Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
21 When I became embittered
and my innermost being[a] was wounded,(A)
22 I was stupid and didn’t understand;
I was an unthinking animal towards you.(B)
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold my right hand.(C)
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterwards you will take me up in glory.[b](D)
25 Who do I have in heaven but you?
And I desire nothing on earth but you.(E)
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength[c] of my heart,
my portion for ever.(F)
27 Those far from you will certainly perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.(G)
28 But as for me, God’s presence is my good.
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
so I can tell about all you do.(H)
22 A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;
favour is better than silver and gold.(A)
3 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover,
but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.(C)
4 Humility, the fear of the Lord,
results in wealth, honour, and life.(D)
5 There are thorns and snares on the way of the crooked;(E)
the one who guards himself stays far from them.
6 Start a youth out on his way;(F)
even when he grows old he will not depart from it.
8 The one who sows injustice will reap disaster,(I)
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
11 The one who loves a pure heart
and gracious lips – the king is his friend.(N)
12 The Lord’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,
but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13 The slacker says, ‘There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square! ’(O)
14 The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;
a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it.(P)
15 Foolishness is bound to the heart of a youth;
a rod of discipline will separate it from him.(Q)
16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,
and giving to the rich – both lead only to poverty.(R)
Words of the Wise
17 Listen closely,[c] pay attention to the words of the wise,(S)
and apply your mind to my knowledge.
18 For it is pleasing if you keep them within you
and if they are[d] constantly on your lips.
19 I have instructed you today – even you –
so that your confidence may be in the Lord.
20 Haven’t I written for you thirty sayings[e]
about counsel and knowledge,
21 in order to teach you true and reliable words,
so that you may give a dependable report[f](T)
to those who sent you?(U)
The Whole World Guilty before God
9 What then? Are we any better off?[a] Not at all! For we have already charged that both Jews(A) and Greeks(B) are all under sin,[b](C) 10 as it is written:
There is no one righteous, not even one.
11 There is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away;
all alike have become worthless.
There is no one who does what is good,
not even one.[c](D)
13 Their throat is an open grave;
they deceive with their tongues.[d](E)
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.[e](F)
14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.[f](G)
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,
17 and the path of peace they have not known.[g](H)
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.[h](I)
19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(J) it speaks to those who are subject to the law,[i](K) so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgement.[j](L) 20 For no one will be justified[k] in his sight by the works of the law,(M) because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.(N)
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