Bible in 90 Days
22 Don’t say, “I’ll pay you back for the wrong you did.”
Wait for the Lord, and he will make things right.
23 The Lord hates dishonest weights,
and dishonest scales do not please him.
24 The Lord decides what a person will do;
no one understands what his life is all about.
25 It’s dangerous to promise something to God too quickly.
After you’ve thought about it, it may be too late.
26 A wise king sorts out the evil people,
and he punishes them as they deserve.
27 The Lord looks deep inside people
and searches through their thoughts.
28 Loyalty and truth keep a king in power;
he continues to rule if he is loyal.
29 The young glory in their strength,
and the old are honored for their gray hair.
30 Hard punishment will get rid of evil,
and whippings can change an evil heart.
21 The Lord can control a king’s mind as he controls a river;
he can direct it as he pleases.
2 You may believe you are doing right,
but the Lord judges your reasons.
3 Doing what is right and fair
is more important to the Lord than sacrifices.
4 Proud looks, proud thoughts,
and evil actions are sin.
5 The plans of hard-working people earn a profit,
but those who act too quickly become poor.
6 Wealth that comes from telling lies
vanishes like a mist and leads to death.
7 The violence of the wicked will destroy them,
because they refuse to do what is right.
8 Guilty people live dishonest lives,
but honest people do right.
9 It is better to live in a corner on the roof[a]
than inside the house with a quarreling wife.
10 Evil people only want to harm others.
Their neighbors get no mercy from them.
11 If you punish those who make fun of wisdom, a foolish person may gain some wisdom.
But if you teach the wise, they will get knowledge.
12 God, who is always right, watches the house of the wicked
and brings ruin on every evil person.
13 Whoever ignores the poor when they cry for help
will also cry for help and not be answered.
14 A secret gift will calm an angry person;
a present given in secrecy will quiet great anger.
15 When justice is done, good people are happy,
but evil people are ruined.
16 Whoever does not use good sense
will end up among the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and perfume will never be rich.
18 Wicked people will suffer instead of good people,
and those who cannot be trusted will suffer instead of those who do right.
19 It is better to live alone in the desert
than with a quarreling and complaining wife.
20 Wise people’s houses are full of the best foods and olive oil,
but fools waste everything they have.
21 Whoever tries to live right and be loyal
finds life, success, and honor.
22 A wise person can defeat a city full of warriors
and tear down the defenses they trust in.
23 Those who are careful about what they say
keep themselves out of trouble.
24 People who act with stubborn pride
are called “proud,” “bragger,” and “mocker.”
25 Lazy people’s desire for sleep will kill them,
because they refuse to work.
26 All day long they wish for more,
but good people give without holding back.
27 The Lord hates sacrifices brought by evil people,
particularly when they offer them for the wrong reasons.
28 A lying witness will be forgotten,
but a truthful witness will speak on.
29 Wicked people are stubborn,
but good people think carefully about what they do.
30 There is no wisdom, understanding, or advice
that can succeed against the Lord.
31 You can get the horses ready for battle,
but it is the Lord who gives the victory.
22 Being respected is more important than having great riches.
To be well thought of is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor are alike
in that the Lord made them all.
3 The wise see danger ahead and avoid it,
but fools keep going and get into trouble.
4 Respecting the Lord and not being proud
will bring you wealth, honor, and life.
5 Evil people’s lives are like paths covered with thorns and traps.
People who guard themselves don’t have such problems.
6 Train children to live the right way,
and when they are old, they will not stray from it.
7 The rich rule over the poor,
and borrowers are servants to lenders.
8 Those who plan evil will receive trouble.
Their cruel anger will come to an end.
9 Generous people will be blessed,
because they share their food with the poor.
10 Get rid of the one who makes fun of wisdom.
Then fighting, quarrels, and insults will stop.
11 Whoever loves pure thoughts and kind words
will have even the king as a friend.
12 The Lord guards knowledge,
but he destroys false words.
13 The lazy person says, “There’s a lion outside!
I might get killed out in the street!”
14 The words of an unfaithful wife are like a deep trap.
Those who make the Lord angry will get caught by them.
15 Every child is full of foolishness,
but punishment can get rid of it.
16 Whoever gets rich by mistreating the poor,
and gives presents to the wealthy, will become poor.
Other Wise Sayings
17 Listen carefully to what wise people say;
pay attention to what I am teaching you.
18 It will be good to keep these things in mind
so that you are ready to repeat them.
19 I am teaching them to you now
so that you will put your trust in the Lord.
20 I have written thirty 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.
22 Do not abuse poor people because they are poor,
and do not take away the rights of the needy in court.
23 The Lord will defend them in court
and will take the life of those who take away their rights.
24 Don’t make friends with quick-tempered people
or spend time with those who have bad tempers.
25 If you do, you will be like them.
Then you will be in real danger.
26 Don’t promise to pay what someone else owes,
and don’t guarantee anyone’s loan.
27 If you cannot pay the loan,
your own bed may be taken right out from under you.
28 Don’t move an old stone that marks a border,
because those stones were set up by your ancestors.
29 Do you see people skilled in their work?
They will work for kings, not for ordinary people.
23 If you sit down to eat with a ruler,
notice the food that is in front of you.
2 Control yourself
if you have a big appetite.
3 Don’t be greedy for his fine foods,
because that food might be a trick.
4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich;
be wise enough to control yourself.
5 Wealth can vanish in the wink of an eye.
It can seem to grow wings
and fly away like an eagle.
6 Don’t eat the food of selfish people;
don’t be greedy for their fine foods.
7 Selfish people are always worrying
about how much the food costs.
They tell you, “Eat and drink,”
but they don’t really mean it.
8 You will throw up the little you have eaten,
and you will have wasted your kind words.
9 Don’t speak to fools;
they will only ignore your wise words.
10 Don’t move an old stone that marks a border,
and don’t take fields that belong to orphans.
11 God, their defender, is strong;
he will take their side against you.
12 Remember what you are taught,
and listen carefully to words of knowledge.
13 Don’t fail to punish children.
If you spank them, they won’t die.
14 If you spank them,
you will save them from death.
15 My child, if you are wise,
then I will be happy.
16 I will be so pleased
if you speak what is right.
17 Don’t envy sinners,
but always respect the Lord.
18 Then you will have hope for the future,
and your wishes will come true.
19 Listen, my child, and be wise.
Keep your mind on what is right.
20 Don’t drink too much wine
or eat too much food.
21 Those who drink and eat too much become poor.
They sleep too much and end up wearing rags.
22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not forget your mother when she is old.
23 Learn the truth and never reject it.
Get wisdom, self-control, and understanding.
24 The father of a good child is very happy;
parents who have wise children are glad because of them.
25 Make your father and mother happy;
give your mother a reason to be glad.
26 My son, pay attention to me,
and watch closely what I do.
27 A prostitute is as dangerous as a deep pit,
and an unfaithful wife is like a narrow well.
28 They ambush you like robbers
and cause many men to be unfaithful to their wives.
29 Who has trouble? Who has pain?
Who fights? Who complains?
Who has unnecessary bruises?
Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 It is people who drink too much wine,
who try out all different kinds of strong drinks.
31 Don’t stare at the wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly.
32 Later it bites like a snake
with poison in its fangs.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights,
and your mind will be confused.
34 You will feel dizzy as if you’re in a storm on the ocean,
as if you’re on top of a ship’s sails.
35 You will think, “They hit me, but I’m not hurt.
They beat me up, but I don’t remember it.
I wish I could wake up.
Then I would get another drink.”
24 Don’t envy evil people
or try to be friends with them.
2 Their minds are always planning violence,
and they always talk about making trouble.
3 It takes wisdom to have a good family,
and it takes understanding to make it strong.
4 It takes knowledge to fill a home
with rare and beautiful treasures.
5 Wise people have great power,
and those with knowledge have great strength.
6 So you need advice when you go to war.
If you have lots of good advice, you will win.
7 Foolish people cannot understand wisdom.
They have nothing to say in a discussion.
8 Whoever makes evil plans
will be known as a troublemaker.
9 Making foolish plans is sinful,
and making fun of wisdom is hateful.
10 If you give up when trouble comes,
it shows that you are weak.
11 Save those who are being led to their death;
rescue those who are about to be killed.
12 If you say, “We don’t know anything about this,”
God, who knows what’s in your mind, will notice.
He is watching you, and he will know.
He will reward each person for what he has done.
13 My child, eat honey because it is good.
Honey from the honeycomb tastes sweet.
14 In the same way, wisdom is pleasing to you.
If you find it, you have hope for the future,
and your wishes will come true.
15 Don’t be wicked and attack a good family’s house;
don’t rob the place where they live.
16 Even though good people may be bothered by trouble seven times, they are never defeated,
but the wicked are overwhelmed by trouble.
17 Don’t be happy when your enemy is defeated;
don’t be glad when he is overwhelmed.
18 The Lord will notice and be displeased.
He may not be angry with them anymore.
19 Don’t envy evil people,
and don’t be jealous of the wicked.
20 An evil person has nothing to hope for;
the wicked will die like a flame that is put out.
21 My child, respect the Lord and the king.
Don’t join those people who refuse to obey them.
22 The Lord and the king will quickly destroy such people.
Those two can cause great disaster!
More Words of Wisdom
23 These are also sayings of the wise:
It is not good to take sides when you are the judge.
24 Don’t tell the wicked that they are innocent;
people will curse you, and nations will hate you.
25 But things will go well if you punish the guilty,
and you will receive rich blessings.
26 An honest answer is as pleasing
as a kiss on the lips.
27 First, finish your outside work
and prepare your fields.
After that, you can build your house.
28 Don’t testify against your neighbor for no good reason.
Don’t say things that are false.
29 Don’t say, “I’ll get even;
I’ll do to him what he did to me.”
30 I passed by a lazy person’s field
and by the vineyard of someone with no sense.
31 Thorns had grown up everywhere.
The ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone walls had fallen down.
32 I thought about what I had seen;
I learned this lesson from what I saw.
33 You sleep a little; you take a nap.
You fold your hands and lie down to rest.
34 Soon you will be as poor as if you had been robbed;
you will have as little as if you had been held up.
More Wise Sayings of Solomon
25 These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah.
2 God is honored for what he keeps secret.
Kings are honored for what they can discover.
3 No one can measure the height of the skies or the depth of the earth.
So also no one can understand the mind of a king.
4 Remove the scum from the silver,
so the silver can be used by the silversmith.
5 Remove wicked people from the king’s presence;
then his government will be honest and last a long time.
6 Don’t brag to the king
and act as if you are great.
7 It is better for him to give you a higher position
than to bring you down in front of the prince.
Because of something you have seen,
8 do not quickly take someone to court.
What will you do later
when your neighbor proves you wrong?
9 If you have an argument with your neighbor,
don’t tell other people what was said.
10 Whoever hears it might shame you,
and you might not ever be respected again.
11 The right word spoken at the right time
is as beautiful as gold apples in a silver bowl.
12 A wise warning to someone who will listen
is as valuable as gold earrings or fine gold jewelry.
13 Trustworthy messengers refresh those who send them,
like the coolness of snow in the summertime.
14 People who brag about gifts they never give
are like clouds and wind that give no rain.
15 With patience you can convince a ruler,
and a gentle word can get through to the hard-headed.
16 If you find honey, don’t eat too much,
or it will make you throw up.
17 Don’t go to your neighbor’s house too often;
too much of you will make him hate you.
18 When you lie about your neighbors,
it hurts them as much as a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.
19 Trusting unfaithful people when you are in trouble
is like eating with a broken tooth or walking with a crippled foot.
20 Singing songs to someone who is sad
is like taking away his coat on a cold day
or pouring vinegar on soda.
21 If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him a drink.
22 Doing this will be like pouring burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
23 As the north wind brings rain,
telling gossip brings angry looks.
24 It is better to live in a corner on the roof[b]
than inside the house with a quarreling wife.
25 Good news from a faraway place
is like a cool drink when you are tired.
26 A good person who gives in to evil
is like a muddy spring or a dirty well.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor does it bring you honor to brag about yourself.
28 Those who do not control themselves
are like a city whose walls are broken down.
26 It shouldn’t snow in summer or rain at harvest.
Neither should a foolish person ever be honored.
2 Curses will not harm someone who is innocent;
they are like sparrows or swallows that fly around and never land.
3 Whips are for horses, and harnesses are for donkeys,
so paddles are good for fools.
4 Don’t answer fools when they speak foolishly,
or you will be just like them.
5 Answer fools when they speak foolishly,
or they will think they are really wise.
6 Sending a message by a foolish person
is like cutting off your feet or drinking poison.
7 A wise saying spoken by a fool
is as useless as the legs of a crippled person.
8 Giving honor to a foolish person
is like tying a stone in a slingshot.
9 A wise saying spoken by a fool
is like a thorn stuck in the hand of a drunk.
10 Hiring a foolish person or anyone just passing by
is like an archer shooting at just anything.
11 A fool who repeats his foolishness
is like a dog that goes back to what it has thrown up.
12 There is more hope for a foolish person
than for those who think they are wise.
13 The lazy person says, “There’s a lion in the road!
There’s a lion in the streets!”
14 Like a door turning back and forth on its hinges,
the lazy person turns over and over in bed.
15 Lazy people may put their hands in the dish,
but they are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.
16 The lazy person thinks he is wiser
than seven people who give sensible answers.
17 Interfering in someone else’s quarrel as you pass by
is like grabbing a dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman shooting
deadly, burning arrows
19 is the one who tricks a neighbor
and then says, “I was just joking.”
20 Without wood, a fire will go out,
and without gossip, quarreling will stop.
21 Just as charcoal and wood keep a fire going,
a quarrelsome person keeps an argument going.
22 The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food;
people like to gobble them up.
23 Kind words from a wicked mind
are like a shiny coating on a clay pot.
24 Those who hate you may try to fool you with their words,
but in their minds they are planning evil.
25 People’s words may be kind, but don’t believe them,
because their minds are full of evil thoughts.
26 Lies can hide hate,
but the evil will be plain to everyone.
27 Whoever digs a pit for others will fall into it.
Whoever tries to roll a boulder down on others will be crushed by it.
28 Liars hate the people they hurt,
and false praise can ruin others.
27 Don’t brag about tomorrow;
you don’t know what may happen then.
2 Don’t praise yourself. Let someone else do it.
Let the praise come from a stranger and not from your own mouth.
3 Stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
but a complaining fool is worse than either.
4 Anger is cruel and destroys like a flood,
but no one can put up with jealousy!
5 It is better to correct someone openly
than to have love and not show it.
6 The slap of a friend can be trusted to help you,
but the kisses of an enemy are nothing but lies.
7 When you are full, not even honey tastes good,
but when you are hungry, even something bitter tastes sweet.
8 A person who leaves his home
is like a bird that leaves its nest.
9 The sweet smell of perfume and oils is pleasant,
and so is good advice from a friend.
10 Don’t forget your friend or your parent’s friend.
Don’t always go to your family for help when trouble comes.
A neighbor close by is better than a family far away.
11 Be wise, my child, and make me happy.
Then I can respond to any insult.
12 The wise see danger ahead and avoid it,
but fools keep going and get into trouble.
13 Take the coat of someone who promises to pay a stranger’s loan,
and keep it until he pays what the stranger owes.
14 If you loudly greet your neighbor early in the morning,
he will think of it as a curse.
15 A quarreling wife is as bothersome
as a continual dripping on a rainy day.
16 Stopping her is like stopping the wind
or trying to grab oil in your hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so people can improve each other.
18 Whoever tends a fig tree gets to eat its fruit,
and whoever takes care of his master will receive honor.
19 As water reflects your face,
so your mind shows what kind of person you are.
20 People will never stop dying and being destroyed,
and they will never stop wanting more than they have.
21 A hot furnace tests silver and gold,
and people are tested by the praise they receive.
22 Even if you ground up a foolish person like grain in a bowl,
you couldn’t remove the foolishness.
23 Be sure you know how your sheep are doing,
and pay attention to the condition of your cattle.
24 Riches will not go on forever,
nor do governments go on forever.
25 Bring in the hay, and let the new grass appear.
Gather the grass from the hills.
26 Make clothes from the lambs’ wool,
and sell some goats to buy a field.
27 There will be plenty of goat’s milk
to feed you and your family
and to make your servant girls healthy.
28 Evil people run even though no one is chasing them,
but good people are as brave as a lion.
2 When a country is lawless, it has one ruler after another;
but when it is led by a leader with understanding and knowledge, it continues strong.
3 Rulers who mistreat the poor
are like a hard rain that destroys the crops.
4 Those who disobey what they have been taught praise the wicked,
but those who obey what they have been taught are against them.
5 Evil people do not understand justice,
but those who follow the Lord understand it completely.
6 It is better to be poor and innocent
than to be rich and wicked.
7 Children who obey what they have been taught are wise,
but friends of troublemakers disgrace their parents.
8 Some people get rich by overcharging others,
but their wealth will be given to those who are kind to the poor.
9 If you refuse to obey what you have been taught,
your prayers will not be heard.
10 Those who lead good people to do wrong
will be ruined by their own evil,
but the innocent will be rewarded with good things.
11 Rich people may think they are wise,
but the poor with understanding will prove them wrong.
12 When good people triumph, there is great happiness,
but when the wicked get control, everybody hides.
13 If you hide your sins, you will not succeed.
If you confess and reject them, you will receive mercy.
14 Those who are always respectful will be happy,
but those who are stubborn will get into trouble.
15 A wicked ruler is as dangerous to poor people
as a roaring lion or a charging bear.
16 A ruler without wisdom will be cruel,
but the one who refuses to take dishonest money will rule a long time.
17 Don’t help those who are guilty of murder;
let them run until they die.
18 Innocent people will be kept safe,
but those who are dishonest will suddenly be ruined.
19 Those who work their land will have plenty of food,
but the ones who chase empty dreams instead will end up poor.
20 A truthful person will have many blessings,
but those eager to get rich will be punished.
21 It is not good for a judge to take sides,
but some will sin for only a piece of bread.
22 Selfish people are in a hurry to get rich
and do not realize they soon will be poor.
23 Those who correct others will later be liked
more than those who give false praise.
24 Whoever robs father or mother
and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is just like someone who destroys things.
25 A greedy person causes trouble,
but the one who trusts the Lord will succeed.
26 Those who trust in themselves are foolish,
but those who live wisely will be kept safe.
27 Whoever gives to the poor will have everything he needs,
but the one who ignores the poor will receive many curses.
28 When the wicked get control, everybody hides,
but when they die, good people do well.
29 Whoever is stubborn after being corrected many times
will suddenly be hurt beyond cure.
2 When good people do well, everyone is happy,
but when evil people rule, everyone groans.
3 Those who love wisdom make their parents happy,
but friends of prostitutes waste their money.
4 If a king is fair, he makes his country strong,
but if he takes gifts dishonestly, he tears his country down.
5 Those who give false praise to their neighbors
are setting a trap for them.
6 Evil people are trapped by their own sin,
but good people can sing and be happy.
7 Good people care about justice for the poor,
but the wicked are not concerned.
8 People who make fun of wisdom cause trouble in a city,
but wise people calm anger down.
9 When a wise person takes a foolish person to court,
the fool only shouts or laughs, and there is no peace.
10 Murderers hate an honest person
and try to kill those who do right.
11 Foolish people lose their tempers,
but wise people control theirs.
12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,
all his officers will become wicked.
13 The poor person and the cruel person are alike
in that the Lord gave eyes to both of them.
14 If a king judges poor people fairly,
his government will continue forever.
15 Correction and punishment make children wise,
but those left alone will disgrace their mother.
16 When there are many wicked people, there is much sin,
but those who do right will see them destroyed.
17 Correct your children, and you will be proud;
they will give you satisfaction.
18 Where there is no word from God, people are uncontrolled,
but those who obey what they have been taught are happy.
19 Words alone cannot correct a servant,
because even if they understand, they won’t respond.
20 Do you see people who speak too quickly?
There is more hope for a foolish person than for them.
21 If you spoil your servants when they are young,
they will bring you grief later on.
22 An angry person causes trouble;
a person with a quick temper sins a lot.
23 Pride will ruin people,
but those who are humble will be honored.
24 Partners of thieves are their own worst enemies.
If they have to testify in court, they are afraid to say anything.
25 Being afraid of people can get you into trouble,
but if you trust the Lord, you will be safe.
26 Many people want to speak to a ruler,
but justice comes only from the Lord.
27 Good people hate those who are dishonest,
and the wicked hate those who are honest.
Wise Words from Agur
30 These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh.
This is his message to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 “I am the most stupid person there is,
and I have no understanding.
3 I have not learned to be wise,
and I don’t know much about God, the Holy One.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come back down?
Who can hold the wind in his hand?
Who can gather up the waters in his coat?
Who has set in place the ends of the earth?
What is his name or his son’s name?
Tell me, if you know!
5 “Every word of God is true.
He guards those who come to him for safety.
6 Do not add to his words,
or he will correct you and prove you are a liar.
7 “I ask two things from you, Lord.
Don’t refuse me before I die.
8 Keep me from lying and being dishonest.
And don’t make me either rich or poor;
just give me enough food for each day.
9 If I have too much, I might reject you
and say, ‘I don’t know the Lord.’
If I am poor, I might steal
and disgrace the name of my God.
10 “Do not say bad things about servants to their masters,
or they will curse you, and you will suffer for it.
11 “Some people curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers.
12 Some people think they are pure,
but they are not really free from evil.
13 Some people have such a proud look!
They look down on others.
14 Some people have teeth like swords;
their jaws seem full of knives.
They want to remove the poor from the earth
and the needy from the land.
15 “Greed has two daughters
named ‘Give’ and ‘Give.’
There are three things that are never satisfied,
really four that never say, ‘I’ve had enough!’:
16 the cemetery, the childless mother,
the land that never gets enough rain,
and fire that never says, ‘I’ve had enough!’
17 “If you make fun of your father
and refuse to obey your mother,
the birds of the valley will peck out your eyes,
and the vultures will eat them.
18 “There are three things that are too hard for me,
really four I don’t understand:
19 the way an eagle flies in the sky,
the way a snake slides over a rock,
the way a ship sails on the sea,
and the way a man and a woman fall in love.
20 “This is the way of a woman who takes part in adultery:
She acts as if she had eaten and washed her face;
she says, ‘I haven’t done anything wrong.’
21 “There are three things that make the earth tremble,
really four it cannot stand:
22 a servant who becomes a king,
a foolish person who has plenty to eat,
23 a hated woman who gets married,
and a maid who replaces her mistress.
24 “There are four things on earth that are small,
but they are very wise:
25 Ants are not very strong,
but they store up food in the summer.
26 Rock badgers are not very powerful,
but they can live among the rocks.
27 Locusts have no king,
but they all go forward in formation.
28 Lizards can be caught in the hand,
but they are found even in kings’ palaces.
29 “There are three things that strut proudly,
really four that walk as if they were important:
30 a lion, the proudest animal,
which is strong and runs from nothing,
31 a rooster, a male goat,
and a king when his army is around him.
32 “If you have been foolish and proud,
or if you have planned evil, shut your mouth.
33 Just as stirring milk makes butter,
and twisting noses makes them bleed,
so stirring up anger causes trouble.”
Wise Words of King Lemuel
31 These are the words of King Lemuel, the message his mother taught him:
2 “My son, I gave birth to you.
You are the son I prayed for.
3 Don’t waste your strength on women
or your time on those who ruin kings.
4 “Kings should not drink wine, Lemuel,
and rulers should not desire beer.
5 If they drink, they might forget the law
and keep the needy from getting their rights.
6 Give beer to people who are dying
and wine to those who are sad.
7 Let them drink and forget their need
and remember their misery no more.
8 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
defend the rights of all those who have nothing.
9 Speak up and judge fairly,
and defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
The Good Wife
10 It is hard to find a good wife,
because she is worth more than rubies.
11 Her husband trusts her completely.
With her, he has everything he needs.
12 She does him good and not harm
for as long as she lives.
13 She looks for wool and flax
and likes to work with her hands.
14 She is like a trader’s ship,
bringing food from far away.
15 She gets up while it is still dark
and prepares food for her family
and feeds her servant girls.
16 She inspects a field and buys it.
With money she earned, she plants a vineyard.
17 She does her work with energy,
and her arms are strong.
18 She knows that what she makes is good.
Her lamp burns late into the night.
19 She makes thread with her hands
and weaves her own cloth.
20 She welcomes the poor
and helps the needy.
21 She does not worry about her family when it snows,
because they all have fine clothes to keep them warm.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
her clothes are made of linen and other expensive material.
23 Her husband is known at the city meetings,
where he makes decisions as one of the leaders of the land.
24 She makes linen clothes and sells them
and provides belts to the merchants.
25 She is strong and is respected by the people.
She looks forward to the future with joy.
26 She speaks wise words
and teaches others to be kind.
27 She watches over her family
and never wastes her time.
28 Her children speak well of her.
Her husband also praises her,
29 saying, “There are many fine women,
but you are better than all of them.”
30 Charm can fool you, and beauty can trick you,
but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned;
she should be praised in public for what she has done.
1 These are the words of the Teacher, a son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 The Teacher says,
“Useless! Useless!
Completely useless!
Everything is useless.”
3 What do people really gain
from all the hard work they do here on earth?
Things Never Change
4 People live, and people die,
but the earth continues forever.
5 The sun rises, the sun sets,
and then it hurries back to where it rises again.
6 The wind blows to the south;
it blows to the north.
It blows from one direction and then another.
Then it turns around and repeats the same pattern, going nowhere.
7 All the rivers flow to the sea,
but the sea never becomes full.
8 Everything is boring,
so boring that you don’t even want to talk about it.
Words come again and again to our ears,
but we never hear enough,
nor can we ever really see all we want to see.
9 All things continue the way they have been since the beginning.
What has happened will happen again;
there is nothing new here on earth.
10 Someone might say,
“Look, this is new,”
but really it has always been here.
It was here before we were.
11 People don’t remember what happened long ago,
and in the future people will not remember what happens now.
Even later, other people will not remember what was done before them.
Does Wisdom Bring Happiness?
12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I decided to use my wisdom to learn about everything that happens on earth. I learned that God has given us terrible things to face. 14 I looked at everything done on earth and saw that it is all useless, like chasing the wind.
15 If something is crooked,
you can’t make it straight.
If something is missing,
you can’t say it is there.
16 I said to myself, “I have become very wise and am now wiser than anyone who ruled Jerusalem before me. I know what wisdom and knowledge really are.” 17 So I decided to find out about wisdom and knowledge and also about foolish thinking, but this turned out to be like chasing the wind.
18 With much wisdom comes much disappointment;
the person who gains more knowledge also gains more sorrow.
Does “Having Fun” Bring Happiness?
2 I said to myself, “I will try having fun. I will enjoy myself.” But I found that this is also useless. 2 It is foolish to laugh all the time, and having fun doesn’t accomplish anything. 3 I decided to cheer myself up with wine while my mind was still thinking wisely. I wanted to find a way to enjoy myself and see what was good for people to do during their few days of life.
Does Hard Work Bring Happiness?
4 Then I did great things: I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made gardens and parks, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made pools of water for myself and used them to water my growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and slaves were also born in my house. I had large herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem had ever had before. 8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself, treasures from kings and other areas. I had male and female singers and all the women a man could ever want. 9 I became very famous, even greater than anyone who had lived in Jerusalem before me. My wisdom helped me in all this.
10 Anything I saw and wanted, I got for myself;
I did not miss any pleasure I desired.
I was pleased with everything I did,
and this pleasure was the reward for all my hard work.
11 But then I looked at what I had done,
and I thought about all the hard work.
Suddenly I realized it was useless, like chasing the wind.
There is nothing to gain from anything we do here on earth.
Maybe Wisdom Is the Answer
12 Then I began to think again about being wise,
and also about being foolish and doing crazy things.
But after all, what more can anyone do?
He can’t do more than what the other king has already done.
13 I saw that being wise is certainly better than being foolish,
just as light is better than darkness.
14 Wise people see where they are going,
but fools walk around in the dark.
Yet I saw that
both wise and foolish people end the same way.
15 I thought to myself,
“What happens to a fool will happen to me, too,
so what is the reward for being wise?”
I said to myself,
“Being wise is also useless.”
16 The wise person and the fool
will both die,
and no one will remember either one for long.
In the future, both will be forgotten.
Is There Real Happiness in Life?
17 So I hated life. It made me sad to think that everything here on earth is useless, like chasing the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had worked for here on earth, because I must leave them to someone who will live after me. 19 Someone else will control everything for which I worked so hard here on earth, and I don’t know if he will be wise or foolish. This is also useless. 20 So I became sad about all the hard work I had done here on earth. 21 People can work hard using all their wisdom, knowledge, and skill, but they will die, and other people will get the things for which they worked. They did not do the work, but they will get everything. This is also unfair and useless. 22 What do people get for all their work and struggling here on earth? 23 All of their lives their work is full of pain and sorrow, and even at night their minds don’t rest. This is also useless.
24 The best that people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy their work. I saw that even this comes from God, 25 because no one can eat or enjoy life without him. 26 If people please God, God will give them wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But sinners will get only the work of gathering and storing wealth that they will have to give to the ones who please God. So all their work is useless, like chasing the wind.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.