Old/New Testament
Analogies of Wisdom
25 These also are (A)proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.
2 It is the glory of God to (B)conceal a matter,
But the glory of (C)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 (D)dross from the silver,
And there comes out a vessel for the (E)smith;
5 Take away the (F)wicked before the king,
And his (G)throne will be established in righteousness.
6 Do not promote your majesty in the presence of the king,
And in the place of great men do not stand;
7 For (H)it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,”
Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of a noble,
Whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not go out (I)hastily to plead your case;
Lest, what will you do in [a]the end,
When your neighbor humiliates you?
9 (J)Plead your case with your neighbor,
And (K)do not reveal the secret of another,
10 Lest he who hears it bring disgrace upon you,
And the bad report about you will not turn away.
11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a (L)word spoken in [b]right circumstances.
12 Like [c]an (M)earring of gold and an (N)ornament of (O)fine gold
Is a wise reprover to a (P)listening ear.
13 Like the cold of snow in the [d]time of harvest
Is a (Q)faithful envoy to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Like (R)clouds and (S)wind without rain
Is a man who boasts [e]of his gifts falsely.
15 (T)When one is slow to anger, a ruler may be persuaded,
And a soft tongue breaks the bone.
16 Have you (U)found honey? Eat only enough for you,
Lest you have more than your fill and vomit it.
17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he have more than his fill of you and hate you.
18 Like a club and a (V)sword and a sharp (W)arrow
Is a man who bears [f](X)false witness against his neighbor.
19 Like [g]an aching tooth and a slipping foot
Is trust in a (Y)treacherous man in a day of distress.
20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on [h]soda,
Is he who sings songs to [i]an aching heart.
21 (Z)If [j]your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For you will [k]heap burning coals on his head,
And (AA)Yahweh will repay you.
23 The north wind brings forth rain,
And a (AB)tongue of secrets, an indignant face.
24 It is (AC)better to live in a corner of the roof
Than [l]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25 Like cold water to a weary soul,
So is a (AD)good report from a distant land.
26 Like a (AE)muddied spring and a corrupted well
Is a righteous man shaking before the wicked.
27 To eat too much honey is not good,
Nor is it glory to (AF)search out [m]one’s own glory.
28 Like a (AG)city that is broken into and without a wall
Is a man (AH)without restraint over his spirit.
26 Like snow in summer and like (AI)rain in harvest,
So glory is not (AJ)fitting for a fool.
2 Like a (AK)sparrow in its [n]flitting, like a swallow in flying,
So a (AL)curse without cause does not come to pass.
3 A (AM)whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a (AN)rod for the back of fools.
4 (AO)Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you yourself also be like him.
5 (AP)Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be (AQ)wise in his own eyes.
6 He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends words by the hand of a fool.
7 Like the legs which hang limp on the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like [o]one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives glory to a fool.
9 Like a thorn which goes up into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 [p]Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
11 Like (AR)a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who (AS)repeats [q]his folly.
12 Do you see a man (AT)wise in his own eyes?
(AU)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 The (AV)sluggard says, “There is a fierce lion in the road!
A lion is [r]among the streets!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the (AW)sluggard on his bed.
15 The (AX)sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is too weary to return it to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is (AY)wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can respond with a discreet answer.
17 Like one who seizes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and becomes passionate about (AZ)strife not belonging to him.
18 Like a madman who shoots
(BA)Firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So is the man who (BB)deceives his neighbor,
And says, “(BC)Am I not joking?”
20 With no wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no (BD)whisperer, (BE)strife quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a (BF)contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The (BG)words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the stomach.
23 Like an earthen (BH)vessel overlaid with silver (BI)dross
Are fiery lips and an evil heart.
24 He who (BJ)hates disguises it with his lips,
But he sets up (BK)deceit within himself.
25 When he (BL)makes his voice gracious, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred (BM)covers itself with guile,
His evil will be (BN)revealed in the assembly.
27 He who (BO)digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will turn back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates [s]those it crushes,
And a (BP)flattering mouth works ruin.
God Loves a Cheerful Giver
9 For (A)it is superfluous for me to write to you about this (B)ministry to the [a]saints; 2 for I know your readiness, of which I (C)boast about you to the (D)Macedonians, that (E)Achaia has been prepared since (F)last year, and your zeal stirred up most of them. 3 But I have sent the brothers, in order that our (G)boasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, (H)as I was saying, you may be prepared; 4 lest if any (I)Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—be put to shame in this certainty of ours. 5 So I regarded it necessary to encourage the (J)brothers that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised (K)blessing, so that the same would be ready as a (L)blessing and not as a [b](M)begrudging obligation.
6 Now this I say, (N)he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows with blessing will also reap with blessing. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not (O)grudgingly or under compulsion, for (P)God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And (Q)God is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in everything at every time having every sufficiency, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written,
10 Now He who supplies (S)seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and (T)increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be (U)enriched in everything for all generosity, which through us is bringing about (V)thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying (W)the needs of the [d]saints, but is also abounding (X)through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proven character given by this (Y)ministry, they will (Z)glorify God for your obedience to your (AA)confession of the (AB)gospel of Christ and for the [e]generosity of your [f]fellowship toward them and toward all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, long for you because of the surpassing grace of God on you. 15 [g](AC)Thanks be to God for His indescribable (AD)gift!
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