Old/New Testament
Chapter 27
Dictums about Every Circumstance[a]
1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you can never be certain what today may bring.[b]
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
let it come from the lips of someone else and not your own.
3 Stone is heavy and sand is a dead weight,
but heavier than both is a fool’s provocation.
4 Wrath is cruel and anger is overwhelming,
but who can withstand jealousy?
5 Better is an open rebuke
than concealed love.[c]
6 The blows given by a friend[d] are well meant,
but the kisses of an enemy are filled with deceit.
7 One whose appetite is sated refuses honey,
but to the man who is hungry even bitter food tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird that strays from its nest
is anyone who is far away from home.
9 Perfume and incense gladden the heart,
and friendship’s sweetness comforts the soul.[e]
10 Do not forsake your friend or the friend of your father,
and do not run to your brother’s house when troubles befall you;
far better is a friend nearby
than a brother who is far away.
11 Acquire wisdom, my son, and gladden my heart,
so that I may rebut anyone who insults me.
12 The prudent man perceives danger and seeks shelter,
while the simple[f] continue forward and pay the penalty.
13 Take the garment of anyone who becomes surety for a stranger;
demand a pledge for persons unknown[g] to you.
14 If someone blesses his neighbor at dawn with a loud voice,
it will be reckoned to him as a curse.[h]
15 A constant dripping on a rainy day
is much like a nagging wife;[i]
16 one might as well try to restrain the wind as to control her,
or to pick up oil with one’s fingers.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so a man sharpens the wits of his neighbor.
18 Whoever tends a fig tree eats its fruit,
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.
19 Just as water reflects one’s face,
so does one human heart reflect another.[j]
20 The netherworld and the abyss[k] are never satisfied;
the same is true of human eyes.
21 As silver is tested by a crucible and gold by a furnace,
so too is a man tested by the praise he is given.
22 You may use a pestle to pound a fool into a mortar,
but his folly will never be driven out of him.
Take Good Care of Your Herds[l]
23 Be aware at all times of the condition of your flocks
and take good care of your herds.
24 For riches do not last forever,
nor will a crown endure from age to age.
25 When the grass is gone and the aftergrowth appears
and the green growth of the mountains is gathered,
26 the lambs will provide for your clothing,
and the goats will give you the price of a field;
27 there will be enough goats’ milk[m]
to feed you and your household
and to provide sustenance for your servant girls.
Chapter 28
Two Types of Men[n]
1 The wicked flee even though no one is pursuing them,
but the righteous are as confident as young lions.
2 When a land is in revolt, it has many leaders,[o]
but it will enjoy security under a prudent leader.
3 A needy man[p] who oppresses the poor
is like a drenching rain that destroys the crops.
4 Those who forsake the law[q] praise the wicked man,
but those who observe the law are in constant opposition to him.
5 Evildoers simply cannot comprehend justice,
but those who seek the Lord[r] understand it completely.
6 It is far better to be poor and beyond reproach
than to become rich through dishonest means.
7 A wise son obeys the law,
but a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8 Whoever increases his wealth by charging exorbitant interest[s]
amasses it for another who will be generous to the poor.
9 When anyone turns a deaf ear to the law,
even his prayer is detestable.[t]
10 Whoever tempts the upright into following evil ways
will fall into his own pit,
but the blameless will have a good inheritance.
11 The rich man may believe he is wise,
but the poor man with discernment will see through him.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is a great celebration,
but when the wicked prevail, the people go into hiding.
13 No one who conceals his transgressions will prosper,
but one who confesses and renounces them will obtain mercy.[u]
14 Blessed is the man who guards himself against temptation,[v]
but anyone who hardens his heart will be overtaken by evil.
15 Like a roaring lion or a bear on the prowl
is a wicked man who governs a powerless people.
16 A ruler who lacks sense will oppress his subjects,
but one who detests ill-gotten gain will have a long life.
17 Someone guilty of murder will be a fugitive till death;
no one should attempt to stop him.
18 Anyone who leads a blameless life will be safe,
but whoever follows a crooked path will fall into the pit.
19 One who tills his land will not lack for food,
but he who chases fantasies[w] will live in poverty.
20 One who is trustworthy will abound with blessings,[x]
but no one who seeks to get rich quickly will go unpunished.
21 To show partiality[y] is never good;
a man may do wrong even for a morsel of bread.
22 The miser is in a hurry to get rich,
never considering that want may eventually afflict him.[z]
23 Whoever rebukes another[aa] will in the end win more thanks
than one who flatters with his tongue.
24 Anyone who robs his father or mother
and denies that he has sinned
is no better than a marauding bandit.
25 A greedy person provokes quarrels,
but whoever trusts in the Lord will have success.
26 Anyone who trusts in his own wits is a fool,
but he whose guide is wisdom[ab] will come through safely.
27 No one who gives to the poor will suffer want,
but one who closes his eyes to them will get many a curse.[ac]
28 When the wicked gain power, people go into hiding,
but when the wicked perish, the righteous increase in number.
Chapter 29
1 One who remains stubborn despite frequent reproof
will suddenly be crushed beyond hope of repair.
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice,
but they groan when the wicked ascend to power.
3 A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
but a patron of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
4 By ruling justly a king gives stability to his country,
but one who takes bribes causes its downfall.
5 Anyone who flatters his neighbor
is spreading a net to trip him up.
6 An evildoer is ensnared by his own sin,
but an upright man goes forward happily.
7 A righteous man has concern for the condition of the poor,
but an evildoer shows no interest in this matter.
8 Scoffers can set a city aflame,[ad]
but wise men turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man argues with a fool,
he will get nowhere whether he rages or laughs.
10 Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless,[ae]
but the upright show concern for him.
11 A fool gives free rein to his anger,
but a wise man bides his time and calms it.
12 If a ruler listens to the testimony of liars,
all of his officials will adopt evil ways.
13 A poor man and an oppressor have this in common:
the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.[af]
14 If a king zealously defends the rights of the poor,
his throne will stand firm forever.
15 The rod of correction[ag] bestows wisdom,
but an unreprimanded youth will bring shame on his mother.
16 When the wicked are in power, sins increase,
but the righteous will witness their downfall.
17 If you correct your son,[ah] he will give you peace of mind
and bring delight to your soul.
18 Without prophecy the people become uncontrollable,
but blessed are those who keep the law.[ai]
19 Mere words do not suffice to control a servant;
even though he understands, he will not obey you.
20 Do you see someone who is too eager to speak?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 If you pamper a slave from his childhood,
in the end he will prove ungrateful.[aj]
22 A bad-tempered man provokes quarrels,
and a hothead commits a host of offenses.
23 A man’s pride will bring him low,
but lowly souls will rise to honor.
24 The accomplice of a thief is his own enemy,
for he hears the curse[ak] but refuses to answer.
25 The fear of others will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is secure.
26 Many seek the favor of a ruler,
but it is the Lord who administers justice.
27 A sinful man is abhorrent to the upright,
and one who leads a holy life is hated by the wicked.
Paul’s Self-Defense[a]
Chapter 10
Recommendation from Human Beings or from God?[b] 1 I myself, Paul, exhort you by the gentleness and the mercy of Christ, I who am “timid” when I am face to face with you, but “bold” when I am at a distance! 2 I beg you that when I am in your presence I will not have to act with boldness and the self-assurance that I consider necessary when I oppose some of those who accuse us of acting according to human standards.[c]
3 [d]Although we are human beings, we do not engage in battle according to human standards. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they possess the divine power to destroy strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every proud pretension against the knowledge of God, and we compel every thought to surrender in obedience to Christ. 6 What is more, once your obedience is complete, we are prepared to punish every disobedience.
7 [e]Face the facts squarely. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should reflect on the fact that we belong to Christ as much as he does. 8 It is possible that I tend to boast a bit too much about our authority, which the Lord has entrusted to us for building you up rather than for tearing you down, but I will not apologize for doing so.
9 Therefore, I do not want to seem to be someone who frightens you with my letters. 10 Some may assert, “His letters are impressive and forceful, but his personal appearance is insignificant, and he cannot speak well.” 11 Let them understand that what we are in our letters when we are absent will be the same as what we are in our deeds when we are present.
12 We do not dare to rank ourselves or to compare ourselves with any of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they only demonstrate their ignorance. 13 In contrast, we will not boast beyond the proper limits. Rather, we will measure ourselves according to the standard that God laid down for us, which enabled us to reach out all the way to you.
14 We are not overreaching ourselves as we would be if we had not come to you; indeed, we came to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 Neither are we boasting immoderately of the labors of others. Our hope is rather that, as your faith increases, our influence among you will be greater than ever, 16 so that we may preach the gospel to regions beyond you, rather than boasting about work already done in someone else’s region.
17 If anyone would boast, let him boast in the Lord.[f] 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is really approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
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