Through the Bible – Day 187

₁These are the proverbs

of King Solomon of Israel,

the son of David.

₂Proverbs will teach you

wisdom and self-control

and how to understand

sayings with deep meanings.

₃You will learn what is right

and honest and fair.

₄From these, an ordinary person

can learn to be clever,

and young people can gain

knowledge and good sense.

₅If you are already wise,

you will become even wiser.

And if you are clever,

you will learn to understand

₆proverbs and sayings,

as well as words of wisdom

and all kinds of riddles.

₇Respect and obey the LORD!

This is the beginning

of knowledge.

Only a fool rejects wisdom

and good advice.

₈My child, obey the teachings

of your parents,

₉and wear their teachings

as you would a lovely hat

or a pretty necklace.

₁₀Don't be tempted by sinners

or listen ₁₁when they say,

“Come on! Let's gang up

and kill somebody,

just for the fun of it!

₁₂They're well and healthy now,

but we'll finish them off

once and for all.

₁₃We'll take their valuables

and fill our homes

with stolen goods.

₁₄If you join our gang,

you'll get your share.”

₁₅Don't follow anyone like that

or do what they do.

₁₆They are in a big hurry

to commit some crime,

perhaps even murder.

₁₇They are like a bird

that sees the bait,

but ignores the trap.

₁₈They gang up to murder someone,

but they are the victims.

₁₉The wealth you get from crime

robs you of your life.

₂₀Wisdom shouts in the streets

wherever crowds gather.

₂₁She shouts in the market places

and near the city gates

as she says to the people,

₂₂“How much longer

will you enjoy

being stupid fools?

Won't you ever stop sneering

and laughing at knowledge?

₂₃Listen as I correct you

and tell you what I think.

₂₄You completely ignored me

and refused to listen;

₂₅you rejected my advice

and paid no attention

when I warned you.

₂₆“So when you are struck

by some terrible disaster,

₂₇or when trouble and distress

surround you like a whirlwind,

I will laugh and make fun of you.

₂₈You will ask for my help,

but I won't listen;

you will search,

but you won't find me.

₂₉No, you would not learn,

and you refused

to respect the LORD.

₃₀You rejected my advice

and paid no attention

when I warned you.

₃₁“Now you will eat the fruit

of what you have done,

until you are stuffed full

with your own schemes.

₃₂Sin and self-satisfaction

bring destruction and death

to stupid fools.

₃₃But if you listen to me,

you will be safe and secure

without fear of disaster.”

₁My child, you must follow

and treasure my teachings

and my instructions.

₂Keep in tune with wisdom

and think what it means

to have common sense.

₃Beg as loud as you can

for good common sense.

₄Search for wisdom

as you would search for silver

or hidden treasure.

₅Then you will understand

what it means to respect

and to know the LORD God.

₆All wisdom comes from the LORD,

and so do common sense

and understanding.

₇God gives helpful advice

to everyone who obeys him

and protects all those

who live as they should.

₈God sees that justice is done,

and he watches over everyone

who is faithful to him.

₉With wisdom you will learn

what is right

and honest and fair.

₁₀Wisdom will control your mind,

and you will be pleased

with knowledge.

₁₁Sound judgment and good sense

will watch over you.

₁₂Wisdom will protect you

from evil schemes

and from those liars

₁₃who turned from doing good

to live in the darkness.

₁₄Most of all they enjoy

being mean and deceitful.

₁₅They are dishonest themselves,

and all they do is crooked.

₁₆Wisdom will protect you

from the smooth talk

of a sinful woman,

₁₇who breaks her wedding vows

and leaves the man she married

when she was young.

₁₈The road to her house leads

down to the dark world

of the dead.

₁₉Visit her, and you will never

find the road to life again.

₂₀Follow the example

of good people

and live an honest life.

₂₁If you are honest and innocent,

you will keep your land;

₂₂if you do wrong

and can never be trusted,

you will be rooted out.

₁My child, remember

my teachings and instructions

and obey them completely.

₂They will help you live

a long and prosperous life.

₃Let love and loyalty

always show like a necklace,

and write them in your mind.

₄God and people will like you

and consider you a success.

₅With all your heart

you must trust the LORD

and not your own judgment.

₆Always let him lead you,

and he will clear the road

for you to follow.

₇Don't ever think that you

are wise enough,

but respect the LORD

and stay away from evil.

₈This will make you healthy,

and you will feel strong.

₉Honour the LORD by giving him

your money and the first part

of all your crops.

₁₀Then you will have

more grain and grapes

than you will ever need.

₁₁My child, don't turn away

or become bitter

when the LORD corrects you.

₁₂The LORD corrects

everyone he loves,

just as parents correct

their favourite child.

₁₃God blesses everyone

who has wisdom

and common sense.

₁₄Wisdom is worth more

than silver;

it makes you much richer

than gold.

₁₅Wisdom is more valuable

than precious jewels;

nothing you want

compares with her.

₁₆In her right hand

Wisdom holds a long life,

and in her left hand

are wealth and honour.

₁₇Wisdom makes life pleasant

and leads us safely along.

₁₈Wisdom is a life-giving tree,

the source of happiness

for all who hold on to her.

₁₉By his wisdom and knowledge

the LORD created

heaven and earth.

₂₀By his understanding

he let the ocean break loose

and clouds release the rain.

₂₁My child, use common sense

and sound judgment!

Always keep them in mind.

₂₂They will help you to live

a long and beautiful life.

₂₃You will walk safely

and never stumble;

₂₄you will rest without a worry

and sleep soundly.

₂₅So don't be afraid

of sudden disasters

or storms that strike

those who are evil.

₂₆You can be sure that the LORD

will protect you from harm.

₂₇Do all you can for everyone

who deserves your help.

₂₈Don't tell your neighbour

to come back tomorrow,

if you can help today.

₂₉Don't try to be mean

to neighbours who trust you.

₃₀Don't argue just to be arguing,

when you haven't been hurt.

₃₁Don't be jealous

of cruel people

or follow their example.

₃₂The LORD doesn't like

anyone who is dishonest,

but he lets good people

be his friends.

₃₃He places a curse on the home

of everyone who is evil,

but he blesses the home

of every good person.

₃₄The LORD sneers at those

who sneer at him,

but he is kind to everyone

who is humble.

₃₅You will be praised

if you are wise,

but you will be disgraced

if you are a stubborn fool.

₁My child, listen closely

to my teachings

and learn common sense.

₂My advice is useful,

so don't turn away.

₃When I was still very young

and my mother's favourite child,

my father ₄said to me:

“If you follow my teachings

and keep them in mind,

you will live.

₅Be wise and learn good sense;

remember my teachings

and do what I say.

₆If you love Wisdom

and don't reject her,

she will watch over you.

₇The best thing about Wisdom

is Wisdom herself;

good sense is more important

than anything else.

₈If you value Wisdom

and hold tightly to her,

great honours will be yours.

₉It will be like wearing

a glorious crown

of beautiful flowers.”

₁₀My child, if you listen

and obey my teachings,

you will live a long time.

₁₁I have shown you the way

that makes sense;

I have guided you

along the right path.

₁₂Your road won't be blocked,

and you won't stumble

when you run.

₁₃Hold firmly to my teaching

and never let go.

It will mean life for you.

₁₄Don't follow the bad example

of cruel and evil people.

₁₅Turn aside and keep going.

Stay away from them.

₁₆They can't sleep or rest

until they do wrong or harm

some innocent victim.

₁₇Their food and drink

are violence and cruelty.

₁₈The lifestyle of good people

is like sunlight at dawn

that keeps getting brighter

until broad daylight.

₁₉The lifestyle of the wicked

is like total darkness,

and they will never know

what makes them stumble.

₂₀My child, listen carefully

to everything I say.

₂₁Don't forget a single word,

but think about it all.

₂₂Knowing these teachings

will mean true life

and good health for you.

₂₃Carefully guard your thoughts

because they are the source

of true life.

₂₄Never tell lies or be deceitful

in what you say.

₂₅Keep looking straight ahead,

without turning aside.

₂₆Know where you are headed,

and you will stay

on solid ground.

₂₇Don't make a mistake by turning

to the right or the left.

₁My son, if you listen closely

to my wisdom and good sense,

₂you will have sound judgment,

and you will always know

the right thing to say.

₃The words of an immoral woman

may be as sweet as honey

and as smooth as olive oil.

₄But all that you really get

from being with her

is bitter poison and pain.

₅If you follow her,

she will lead you down

to the world of the dead.

₆She has missed the path

that leads to life

and doesn't even know it.

₇My son, listen to me

and do everything I say.

₈Stay away from a bad woman!

Don't even go near the door

of her house.

₉You will lose your self-respect

and end up in debt

to some cruel person

for the rest of your life.

₁₀Strangers will get your money

and everything else

you have worked for.

₁₁When it's all over,

your body will waste away,

as you groan ₁₂and shout,

“I hated advice and correction!

₁₆“I, the Lord, will return

and rebuild

David's fallen house.

I will build it from its ruins

and set it up again.

₁₇Then other nations

will turn to me

and be my chosen ones.

I, the Lord, say this.

₁₈I promised it long ago.”