Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
21 When my heart was ·sad [bitter]
and ·I was angry [L my innards felt stabbed],
22 I was senseless and stupid.
I acted like an ·animal [brute beast] toward you.
23 But I am always with you [C in covenant relationship];
you have held my ·hand [L right hand; C guiding him].
24 You guide me with your advice,
and later you will receive me in ·honor [glory; C perhaps in the afterlife].
25 ·I have no one [L Whom do I have…?] in heaven but you;
I ·want [desire] nothing on earth besides you.
26 My body and my ·mind [heart] may become weak,
but God is ·my strength [L the rock of my heart].
He is ·mine [L my portion] forever.
27 Those who are far from ·God [L you] will ·die [perish];
you ·destroy [bring to an end] those who ·are unfaithful [prostitute themselves spiritually].
28 But I am close to God, and that is good.
The Lord God ·is [I have made] my ·protection [refuge].
I will ·tell [recount] all that you have done.
22 ·Being respected [L A good name/reputation] is more important than having great riches.
·To be well thought of [High esteem] is better than silver or gold [Eccl. 7:1].
2 The rich and the poor ·are alike [have a common bond]
in that the Lord made them all.
3 The ·wise [prudent] see ·danger [evil; trouble] ahead and avoid it,
but fools ·keep going [go straight to it] and ·get into trouble [or are punished].
4 ·Respecting [Fearing] the Lord [1:7] and ·not being proud [humility]
will bring you wealth, honor, and life.
5 Evil people’s lives are like paths covered with thorns and ·traps [nets].
People who guard themselves ·don’t have such problems [L stay far from them].
6 Train children ·to live the right way [L in their/or his path; C referring either to children or to God],
and when they are old, they will not ·stray [depart] from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and borrowers are ·servants [slaves] to lenders.
8 Those who ·plan [L sow] ·evil [injustice] will ·receive [L reap; harvest] ·trouble [evil; Matt. 26:52].
·Their cruel anger [L The rod of their fury] will come to an end.
9 Generous people ·will be blessed [or he will bless],
because they share their food with the poor.
10 ·Get rid of [Banish; Drive out] the ·one who makes fun of wisdom [mocker].
Then ·fighting [conflict], ·quarrels [judgments], and ·insults [shame] will stop.
11 Whoever loves pure ·thoughts [L hearts] and kind ·words [L lips]
will have even the king as a friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge,
but he ·destroys [frustrates] ·false words [L the words of the untrustworthy/faithless].
13 The lazy person says, “There’s a lion outside!
I might get killed out in the ·street [middle of the public square]!”
14 The ·words [L mouth] of ·an unfaithful wife [L the strange woman] are like a deep ·trap [pit].
Those who make the Lord angry will ·get caught by them [L fall in it].
15 ·Every child is full of foolishness [L Stupidity/Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child],
but ·punishment can get rid of it [L the rod of discipline drives it far from them].
16 Whoever gets rich by ·mistreating [oppressing] the poor,
and gives presents to the wealthy, will become poor.
Other Wise Sayings
17 ·Listen carefully to [L Incline/Bend your ear and hear] ·what wise people say [L the words of the wise];
·pay attention to [set your heart on] what I am teaching you.
18 It will be ·good [pleasant] to ·keep these things in mind [L guard them in your innermost being]
so that you ·are ready to repeat them [L have them ready on your lips].
19 I am teaching them to you now
so that you will put your trust in the Lord.
20 I have written ·thirty [or excellent] sayings for you,
which give knowledge and good advice.
21 I am teaching you true and reliable words
so that you can give true answers to anyone who ·asks [L sends you].
All People Are Guilty
9 ·So [L What then?] ·are we Jews [or are we Christians; L are we] ·better than others [or making excuses for ourselves]? ·No [L Not at all]! We have already ·said [charged; made the accusation] that Jews and Gentiles alike are all ·guilty of [or under the power of; L under] sin. 10 As the Scriptures say:
“There is no one who ·always does what is right [L is righteous],
not even one.
11 There is no one who understands.
There is no one who ·looks to God for help [L seeks God].
12 All have turned away.
Together, everyone has become ·useless [worthless].
There is no one who ·does anything good [or shows kindness];
there is not even one [Ps. 14:1–3].”
13 “Their throats are like open graves [C either their words are like rotting corpses, or their speech is murderous];
they use their tongues ·for telling lies [to deceive; Ps. 5:9].”
“·Their words are like snake poison [L Asp/Viper venom is on their lips; Ps. 140:3].”
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and ·hate [bitterness; Ps. 10:7].”
15 “·They [L Their feet] are ·always ready [eager; quick] to ·kill people [L shed blood].
16 ·Everywhere they go [L Along their paths/ways] they cause ·ruin [destruction; havoc] and misery.
17 They don’t know ·how to live in [L the way of] peace [Is. 59:7–8].”
18 “They have no fear of God [Ps. 36:1].”
19 We know that ·the law’s commands [L what the law says] are for those who ·have [are under/subject to; L are in] the law. This ·stops all excuses [L silences every mouth] and brings the whole world under God’s judgment, 20 because no one can be ·made right [justfied; declared righteous] with God [Ps. 143:2] ·by following [L through the works of] the law. [L For] The law only ·shows us our [brings awareness of] sin.
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