Bible in 90 Days
22 Do not say, “I’ll get even with you!”
Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you.
23 A double standard of weights is disgusting to Yahweh,
and dishonest scales are no good.
24 Yahweh is the one who directs a person’s steps.
How then can anyone understand his own way?
25 It is a trap for a person to say impulsively, “This is a holy offering!”
and later to have second thoughts about those vows.
26 A wise king scatters the wicked
and then runs them over.
27 A person’s soul is Yahweh’s lamp.
It searches his entire innermost being.
28 Mercy and truth protect a king,
and with mercy he maintains his throne.
29 While the glory of young men is their strength,
the splendor of older people is their silver hair.
30 Brutal beatings cleanse away wickedness.
Such beatings cleanse the innermost being.
The Lord Controls Wise and Foolish People
21 The king’s heart is like streams of water.
Both are under Yahweh’s control.
He turns them in any direction he chooses.
2 A person thinks everything he does is right,
but Yahweh weighs hearts.
3 Doing what is right and fair
is more acceptable to Yahweh than offering a sacrifice.
4 A conceited look and an arrogant attitude,
which are the lamps of wicked people, are sins.
5 The plans of a hard-working person lead to prosperity,
but everyone who is always in a hurry ends up in poverty.
6 Those who gather wealth by lying are wasting time.
They are looking for death.
7 The violence of wicked people will drag them away
since they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of a guilty person is crooked,
but the behavior of those who are pure is moral.[a]
9 Better to live on a corner of a roof
than to share a home with a quarreling woman.
10 The mind of a wicked person desires evil
and has no consideration for his neighbor.
11 When a mocker is punished, a gullible person becomes wise,
and when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 A righteous person wisely considers the house of a wicked person.
He throws wicked people into disasters.
13 Whoever shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will call and not be answered.
14 A gift given in secret calms anger,
and a secret bribe calms great fury.
15 When justice is done, a righteous person is delighted,
but troublemakers are terrified.
16 A person who wanders from the way of wise behavior
will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor.
Whoever loves wine and expensive food will not become rich.
18 Wicked people become a ransom for righteous people,
and treacherous people will take the place of decent people.
19 Better to live in a desert
than with a quarreling and angry woman.
20 Costly treasure and wealth are in the home of a wise person,
but a fool devours them.
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and mercy
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man attacks a city of warriors
and pulls down the strong defenses in which they trust.
23 Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
24 An arrogant, conceited person is called a mocker.
His arrogance knows no limits.
25 The desire of a lazy person will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he feels greedy,
but a righteous person gives and does not hold back.
27 The sacrifice of wicked people is disgusting,
especially if they bring it with evil intent.
28 A lying witness will die,
but a person who listens to advice will continue to speak.
29 A wicked person puts up a bold front,
but a decent person’s way of life is his own security.
30 No wisdom, no understanding, and no advice
can stand up against Yahweh.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to Yahweh.
22 A good name is more desirable than great wealth.
Respect is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
Yahweh is the maker of them all.
3 Sensible people foresee trouble and hide from it,
but gullible people go ahead and suffer the consequence.
4 On the heels of humility (the fear of Yahweh)
are riches and honor and life.
5 A devious person has thorns and traps ahead of him.
Whoever guards himself will stay far away from them.
6 Train a child in the way he should go,
and even when he is old he will not turn away from it.
7 A rich person rules poor people,
and a borrower is a slave to a lender.
8 Whoever plants injustice will harvest trouble,
and this weapon of his own fury will be destroyed.
9 Whoever is generous will be blessed
because he has shared his food with the poor.
10 Drive out a mocker, and conflict will leave.
Quarreling and abuse will stop.
11 Whoever loves a pure heart and whoever speaks graciously
has a king as his friend.
12 Yahweh’s eyes watch over knowledge,
but he overturns the words of a treacherous person.
13 A lazy person says,
“There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be murdered in the streets!”
14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit.
The one who is cursed by Yahweh will fall into it.
15 Foolishness is firmly attached to a child’s heart.
Spanking will remove it far from him.
16 Oppressing the poor for profit
or giving to the rich
certainly leads to poverty.
Listen to My Advice
17 Open your ears, and hear the words of wise people,
and set your mind on the knowledge I give you.
18 It is pleasant if you keep them in mind
so that they will be on the tip of your tongue,
19 so that your trust may be in Yahweh.
Today I have made them known to you, especially to you.
20 Didn’t I write to you previously with advice and knowledge
21 in order to teach you the words of truth
so that you can give an accurate report to those who send you?
Living with Your Neighbor
22 Do not rob the poor because they are poor
or trample on the rights of an oppressed person at the city gate,
23 because Yahweh will plead their case
and will take the lives of those who rob them.
24 Do not be a friend of one who has a bad temper,
and never keep company with a hothead,
25 or you will learn his ways
and set a trap for yourself.
26 Do not be found among those who make deals with a handshake,
among those who guarantee other people’s loans.
27 If you have no money to pay back a loan,
why should your bed be repossessed?
28 Do not move an ancient boundary marker
that your ancestors set in place.
29 Do you see a person who is efficient in his work?
He will serve kings.
He will not serve unknown people.
23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
pay close attention to what is in front of you,
2 and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,
because this is food that deceives you.
4 Do not wear yourself out getting rich.
Be smart enough to stop.
5 Will you catch only a fleeting glimpse of wealth before it is gone?
It makes wings for itself like an eagle flying into the sky.
6 Do not eat the food of one who is stingy,
and do not crave his delicacies.
7 As he calculates the cost to himself, this is what he does:
He tells you, “Eat and drink,”
but he doesn’t really mean it.
8 You will vomit the little bit you have eaten
and spoil your pleasant conversation.
9 Do not talk directly to a fool,
because he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not move an ancient boundary marker
or enter fields that belong to orphans,
11 because the one who is responsible for them is strong.
He will plead their case against you.
Learning from Your Father
12 Live a more disciplined life,
and listen carefully to words of knowledge.
13 Do not hesitate to discipline a child.
If you spank him, he will not die.
14 Spank him yourself,
and you will save his soul from hell.
15 My son,
if you have a wise heart,
my heart will rejoice as well.
16 My heart rejoices when you speak what is right.
17 Do not envy sinners in your heart.
Instead, continue to fear Yahweh.
18 There is indeed a future,
and your hope will never be cut off.
19 My son,
listen, be wise,
and keep your mind going in the right direction.
20 Do not associate with those who drink too much wine,
with those who eat too much meat,
21 because both a drunk and a glutton will become poor.
Drowsiness will dress a person in rags.
22 Listen to your father since you are his son,
and do not despise your mother because she is old.
23 Buy truth (and do not sell it),
that is, buy wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
24 A righteous person’s father will certainly rejoice.
Someone who has a wise son will enjoy him.
25 May your father and your mother be glad.
May she who gave birth to you rejoice.
26 My son,
give me your heart.
Let your eyes find happiness in my ways.
27 A prostitute is a deep pit.
A loose woman is a narrow well.
28 She is like a robber, lying in ambush.
She spreads unfaithfulness throughout society.
29 Who has trouble?
Who has misery?
Who has quarrels?
Who has a complaint?
Who has wounds for no reason?
Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who drink glass after glass of wine
and mix it with everything.
31 Do not look at wine
because it is red,
because it sparkles in the cup,
because it goes down smoothly.
32 Later it bites like a snake
and strikes like a poisonous snake.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights,
and your mouth will say embarrassing things.
34 You will be like someone lying down in the middle of the sea
or like someone lying down on top of a ship’s mast, saying,
35 “They strike me, but I feel no pain.
They beat me, but I’m not aware of it.
Whenever I wake up, I’m going to look for another drink.”
24 Do not envy evil people
or wish you were with them,
2 because their minds plot violence,
and their lips talk trouble.
3 With wisdom a house is built.
With understanding it is established.
4 With knowledge its rooms are filled
with every kind of riches, both precious and pleasant.
5 A strong man knows how to use his strength,
but a person with knowledge is even more powerful.
6 After all, with the right strategy you can wage war,
and with many advisers there is victory.
7 Matters of wisdom are beyond the grasp of a stubborn fool.
At the city gate he does not open his mouth.
8 Whoever plans to do evil will be known as a schemer.
9 Foolish scheming is sinful,
and a mocker is disgusting to everyone.
10 If you faint in a crisis, you are weak.
11 Rescue captives condemned to death,
and spare those staggering toward their slaughter.
12 When you say, “We didn’t know this,”
won’t the one who weighs hearts take note of it?
Won’t the one who guards your soul know it?
Won’t he pay back people for what they do?
13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good.
Honey that flows from the honeycomb tastes sweet.
14 The knowledge of wisdom is like that for your soul.
If you find it, then there is a future,
and your hope will never be cut off.
15 You wicked one,
do not lie in ambush at the home of a righteous person.
Do not rob his house.
16 A righteous person may fall seven times, but he gets up again.
However, in a disaster wicked people fall.
17 Do not be happy when your enemy falls,
and do not feel glad when he stumbles.
18 Yahweh will see it, he won’t like it,
and he will turn his anger away from that person.
19 Do not get overly upset with evildoers.
Do not envy wicked people,
20 because an evil person has no future,
and the lamps of wicked people will be snuffed out.
21 Fear Yahweh, my son.
Fear the king as well.
Do not associate with those who always insist upon change,
22 because disaster will come to them suddenly.
Who knows what misery both may bring?
Learning from Wise People
23 These also are the sayings of wise people:
Showing partiality as a judge is not good.
24 Whoever says to a guilty person, “You are innocent,”
will be cursed by people and condemned by nations.
25 But people will be pleased with those who convict a guilty person,
and a great blessing will come to them.
26 Giving a straight answer is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Prepare your work outside,
and get things ready for yourself in the field.
Afterwards, build your house.
28 Do not testify against your neighbor without a reason,
and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say,
“I’ll treat him as he treated me.
I’ll pay him back for what he has done to me.”
30 I passed by a lazy person’s field,
the vineyard belonging to a person without sense.
31 I saw that it was all overgrown with thistles.
The ground was covered with weeds,
and its stone fence was torn down.
32 When I observed this, I took it to heart.
I saw it and learned my lesson.
33 “Just a little sleep,
just a little slumber,
just a little nap.”
34 Then your poverty will come like a drifter,
and your need will come like a bandit.
25 These also are Solomon’s proverbs that were copied
by the men of King Hezekiah of Judah.
Advice for Kings
2 It is the glory of Elohim to hide things
but the glory of kings to investigate them.
3 Like the high heavens and the deep earth,
so the mind of kings is unsearchable.
4 Take the impurities out of silver,
and a vessel is ready for the silversmith to mold.
5 Take a wicked person away from the presence of a king,
and justice will make his throne secure.
6 Do not brag about yourself in front of a king
or stand in the spot that belongs to notable people,
7 because it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put down in front of a prince
whom your eyes have seen.
8 Do not be in a hurry to go to court.
What will you do in the end if your neighbor disgraces you?
9 Present your argument to your neighbor,
but do not reveal another person’s secret.
10 Otherwise, when he hears about it, he will humiliate you,
and his evil report about you will never disappear.
11 Like golden apples in silver settings,
so is a word spoken at the right time.
12 Like a gold ring and a fine gold ornament,
so is constructive criticism to the ear of one who listens.
13 Like the coolness of snow on a harvest day,
so is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him:
He refreshes his masters.
14 Like a dense fog or a dust storm,
so is a person who brags about a gift that he does not give.
15 With patience you can persuade a ruler,
and a soft tongue can break bones.
16 When you find honey, eat only as much as you need.
Otherwise, you will have too much and vomit.
17 Do not set foot in your neighbor’s house too often.
Otherwise, he will see too much of you and hate you.
18 Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow,
so is a person who gives false testimony against his neighbor.
19 Like a broken tooth and a lame foot,
so is confidence in an unfaithful person in a time of crisis.
20 Like taking off a coat on a cold day
or pouring vinegar on baking soda,
so is singing songs to one who has an evil heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him some food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him some water to drink.
22 In this way you will make him feel guilty and ashamed,
and Yahweh will reward you.
23 As the north wind brings rain,
so a whispering tongue brings angry looks.
24 Better to live on a corner of a roof
than to share a home with a quarreling woman.
25 Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from far away.
26 Like a muddied spring and a polluted well,
so is a righteous person who gives in to a wicked person.
27 Eating too much honey is not good,
and searching for honor is not honorable.[b]
28 Like a city broken into and left without a wall,
so is a person who lacks self-control.
All about Fools
26 Like snow in summertime and rain at harvest time,
so honor is not right for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow,
like a darting swallow,
so a hastily spoken curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip is for the horse,
a bridle is for the donkey,
and a rod is for the backs of fools.
4 Do not answer a fool with his own stupidity,
or you will be like him.
5 Answer a fool with his own stupidity,
or he will think he is wise.
6 Whoever uses a fool to send a message
cuts off his own feet and brings violence upon himself.
7 Like a lame person’s limp legs,
so is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
8 Like tying a stone to a sling,
so is giving honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn stuck in a drunk’s hand,
so is a proverb in the mouths of fools.
10 Like many people who destroy everything,
so is one who hires fools or drifters.
11 As a dog goes back to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his stupidity.
12 Have you met a person who thinks he is wise?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 A lazy person says,
“There’s a ferocious lion out on the road!
There’s a lion loose in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so the lazy person turns on his bed.
15 A lazy person puts his fork in his food.
He wears himself out as he brings it back to his mouth.
16 A lazy person thinks he is wiser than seven people who give a sensible answer.
17 Like grabbing a dog by the ears,
so is a bystander who gets involved in someone else’s quarrel.
18 Like a madman who shoots flaming arrows, arrows, and death,
19 so is the person who tricks his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood a fire goes out,
and without gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 As charcoal fuels burning coals and wood fuels fire,
so a quarrelsome person fuels a dispute.
22 The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily,
and they go down into a person’s innermost being.
23 Like a clay pot covered with cheap silver,
so is smooth talk that covers up an evil heart.
24 Whoever is filled with hate disguises it with his speech,
but inside he holds on to deceit.
25 When he talks charmingly, do not trust him
because of the seven disgusting things in his heart.
26 His hatred is deceitfully hidden,
but his wickedness will be revealed to the community.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it.
Whoever rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
All about Life
27 Do not brag about tomorrow,
because you do not know what another day may bring.
2 Praise should come from another person and not from your own mouth,
from a stranger and not from your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy, and sand weighs a lot,
but annoyance caused by a stubborn fool is heavier than both.
4 Anger is cruel, and fury is overwhelming,
but who can survive jealousy?
5 Open criticism is better than unexpressed love.
6 Wounds made by a friend are intended to help,
but an enemy’s kisses are too much to bear.[c]
7 One who is full despises honey,
but to one who is hungry,
even bitter food tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird wandering from its nest,
so is a husband wandering from his home.
9 Perfume and incense make the heart glad,
but the sweetness of a friend is a fragrant forest.[d]
10 Do not abandon your friend or your father’s friend.
Do not go to a relative’s home when you are in trouble.
A neighbor living nearby is better than a relative far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad
so that I can answer anyone who criticizes me.
12 Sensible people foresee trouble and hide.
Gullible people go ahead and suffer.
13 Hold on to the garment of one who guarantees a stranger’s loan,
and hold responsible the person
who makes a loan in behalf of a foreigner.
14 Whoever blesses his friend early in the morning with a loud voice—
his blessing is considered a curse.
15 Constantly dripping water on a rainy day is like a quarreling woman.
16 Whoever can control her can control the wind.
He can even pick up olive oil with his right hand.[e]
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens the wits of another.
18 Whoever takes care of a fig tree can eat its fruit,
and whoever protects his master is honored.
19 As a face is reflected in water,
so a person is reflected by his heart.
20 Hell and decay are never satisfied,
and a person’s eyes are never satisfied.
21 The crucible is for refining silver and the smelter for gold,
but a person is tested by the praise given to him.
22 If you crush a stubborn fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain,[f]
even then his stupidity will not leave him.
23 Be fully aware of the condition of your flock,
and pay close attention to your herds.
24 Wealth is not forever.
Nor does a crown last from one generation to the next.
25 When grass is cut short, the tender growth appears,
and vegetables are gathered on the hills.
26 Lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the money from the male goats will buy a field.
27 There will be enough goat milk to feed you,
to feed your family,
and to keep your servant girls alive.
28 A wicked person flees when no one is chasing him,
but righteous people are as bold as lions.
2 When a country is in revolt, it has many rulers,
but only with a person who has understanding and knowledge
will it last a long time.
3 A poor person who oppresses poorer people
is like a driving rain that leaves no food.
4 Those who abandon God’s teachings praise wicked people,
but those who follow God’s teachings oppose wicked people.
5 Evil people do not understand justice,
but those who seek Yahweh understand everything.
6 Better to be a poor person who has integrity
than to be rich and double-dealing.
7 Whoever follows God’s teachings is a wise son.
Whoever associates with gluttons disgraces his father.
8 Whoever becomes wealthy through unfair loans and interest
collects them for the one who is kind to the poor.
9 Surely the prayer of someone who refuses
to listen to God’s teachings is disgusting.
10 Whoever leads decent people into evil will fall into his own pit,
but innocent people will inherit good things.
11 A rich person is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor person with understanding sees right through him.
12 When righteous people triumph, there is great glory,
but when wicked people rise, people hide themselves.
13 Whoever covers over his sins does not prosper.
Whoever confesses and abandons them receives compassion.
14 Blessed is the one who is always fearful of sin,
but whoever is hard-hearted falls into disaster.
15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear,
so a wicked ruler is a threat to poor people.
16 A leader without understanding taxes his people heavily,
but those who hate unjust gain will live longer.
17 A person burdened with the guilt of murder
will be a fugitive down to his grave.
No one will help him.
18 Whoever lives honestly will be safe.
Whoever lives dishonestly will fall all at once.
19 Whoever works his land will have plenty to eat.
Whoever chases unrealistic dreams will have plenty of nothing.
20 A trustworthy person has many blessings,
but anyone in a hurry to get rich will not escape punishment.
21 Showing partiality is not good,
because some people will turn on you even for a piece of bread.
22 A stingy person is in a hurry to get rich,
not realizing that poverty is about to overtake him.
23 Whoever criticizes people will be more highly regarded in the future
than the one who flatters with his tongue.
24 The one who robs his father or his mother
and says, “It isn’t wrong!” is a companion to a vandal.
25 A greedy person stirs up a fight,
but whoever trusts Yahweh prospers.
26 Whoever trusts his own heart is a fool.
Whoever walks in wisdom will survive.
27 Whoever gives to the poor lacks nothing.
Whoever ignores the poor receives many curses.
28 When wicked people rise, people hide.
When they die, righteous people increase.
29 A person who will not bend after many warnings
will suddenly be broken beyond repair.
2 When righteous people increase, the people of God rejoice,
but when a wicked person rules, everybody groans.
3 A person who loves wisdom makes his father happy,
but one who pays prostitutes wastes his wealth.
4 By means of justice, a king builds up a country,
but a person who confiscates religious contributions tears it down.
5 A person who flatters his neighbor
is spreading a net for him to step into.
6 To an evil person sin is bait in a trap,
but a righteous person runs away from it[g] and is glad.
7 A righteous person knows the just cause of the poor.
A wicked person does not understand this.
8 Mockers create an uproar in a city,
but wise people turn away anger.
9 When a wise person goes to court with a stubborn fool,
he may rant and rave,
but there is no peace and quiet.
10 Bloodthirsty people hate an innocent person,
but decent people seek to protect his life.
11 A fool expresses all his emotions,
but a wise person controls them.
12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,
all his servants become wicked.
13 A poor person and an oppressor have this in common:
Yahweh gives both of them sight.
14 When a king judges the poor with honesty,
his throne will always be secure.
15 A spanking and a warning produce wisdom,
but an undisciplined child disgraces his mother.
16 When wicked people increase, crime increases,
but righteous people will witness their downfall.
17 Correct your son, and he will give you peace of mind.
He will bring delight to your soul.
18 Without prophetic vision people run wild,
but blessed are those who follow God’s teachings.
19 A slave cannot be disciplined with words.
He will not respond, though he may understand.
20 Have you met a person who is quick to answer?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 Pamper a slave from childhood,
and later he will be ungrateful.[h]
22 An angry person stirs up a fight,
and a hothead does much wrong.
23 A person’s pride will humiliate him,
but a humble spirit gains honor.
24 Whoever is a thief’s partner hates his own life.
He will not testify under oath.
25 A person’s fear sets a trap for him,
but one who trusts Yahweh is safe.
26 Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but justice for humanity comes from Yahweh.
27 An unjust person is disgusting to righteous people.
A decent person is disgusting to wicked people.
30 The words of Agur, son of Jakeh. Agur’s prophetic revelation.
Agur Speaks about God
[To God]
This man’s declaration:
“I’m weary, O El.
I’m weary and worn out, O El.
2 I’m more like a dumb animal than a human being.
I don’t even have human understanding.
3 I haven’t learned wisdom.
I don’t have knowledge of the Holy One.[i]
[To the audience]
4 “Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in the palm of his hand?
Who has wrapped water in a garment?
Who has set up the earth from one end to the other?
What is his name or the name of his son?
Certainly, you must know!
5 “Every word of Eloah has proven to be true.
He is a Magen to those who come to him for protection.
6 Do not add to his words,
or he will reprimand you, and you will be found to be a liar.
A Prayer
[To God]
7 “I’ve asked you for two things.
Don’t keep them from me before I die:
8 Keep vanity and lies far away from me.
Don’t give me either poverty or riches.
Feed me only the food I need,
9 or I may feel satisfied and deny you
and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’
or I may become poor and steal
and give the name of my Elohim a bad reputation.
Against Slander
[To the audience]
10 “Do not slander a slave to his master.
The slave will curse you,
and you will be found guilty.”
Four Kinds of People
11 A certain kind of person curses his father
and does not bless his mother.
12 A certain kind of person thinks he is pure
but is not washed from his own feces.[j]
13 A certain kind of person looks around arrogantly
and is conceited.
14 A certain kind of person,
whose teeth are like swords
and whose jaws are like knives,
devours oppressed people from the earth
and people from among humanity.
Human Bloodsuckers
15 The bloodsucking leech has two daughters—“Give!” and “Give!”
Four Things That Are Never Satisfied
Three things are never satisfied.
Four never say, “Enough!”:
16 the grave,
a barren womb,
a land that never gets enough water,
a fire that does not say, “Enough!”
Disrespectful Children—Their Punishment
17 The eye that makes fun of a father and hates to obey a mother
will be plucked out by ravens in the valley and eaten by young vultures.
Four Things of Intrigue
18 Three things are too amazing to me,
even four that I cannot understand:
19 an eagle making its way through the sky,
a snake making its way over a rock,
a ship making its way through high seas,
a man making his way with a virgin.
About the Woman Who Commits Adultery
20 This is the way of a woman who commits adultery:
She eats, wipes her mouth,
and says, “I haven’t done anything wrong!”
Four Things That Are Intolerable
21 Three things cause the earth to tremble,
even four it cannot bear up under:
22 a slave when he becomes king,
a godless fool when he is filled with food,
23 a woman who is unloved when she gets married,
a maid when she replaces her mistress.
Four Things That Are Small—Yet Smart and Strong
24 Four things on earth are small,
yet they are very wise:
25 Ants are not a strong species,
yet they store their food in summer.
26 Rock badgers are not a mighty species,
yet they make their home in the rocks.
27 Locusts have no king,
yet all of them divide into swarms by instinct.
28 A lizard you can hold in your hands,
yet it can even be found in royal palaces.
Four Things That Move with Dignity
29 There are three things that walk with dignity,
even four that march with dignity:
30 a lion, mightiest among animals, which turns away from nothing,
31 a strutting rooster,[k]
a male goat,
a king at the head of his army.[l]
Keep Calm and Quiet
32 If you are such a godless fool as to honor yourself,
or if you scheme,
you had better put your hand over your mouth.
33 As churning milk produces butter
and punching a nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger[m] produces a fight.
31 The sayings of King Lemuel, a prophetic revelation, used by his mother to discipline him.
Advice to a Prince
2 “What, my son?
What, son to whom I gave birth?
What, son of my prayers?
3 Don’t give your strength to women
or your power to those who ruin kings.
4 “It is not for kings, Lemuel.
It is not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to crave liquor.
5 Otherwise, they drink and forget what they have decreed
and change the standard of justice for all oppressed people.
6 Give liquor to a person who is dying
and wine to one who feels resentful.
7 Such a person drinks
and forgets his poverty
and does not remember his trouble anymore.
8 “Speak out for the one who cannot speak,
for the rights of those who are doomed.
9 Speak out,
judge fairly,
and defend the rights of oppressed and needy people.”
A Poem in Hebrew Alphabetical Order
10 “Who can find a wife with a strong character?
She is worth far more than jewels.
11 Her husband trusts her with all his heart,
and he does not lack anything good.
12 She helps him and never harms him all the days of her life.
13 “She seeks out wool and linen with care
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like merchant ships.
She brings her food from far away.
15 She wakes up while it is still dark
and gives food to her family
and portions of food to her female slaves.
16 “She picks out a field and buys it.
She plants a vineyard from the profits she has earned.
17 She puts on strength like a belt
and goes to work with energy.
18 She sees that she is making a good profit.
Her lamp burns late at night.
19 “She puts her hands on the distaff,
and her fingers hold a spindle.
20 She opens her hands to oppressed people
and stretches them out to needy people.
21 She does not fear for her family when it snows
because her whole family
has a double layer of clothing.
22 She makes quilts for herself.
Her clothes are made of linen and purple cloth.
23 “Her husband is known at the city gates
when he sits with the leaders of the land.
24 “She makes linen garments and sells them
and delivers belts to the merchants.
25 She dresses with strength and nobility,
and she smiles at the future.
26 “She speaks with wisdom,
and on her tongue there is tender instruction.
27 She keeps a close eye on the conduct of her family,
and she does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children and her husband
stand up and bless her.
In addition, he sings her praises, by saying,
29 ‘Many women have done noble work,
but you have surpassed them all!’
30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty evaporates,
but a woman who has the fear of Yahweh should be praised.
31 Reward her for what she has done,
and let her achievements praise her at the city gates.”
Introducing the Spokesman
1 The words of the spokesman, the son of David and the king in Jerusalem.
The Theme
2 “Absolutely pointless!” says the spokesman. “Absolutely pointless! Everything is pointless.”
Life Is an Endless Circle
3 What do people gain from all their hard work under the sun?
4 Generations come, and generations go,
but the earth lasts forever.
5 The sun rises, and the sun sets,
and then it rushes back to the place where it will rise again.
6 The wind blows toward the south and shifts toward the north.
Round and round it blows. It blows in a full circle.
7 All streams flow into the sea, but the sea is never full.
The water goes back to the place where the streams began
in order to start flowing again.
8 All of these sayings are worn-out phrases. They are more than anyone can express, comprehend, or understand.
9 Whatever has happened before will happen again. Whatever has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. 10 Can you say that anything is new? It has already been here long before us. 11 Nothing from the past is remembered. Even in the future, nothing will be remembered by those who come after us.
The Spokesman Begins to Study Everything under Heaven
12 I, the spokesman, have been king of Israel in Jerusalem. 13 With all my heart I used wisdom to study and explore everything done under heaven.
The Spokesman’s General Conclusion
Mortals are weighed down with a terrible burden that Elohim has placed on them. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun. Look at it! It’s all pointless. It’s like trying to catch the wind.
15 No one can straighten what is bent.
No one can count what is not there.
The Spokesman Begins to Study Life
16 I thought to myself, “I have grown wiser than anyone who has ruled Jerusalem before me. I’ve had a lot of experience with wisdom and knowledge.” 17 I’ve used my mind to understand wisdom and knowledge as well as madness and stupidity. Now I know that this is like trying to catch the wind.
18 With a lot of wisdom comes a lot of heartache.
The greater your knowledge, the greater your pain.
The Spokesman Studies Laughter
2 I thought to myself, “Now I want to experiment with pleasure and enjoy myself.” But even this was pointless.
2 I thought, “Laughter doesn’t make any sense. What does pleasure accomplish?”
The Spokesman Studies Wine
3 I explored ways to make myself feel better by drinking wine. I also explored ways to do some foolish things. During all that time, wisdom continued to control my mind. I was able to determine whether this was good for mortals to do during their brief lives under heaven.
The Spokesman Studies Personal Achievements
4 I accomplished some great things:
I built houses for myself.
I planted vineyards for myself.
5 I made gardens and parks for myself.
I planted every kind of fruit tree in them.
6 I made pools to water the forest of growing trees.
7 I bought male and female slaves.
In addition, slaves were born in my household.
I owned more herds and flocks
than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself.
I gathered the treasures of kings and provinces.
I provided myself with male and female singers
and the pleasures men have with one concubine[n] after another.
9 So I grew richer than anyone in Jerusalem before me. Yet, my wisdom remained with me. 10 If something appealed to me, I did it. I allowed myself to have any pleasure I wanted, since I found pleasure in my work. This was my reward for all my hard work.
11 But when I turned to look at all that I had accomplished and all the hard work I had put into it, I saw that it was all pointless. It was like trying to catch the wind. I gained nothing from any of my accomplishments under the sun.
Death Is the Common Destiny of All Life
12 Then I turned my attention to experience wisdom, madness, and foolishness. For instance, what can the man who replaces the king do? Only what has already been done. 13 But I saw that wisdom has an advantage over foolishness as light has an advantage over darkness. 14 A wise person uses the eyes in his head, but a fool walks in the dark. But I have also come to realize that the same destiny waits for both of them.
15 I thought to myself, “If the destiny that waits for the fool waits for me as well, then what is the advantage in being wise?” So I thought that even this is pointless.
Without God Everything Is Pointless
16 Neither the wise person nor the fool will be remembered for long, since both will be forgotten in the days to come. Both the wise person and the fool will die. 17 So I came to hate life because everything done under the sun seemed wrong to me. Everything was pointless. It was like trying to catch the wind.
18 I came to hate everything for which I had worked so hard under the sun, because I will have to leave it to the person who replaces me. 19 Who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? He will still have control over everything under the sun for which I worked so hard and used my wisdom. Even this is pointless.
20 Then I fell into despair over everything for which I had worked so hard under the sun. 21 Here is someone who had worked hard with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet, he must turn over his estate to someone else, who didn’t work for it. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.
22 What do people get from all of their hard work and struggles under the sun? 23 Their entire life is filled with pain, and their work is unbearable. Even at night their minds don’t rest. Even this is pointless.
With God Even the Simplest Things Have a Point
24 There is nothing better for people to do than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their work. I saw that even this comes from the hand of Elohim. 25 Who can eat or enjoy themselves without Elohim? 26 Elohim gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to anyone who pleases him. But to the person who continues to sin, he gives the job of gathering and collecting wealth. The sinner must turn his wealth over to the person who pleases Elohim. Even this is pointless. It’s like trying to catch the wind.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.