a corner of the roof,
Than [cr]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 [cs]polluted well,
So is a righteous person who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat much honey,
Nor is it glory to (HE)search out [ct]one’s own glory.
28 Like a (HF)city that is broken into and without walls
So is a person (HG)who has no self-control over his spirit.
Similitudes and 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 [cu]flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
So a (HK)curse without cause does not come to rest.
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 [cv]according to his foolishness,
Or you will also be like him.
5 (HO)Answer a fool as his foolishness deserves,
So that he will not be (HP)wise in his own eyes.
6 One who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Chops off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 Like [cw]useless legs to one who cannot walk,
So is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
8 Like [cx]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is one who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn that [cy]sticks in the hand of a heavy drinker,
So is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
10 [cz]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is one who hires a fool or hires those who pass by.
11 Like (HQ)a dog that returns to its vomit,
So is a fool who (HR)repeats [da]his foolishness.
12 Do you see a person (HS)wise in his own eyes?
(HT)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 [db]A (HU)lazy one says, “There is a lion on the road!
A lion is [dc]in the public square!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges,
So does a (HV)lazy one on his bed.
15 A (HW)lazy one buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.
16 A lazy one is (HX)wiser in his own eyes
Than seven people who can [dd]give a discreet answer.
17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears,
So is one who passes by and [de]meddles with (HY)strife not belonging to him.
18 Like a maniac who shoots
(HZ)Flaming arrows, arrows, and death,
19 So is a person 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)gossiper, (ID)quarreling quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a (IE)contentious person to kindle strife.
22 The (IF)words of a gossiper are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the [df]innermost parts of the body.
23 Like an earthenware (IG)vessel overlaid with silver [dg](IH)impurities
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 One who (II)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he harbors (IJ)deceit in his [dh]heart.
25 When [di]he (IK)speaks graciously, do not believe him,
Because there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred (IL)covers itself with deception,
His wickedness will be (IM)revealed in the assembly.
27 One who (IN)digs a pit will fall into it,
And one who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates [dj]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.
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 [dk]deceitful are the (IV)kisses of an enemy.
7 A satisfied [dl]person [dm]despises honey,
But to a hungry [dn]person any bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a (IW)bird that wanders from its nest,
So is a person who (IX)wanders from his [do]home.
9 (IY)Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
And a [dp]person’s advice is sweet to his friend.
10 Do not abandon your (IZ)friend or (JA)your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house on the day of your disaster;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.
11 (JB)Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
So that I may (JC)reply to one who taunts me.
12 A prudent person sees evil and hides himself;
But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.
13 (JD)Take his garment when he becomes a guarantor for a stranger;
And for a foreign woman seize a pledge from him.
14 (JE)One who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be considered 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 [dq]restrain her [dr]restrains the wind,
And [ds]grasps oil with his right hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
So one person sharpens another.
18 One who tends the (JG)fig tree will eat its fruit,
And one who (JH)cares for his master will be honored.
19 As in water a face reflects the face,
So the heart of a person reflects the person.
20 [dt](JI)Sheol and [du]Abaddon are (JJ)never satisfied,
Nor are the (JK)eyes of a person 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 the fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
His foolishness still will not leave him.
23 (JO)Know well the [dv]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 enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your attendants.
Warnings and Instructions
28 The wicked (JR)flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are [dw]bold as a lion.
2 Due to a [dx]wrongdoing of [dy]a land its leaders are (JS)many,
But (JT)by a person of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.
3 A (JU)poor man who oppresses the helpless
Is like a driving rain [dz]which leaves no food.
4 Those who abandon the Law (JV)praise the wicked,
But those who keep the Law (JW)strive against them.
5 Evil people (JX)do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord (JY)understand everything.
6 (JZ)Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity,
Than a person who is [ea]crooked, though he is rich.
7 He who keeps the Law is a discerning son,
But he who is a companion of (KA)gluttons humiliates his father.
8 One who increases his wealth by [eb](KB)interest of any kind,
Collects it (KC)for one who is gracious to the poor.
9 One who turns his ear away from listening to the Law,
Even his (KD)prayer is an abomination.
10 One 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 person is (KG)wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding [ec]sees through him.
12 When the (KH)righteous triumph, there is great glory,
But (KI)when the wicked rise, people [ed]hide themselves.
13 One who (KJ)conceals his wrongdoings will not prosper,
But one who (KK)confesses and abandons them will find compassion.
14 How blessed is the person who (KL)fears always,
But one who (KM)hardens his heart will fall into disaster.
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 a person who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 A person who is (KQ)burdened with the guilt of human blood
Will [ee]be a fugitive until death; no one is to support him!
18 One who walks blamelessly will receive help,
But one who is [ef](KR)crooked will fall all at once.
19 (KS)One who works his land will (KT)have plenty of food,
But one who follows empty pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 A (KU)faithful person will abound with blessings,
But one who (KV)hurries to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To [eg](KW)show partiality is not good,
(KX)Because for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
22 A person with an (KY)evil eye (KZ)hurries after wealth
And does not know that poverty will come upon him.
23 One who (LA)rebukes a person will afterward find more favor
Than one who (LB)flatters with the tongue.
24 He who (LC)robs his father or his mother
And says, “There is no wrong done,”
Is the (LD)companion of a person who destroys.
25 An [eh]arrogant person (LE)stirs up strife,
But one who (LF)trusts in the Lord (LG)will [ei]prosper.
26 One who (LH)trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But one who walks wisely will flee to safety.
27 One who (LI)gives to the poor will never lack anything,
But one who [ej]shuts his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked rise, people hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Warnings and Instructions
29 A person [ek]often (LJ)rebuked who [el]becomes obstinate
Will (LK)suddenly be broken [em]beyond remedy.
2 When the (LL)righteous [en]increase, the people rejoice,
But when a wicked person rules, people groan.
3 A man who (LM)loves wisdom makes his father glad,
But he who (LN)involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth.
4 The (LO)king gives stability to the land by justice,
But a person who takes bribes ruins it.
5 A man who (LP)flatters his neighbor
Is spreading a net for his steps.
6 By wrongdoing an evil person is (LQ)ensnared,
But the righteous (LR)sings and rejoices.
7 The (LS)righteous [eo]is concerned for the rights of the poor;
The wicked does not understand such [ep]concern.
8 Arrogant people (LT)inflame a city,
But (LU)wise people turn away anger.
9 When a wise person has a controversy with a foolish person,
[eq]The foolish person either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.
10 People of (LV)bloodshed hate the blameless person,
But the upright [er]are concerned for his life.
11 A (LW)fool [es]always loses his temper,
But a (LX)wise person holds it back.
12 If a (LY)ruler pays attention to falsehood,
All his ministers become wicked.
13 The (LZ)poor person and the oppressor [et]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 a rebuke give wisdom,
But a child [eu]who gets his own way (ME)brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked [ev]increase, wrongdoing increases;
But the (MF)righteous will see their downfall.
17 (MG)Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also [ew](MH)delight your soul.
18 Where there is (MI)no [ex]vision, the people (MJ)are unrestrained,
But (MK)happy is one 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 person who is (ML)hasty with his words?
There is (MM)more hope for a fool than for him.
21 One who pampers his slave from childhood
Will in the end find him to be rebellious.
22 An (MN)angry person stirs up strife,
And a hot-tempered person abounds in wrongdoing.
23 A person’s (MO)pride will bring him low,
But a (MP)humble spirit will obtain honor.
24 One 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 [ey]brings a snare,
But one who (MS)trusts in the Lord will be protected.
26 (MT)Many seek the ruler’s [ez]favor,
But (MU)justice for mankind comes from the Lord.
27 An (MV)unjust person is an abomination to the righteous,
And one who is (MW)upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
The Words of Agur
30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the pronouncement.
The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 I am certainly more (MX)stupid than any man,
And I do not have the understanding of a man;
3 Nor 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 [fa]His garment?
Who has (NC)established all the ends of the earth?
What is His (ND)name or His [fb]Son’s name?
Surely you know!
5 Every (NE)word of God is [fc]pure;
He is a (NF)shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 (NG)Do not add to His words
Or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar.
7 Two things I have asked of You;
Do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep deception and [fd]lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the (NH)food that is my portion,
9 So that I will not be (NI)full and deny (NJ)You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And that I will not become (NK)impoverished 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 [fe]kind of person who (NN)curses his father
And does not bless his mother.
12 There is a [ff]kind who is (NO)pure in his own eyes,
Yet is not washed from his filthiness.
13 There is a [fg]kind—oh how (NP)lofty are his eyes!
And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.
14 There is a [fh]kind of person whose (NQ)teeth are like swords
And his (NR)jaw teeth like knives,
To (NS)devour the poor from the earth
And the needy from among mankind.
15 The leech has two daughters:
“Give” and “Give.”
There are three things that will not be satisfied,
Four that will not say, “Enough”:
16 [fi](NT)Sheol, the (NU)infertile womb,
Earth that is never satisfied with water,
And fire that never says, “Enough.”
17 The eye that (NV)mocks a father
And [fj](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 the (NZ)eagle in the sky,
The way of a snake on a rock,
The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,
And the way of a man with a [fk]virgin.
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 endure:
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 female servant when she dispossesses 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 (OD)rock hyraxes are not a 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 animals
And does not [fl](OG)retreat from anything,
31 The [fm]strutting rooster or the male goat,
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 [fn]churning of milk produces butter,
And pressing the nose produces blood;
So the [fo]churning of (OI)anger produces strife.
The Words of Lemuel
31 The words of King Lemuel, the pronouncement which his mother taught him:
2 What, my son?
And what, (OJ)son of my womb?
And what, 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, Lemuel,
It is not for kings to (OO)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire intoxicating drink,
5 Otherwise they will drink and forget what is decreed,
And (OP)pervert the [fp]rights of all the [fq]needy.
6 Give intoxicating drink to one who is (OQ)perishing,
And wine to one [fr](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 people who cannot speak,
For the [fs]rights of all the [ft]unfortunate.
9 Open your mouth, (OT)judge righteously,
And [fu]defend the (OU)rights of the poor and needy.
Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An (OV)excellent wife, who can find her?
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 linen,
And works with her [fv]hands [fw]in delight.
14 She is like (OX)merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 And she (OY)rises while it is still night
And (OZ)gives food to her household,
And [fx]portions to her attendants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [fy]her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She (PA)surrounds her waist with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her profit is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the [fz]distaff,
And her [ga]hands grasp the spindle.
20 She [gb](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 [gc]supplies belts to the [gd]tradesmen.
25 Strength and (PI)dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the [ge]future.
26 She (PJ)opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the [gf]teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities 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 [gg](PL)fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the [gh]product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
The Futility of All Endeavors
1 The words of the (PM)Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “(PN)Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher,
“Futility of futilities! All is futility.”
3 (PO)What advantage does a person have in all his work
Which he does under the sun?
4 A generation goes and a generation comes,
But the (PP)earth [gi]remains forever.
5 Also, (PQ)the sun rises and the sun sets;
And [gj]hurrying to its place it rises there again.
6 [gk](PR)Blowing toward the south,
Then turning toward the north,
The wind continues [gl]swirling along;
And on its circular courses the wind returns.
7 All the rivers [gm]flow into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full.
To the place where the rivers [gn]flow,
There they [go]flow again.
8 All things are wearisome;
No one can tell it.
(PS)The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
9 (PT)What has been, it is what will be,
And what has been done, it is what 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”?
It has already existed for ages
Which were before us.
11 There is (PU)no remembrance of the [gp]earlier things,
And of the later things as well, which will occur,
There will be no remembrance of them
Among those who will come later still.
The Futility of Wisdom
12 I, the (PV)Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I (PW)set my [gq]mind to seek and (PX)explore by wisdom about everything that has been done under heaven. It is a [gr](PY)sorry task with which God has given the sons of mankind to be troubled. 14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is (PZ)futility and striving after wind. 15 What is (QA)crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I [gs]said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased (QB)wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my [gt]mind has observed [gu]a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I (QC)applied my [gv]mind to know wisdom and to (QD)know insanity and foolishness; 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 [gw]to myself, “Come now, I will test you with (QG)pleasure. So [gx]enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. 2 (QH)I said of laughter, “It is senseless,” and of pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 I explored with my [gy]mind how to (QI)refresh my body with wine while my [gz]mind was guiding me wisely; and how to seize (QJ)foolishness, until I could see (QK)what good there is for the sons of mankind [ha]to do under heaven for the few [hb]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 [hc](QQ)slaves born at home. I also possessed flocks and (QR)herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 I also amassed 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 the sons of mankind: 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 restrain 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 So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had [hd]exerted, and behold, all was (QX)futility and striving after wind, and there was (QY)no benefit under the sun.
Wisdom Surpasses Foolishness
12 So I turned to (QZ)consider wisdom, insanity, and foolishness; for what will the man do who will come after the king, except (RA)what has already been done? 13 Then I saw that (RB)wisdom surpasses foolishness as light surpasses darkness. 14 The wise person’s eyes are in his head, but the (RC)fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that (RD)one and the same fate happens to [he]both of them. 15 Then I said [hf]to myself, “(RE)As is the fate of the fool, it will also happen to me. (RF)Why then have I been extremely wise?” So [hg]I said to myself, “This too is futility.” 16 For there is (RG)no [hh]lasting remembrance of the wise, along with the fool, since in the coming days everything will [hi]soon be forgotten. And (RH)how the wise and the fool alike die! 17 So I (RI)hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was [hj]unhappy to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.
The Futility of Labor
18 So I hated (RJ)all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, because I must (RK)leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be wise or (RL)a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is (RM)futility. 20 Therefore I [hk]completely despaired over all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21 When there is a person who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and (RN)skill, and then (RO)gives his [hl]legacy to one who has not labored for it; this too is futility and a great evil. 22 For what does a person get in (RP)all his labor and in [hm]his striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 Because all his days his activity is painful and (RQ)irritating; even at night his [hn]mind (RR)does not rest. This too is futility.
24 There is (RS)nothing better for a person than to eat and drink, and show [ho]himself some good in his trouble. This too I have seen, that it is (RT)from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without [hp]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)futility and striving after wind.
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