Month: December 2019

1 While dining with a ruler,

pay attention to what is put before you.

2 If you are a big eater,

put a knife to your throat;

3 don’t desire all the delicacies,

for he might be trying to trick you.

4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.

Be wise enough to know when to quit.

5 In the blink of an eye wealth disappears,

for it will sprout wings

and fly away like an eagle.

6 Don’t eat with people who are stingy;

don’t desire their delicacies.

7 They are always thinking about how much it costs.

“Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.

8 You will throw up what little you’ve eaten,

and your compliments will be wasted.

9 Don’t waste your breath on fools,

for they will despise the wisest advice.

10 Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers;

don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.

11 For their Redeemeris strong;

he himself will bring their charges against you.

12 Commit yourself to instruction;

listen carefully to words of knowledge.

13 Don’t fail to discipline your children.

The rod of punishment won’t kill them.

14 Physical discipline

may well save them from death.

15 My child,if your heart is wise,

my own heart will rejoice!

16 Everything in me will celebrate

when you speak what is right.

17 Don’t envy sinners,

but always continue to fear theLord.

18 You will be rewarded for this;

your hope will not be disappointed.

19 My child, listen and be wise:

Keep your heart on the right course.

20 Do not carouse with drunkards

or feast with gluttons,

21 for they are on their way to poverty,

and too much sleep clothes them in rags.

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,

and don’t despise your mother when she is old.

23 Get the truth and never sell it;

also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.

24 The father of godly children has cause for joy.

What a pleasure to have children who are wise.

25 So give your father and mother joy!

May she who gave you birth be happy.

26 O my son, give me your heart.

May your eyes take delight in following my ways.

27 A prostitute is a dangerous trap;

a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.

28 She hides and waits like a robber,

eager to make more men unfaithful.

29 Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?

Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?

Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

30 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,

trying out new drinks.

31 Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is,

how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.

32 For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake;

it stings like a viper.

33 You will see hallucinations,

and you will say crazy things.

34 You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea,

clinging to a swaying mast.

35 And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it.

I didn’t even know it when they beat me up.

When will I wake up

so I can look for another drink?”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/PRO/23-7f334d13bb155a0690325f9b9f45c7b9.mp3?version_id=116—

1 Don’t envy evil people

or desire their company.

2 For their hearts plot violence,

and their words always stir up trouble.

3 A house is built by wisdom

and becomes strong through good sense.

4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled

with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

5 The wise are mightier than the strong,

and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.

6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance;

victory depends on having many advisers.

7 Wisdom is too lofty for fools.

Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.

8 A person who plans evil

will get a reputation as a troublemaker.

9 The schemes of a fool are sinful;

everyone detests a mocker.

10 If you fail under pressure,

your strength is too small.

11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;

save them as they stagger to their death.

12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”

For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.

He who guards your soul knows you knew.

He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

13 My child,eat honey, for it is good,

and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.

14 In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.

If you find it, you will have a bright future,

and your hopes will not be cut short.

15 Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly,

and don’t raid the house where the godly live.

16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.

But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.

17 Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall;

don’t be happy when they stumble.

18 For theLordwill be displeased with you

and will turn his anger away from them.

19 Don’t fret because of evildoers;

don’t envy the wicked.

20 For evil people have no future;

the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.

21 My child, fear theLordand the king.

Don’t associate with rebels,

22 for disaster will hit them suddenly.

Who knows what punishment will come

from theLordand the king?

More Sayings of the Wise

23 Here are some further sayings of the wise:

It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.

24 A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”

will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.

25 But it will go well for those who convict the guilty;

rich blessings will be showered on them.

26 An honest answer

is like a kiss of friendship.

27 Do your planning and prepare your fields

before building your house.

28 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;

don’t lie about them.

29 And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me!

I’ll get even with them!”

30 I walked by the field of a lazy person,

the vineyard of one with no common sense.

31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.

It was covered with weeds,

and its walls were broken down.

32 Then, as I looked and thought about it,

I learned this lesson:

33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest—

34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;

scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/PRO/24-cdab17c3973c27ab9026a8edf92f9949.mp3?version_id=116—

More Proverbs of Solomon

1 These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the advisers of King Hezekiah of Judah.

2 It is God’s privilege to conceal things

and the king’s privilege to discover them.

3 No one can comprehend the height of heaven, the depth of the earth,

or all that goes on in the king’s mind!

4 Remove the impurities from silver,

and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith.

5 Remove the wicked from the king’s court,

and his reign will be made secure by justice.

6 Don’t demand an audience with the king

or push for a place among the great.

7 It’s better to wait for an invitation to the head table

than to be sent away in public disgrace.

Just because you’ve seen something,

8 don’t be in a hurry to go to court.

For what will you do in the end

if your neighbor deals you a shameful defeat?

9 When arguing with your neighbor,

don’t betray another person’s secret.

10 Others may accuse you of gossip,

and you will never regain your good reputation.

11 Timely advice is lovely,

like golden apples in a silver basket.

12 To one who listens, valid criticism

is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.

13 Trustworthy messengers refresh like snow in summer.

They revive the spirit of their employer.

14 A person who promises a gift but doesn’t give it

is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.

15 Patience can persuade a prince,

and soft speech can break bones.

16 Do you like honey?

Don’t eat too much, or it will make you sick!

17 Don’t visit your neighbors too often,

or you will wear out your welcome.

18 Telling lies about others

is as harmful as hitting them with an ax,

wounding them with a sword,

or shooting them with a sharp arrow.

19 Putting confidence in an unreliable person in times of trouble

is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.

20 Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart

is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather

or pouring vinegar in a wound.

21 If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat.

If they are thirsty, give them water to drink.

22 You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads,

and theLordwill reward you.

23 As surely as a north wind brings rain,

so a gossiping tongue causes anger!

24 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic

than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.

25 Good news from far away

is like cold water to the thirsty.

26 If the godly give in to the wicked,

it’s like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring.

27 It’s not good to eat too much honey,

and it’s not good to seek honors for yourself.

28 A person without self-control

is like a city with broken-down walls.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/PRO/25-6a43f6e4648c2f60b8a346fa08f34c0b.mp3?version_id=116—

1 Honor is no more associated with fools

than snow with summer or rain with harvest.

2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,

an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim.

3 Guide a horse with a whip, a donkey with a bridle,

and a fool with a rod to his back!

4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,

or you will become as foolish as they are.

5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,

or they will become wise in their own estimation.

6 Trusting a fool to convey a message

is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!

7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is as useless as a paralyzed leg.

8 Honoring a fool

is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot.

9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool

is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk.

10 An employer who hires a fool or a bystander

is like an archer who shoots at random.

11 As a dog returns to its vomit,

so a fool repeats his foolishness.

12 There is more hope for fools

than for people who think they are wise.

13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road!

Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”

14 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges,

so the lazy person turns over in bed.

15 Lazy people take food in their hand

but don’t even lift it to their mouth.

16 Lazy people consider themselves smarter

than seven wise counselors.

17 Interfering in someone else’s argument

is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.

18 Just as damaging

as a madman shooting a deadly weapon

19 is someone who lies to a friend

and then says, “I was only joking.”

20 Fire goes out without wood,

and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.

21 A quarrelsome person starts fights

as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.

22 Rumors are dainty morsels

that sink deep into one’s heart.

23 Smoothwords may hide a wicked heart,

just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.

24 People may cover their hatred with pleasant words,

but they’re deceiving you.

25 They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them.

Their hearts are full of many evils.

26 While their hatred may be concealed by trickery,

their wrongdoing will be exposed in public.

27 If you set a trap for others,

you will get caught in it yourself.

If you roll a boulder down on others,

it will crush you instead.

28 A lying tongue hates its victims,

and flattering words cause ruin.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/PRO/26-6a466e54a6eb37f1237d96b2bca52564.mp3?version_id=116—

1 Don’t brag about tomorrow,

since you don’t know what the day will bring.

2 Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—

a stranger, not your own lips.

3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,

but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.

4 Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood,

but jealousy is even more dangerous.

5 An open rebuke

is better than hidden love!

6 Wounds from a sincere friend

are better than many kisses from an enemy.

7 A person who is full refuses honey,

but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.

8 A person who strays from home

is like a bird that strays from its nest.

9 The heartfelt counsel of a friend

is as sweet as perfume and incense.

10 Never abandon a friend—

either yours or your father’s.

When disaster strikes, you won’t have to ask your brother for assistance.

It’s better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.

11 Be wise, my child,and make my heart glad.

Then I will be able to answer my critics.

12 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.

The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

13 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt.

Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.

14 A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning

will be taken as a curse!

15 A quarrelsome wife is as annoying

as constant dripping on a rainy day.

16 Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind

or trying to hold something with greased hands.

17 As iron sharpens iron,

so a friend sharpens a friend.

18 As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit,

so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded.

19 As a face is reflected in water,

so the heart reflects the real person.

20 Just as Death and Destructionare never satisfied,

so human desire is never satisfied.

21 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,

but a person is tested by being praised.

22 You cannot separate fools from their foolishness,

even though you grind them like grain with mortar and pestle.

23 Know the state of your flocks,

and put your heart into caring for your herds,

24 for riches don’t last forever,

and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.

25 After the hay is harvested and the new crop appears

and the mountain grasses are gathered in,

26 your sheep will provide wool for clothing,

and your goats will provide the price of a field.

27 And you will have enough goats’ milk for yourself,

your family, and your servant girls.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/PRO/27-bc363eed112467d6fda4a93b7d2094fd.mp3?version_id=116—

1 The wicked run away when no one is chasing them,

but the godly are as bold as lions.

2 When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily.

But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.

3 A poor person who oppresses the poor

is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops.

4 To reject the law is to praise the wicked;

to obey the law is to fight them.

5 Evil people don’t understand justice,

but those who follow theLordunderstand completely.

6 Better to be poor and honest

than to be dishonest and rich.

7 Young people who obey the law are wise;

those with wild friends bring shame to their parents.

8 Income from charging high interest rates

will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor.

9 God detests the prayers

of a person who ignores the law.

10 Those who lead good people along an evil path

will fall into their own trap,

but the honest will inherit good things.

11 Rich people may think they are wise,

but a poor person with discernment can see right through them.

12 When the godly succeed, everyone is glad.

When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.

13 People who conceal their sins will not prosper,

but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

14 Blessed are those who fear to do wrong,

but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.

15 A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor

as a roaring lion or an attacking bear.

16 A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people,

but one who hates corruption will have a long life.

17 A murderer’s tormented conscience will drive him into the grave.

Don’t protect him!

18 The blameless will be rescued from harm,

but the crooked will be suddenly destroyed.

19 A hard worker has plenty of food,

but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.

20 The trustworthy person will get a rich reward,

but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.

21 Showing partiality is never good,

yet some will do wrong for a mere piece of bread.

22 Greedy people try to get rich quick

but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.

23 In the end, people appreciate honest criticism

far more than flattery.

24 Anyone who steals from his father and mother

and says, “What’s wrong with that?”

is no better than a murderer.

25 Greed causes fighting;

trusting theLordleads to prosperity.

26 Those who trust their own insight are foolish,

but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.

27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,

but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.

28 When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.

When the wicked meet disaster, the godly flourish.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/PRO/28-a6c7044f218beb5523ff3ac75dee1ec9.mp3?version_id=116—

1 Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism

will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.

2 When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice.

But when the wicked are in power, they groan.

3 The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,

but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.

4 A just king gives stability to his nation,

but one who demands bribes destroys it.

5 To flatter friends

is to lay a trap for their feet.

6 Evil people are trapped by sin,

but the righteous escape, shouting for joy.

7 The godly care about the rights of the poor;

the wicked don’t care at all.

8 Mockers can get a whole town agitated,

but the wise will calm anger.

9 If a wise person takes a fool to court,

there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction.

10 The bloodthirsty hate blameless people,

but the upright seek to help them.

11 Fools vent their anger,

but the wise quietly hold it back.

12 If a ruler pays attention to liars,

all his advisers will be wicked.

13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common—

theLordgives sight to the eyes of both.

14 If a king judges the poor fairly,

his throne will last forever.

15 To discipline a child produces wisdom,

but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.

16 When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes,

but the godly will live to see their downfall.

17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind

and will make your heart glad.

18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.

But whoever obeys the law is joyful.

19 Words alone will not discipline a servant;

the words may be understood, but they are not heeded.

20 There is more hope for a fool

than for someone who speaks without thinking.

21 A servant pampered from childhood

will become a rebel.

22 An angry person starts fights;

a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.

23 Pride ends in humiliation,

while humility brings honor.

24 If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself.

You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify.

25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap,

but trusting theLordmeans safety.

26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,

but justice comes from theLord.

27 The righteous despise the unjust;

the wicked despise the godly.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/PRO/29-7828386e30b8fea86c172b5d0c1937ed.mp3?version_id=116—

The Sayings of Agur

1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.

I am weary, O God;

I am weary and worn out, O God.

2 I am too stupid to be human,

and I lack common sense.

3 I have not mastered human wisdom,

nor do I know the Holy One.

4 Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down?

Who holds the wind in his fists?

Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak?

Who has created the whole wide world?

What is his name—and his son’s name?

Tell me if you know!

5 Every word of God proves true.

He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.

6 Do not add to his words,

or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.

7 O God, I beg two favors from you;

let me have them before I die.

8 First, help me never to tell a lie.

Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!

Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.

9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is theLord?”

And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

10 Never slander a worker to the employer,

or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.

11 Some people curse their father

and do not thank their mother.

12 They are pure in their own eyes,

but they are filthy and unwashed.

13 They look proudly around,

casting disdainful glances.

14 They have teeth like swords

and fangs like knives.

They devour the poor from the earth

and the needy from among humanity.

15 The leech has two suckers

that cry out, “More, more!”

There are three things that are never satisfied—

no, four that never say, “Enough!”:

16 the grave,

the barren womb,

the thirsty desert,

the blazing fire.

17 The eye that mocks a father

and despises a mother’s instructions

will be plucked out by ravens of the valley

and eaten by vultures.

18 There are three things that amaze me—

no, four things that I don’t understand:

19 how an eagle glides through the sky,

how a snake slithers on a rock,

how a ship navigates the ocean,

how a man loves a woman.

20 An adulterous woman consumes a man,

then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?”

21 There are three things that make the earth tremble—

no, four it cannot endure:

22 a slave who becomes a king,

an overbearing fool who prospers,

23 a bitter woman who finally gets a husband,

a servant girl who supplants her mistress.

24 There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:

25 Ants—they aren’t strong,

but they store up food all summer.

26 Hyraxes—they aren’t powerful,

but they make their homes among the rocks.

27 Locusts—they have no king,

but they march in formation.

28 Lizards—they are easy to catch,

but they are found even in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things that walk with stately stride—

no, four that strut about:

30 the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything,

31 the strutting rooster,

the male goat,

a king as he leads his army.

32 If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil,

cover your mouth in shame.

33 As the beating of cream yields butter

and striking the nose causes bleeding,

so stirring up anger causes quarrels.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/PRO/30-83b0b27a484fca5d284ca0d814678a8c.mp3?version_id=116—

The Sayings of King Lemuel

1 The sayings of King Lemuel contain this message,which his mother taught him.

2 O my son, O son of my womb,

O son of my vows,

3 do not waste your strength on women,

on those who ruin kings.

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine.

Rulers should not crave alcohol.

5 For if they drink, they may forget the law

and not give justice to the oppressed.

6 Alcohol is for the dying,

and wine for those in bitter distress.

7 Let them drink to forget their poverty

and remember their troubles no more.

8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;

ensure justice for those being crushed.

9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,

and see that they get justice.

A Wife of Noble Character

10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?

She is more precious than rubies.

11 Her husband can trust her,

and she will greatly enrich his life.

12 She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

13 She finds wool and flax

and busily spins it.

14 She is like a merchant’s ship,

bringing her food from afar.

15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household

and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it;

with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17 She is energetic and strong,

a hard worker.

18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable;

her lamp burns late into the night.

19 Her hands are busy spinning thread,

her fingers twisting fiber.

20 She extends a helping hand to the poor

and opens her arms to the needy.

21 She has no fear of winter for her household,

for everyone has warmclothes.

22 She makes her own bedspreads.

She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.

23 Her husband is well known at the city gates,

where he sits with the other civic leaders.

24 She makes belted linen garments

and sashes to sell to the merchants.

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,

and she laughs without fear of the future.

26 When she speaks, her words are wise,

and she gives instructions with kindness.

27 She carefully watches everything in her household

and suffers nothing from laziness.

28 Her children stand and bless her.

Her husband praises her:

29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,

but you surpass them all!”

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;

but a woman who fears theLordwill be greatly praised.

31 Reward her for all she has done.

Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/PRO/31-c5741874355da4931904def6234eff3c.mp3?version_id=116—