July 24
Proverbs 29:1 — 31:31
29
A man
repeatedly reproved but making his neck hard will suddenly be broken, and that
without healing.
2 When
the righteous become many, the people rejoice; but when anyone wicked bears
rule, the people sigh.
3 A man
that is loving wisdom makes his father rejoice, but he that is having
companionship with prostitutes destroys valuable things.
4 By
justice a king makes a land keep standing, but a man out for bribes tears it
down.
5 An
able-bodied man that is flattering his companion is spreading out a mere net for
his steps.
6 In the
transgression of a bad man there is a snare, but he that is righteous cries out
joyfully and is glad.
7 The
righteous one is knowing the legal claim of the lowly ones. He that is wicked
does not consider such knowledge.
8 Men of
boastful talk inflame a town, but those who are wise turn back anger.
9 A wise
man having entered into judgment with a foolish man—he has become excited and
has also laughed, and there is no rest.
10 Bloodthirsty
men hate anyone blameless; and as for the upright ones, they keep seeking for
the soul of each one.
11 All
his spirit is what a stupid one lets out, but he that is wise keeps it calm to
the last.
12 Where
a ruler is paying attention to false speech, all those waiting on him will be
wicked.
13 The
one of little means and the man of oppressions have met each other; [but]
Jehovah is lighting up the eyes of them both.
14 Where
a king is judging the lowly ones in trueness, his throne will be firmly
established for all time.
15 The
rod and reproof are what give wisdom; but a boy let on the loose will be causing
his mother shame.
16 When
the wicked become many, transgression abounds; but those who are righteous will
look on their very downfall.
17 Chastise
your son and he will bring you rest and give much pleasure to your soul.
18 Where
there is no vision the people go unrestrained, but happy are they that are
keeping the law.
19 A
servant will not let himself be corrected by mere words, for he understands but
he is paying no heed.
20 Have
you beheld a man hasty with his words? There is more hope for someone stupid
than for him.
21 If
one is pampering one’s servant from youth on, in his later life he will even
become a thankless one.
22 A man
given to anger stirs up contention, and anyone disposed to rage has many a
transgression.
23 The
very haughtiness of earthling man will humble him, but he that is humble in
spirit will take hold of glory.
24 He
that is partner with a thief is hating his own soul. An oath involving a curse
he may hear, but he reports nothing.
25 Trembling
at men is what lays a snare, but he that is trusting in Jehovah will be
protected.
26 Many
are those seeking the face of a ruler, but the judgment of a man is from
Jehovah.
27 A man
of injustice is something detestable to the righteous ones, and one who is
upright in his way is something detestable to a wicked one.
30 The
words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the weighty message. The utterance of the
able-bodied man to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal.
2 For I
am more unreasoning than anyone else, and I do not have the understanding of
mankind;
3 and I
have not learned wisdom; and the knowledge of the Most Holy One I do not know.
4 Who
has ascended to heaven that he may descend? Who has gathered the wind in the
hollow of both hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who has made
all the ends of the earth to rise? What is his name and what the name of his
son, in case you know?
5 Every
saying of God is refined. He is a shield to those taking refuge in him.
6 Add
nothing to his words, that he may not reprove you, and that you may not have to
be proved a liar.
7 Two
things I have asked of you. Do not withhold them from me before I die.
8 Untruth
and the lying word put far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Let
me devour the food prescribed for me,
9 that I
may not become satisfied and I actually deny [you] and say: “Who is Jehovah?”
and that I may not come to poverty and I actually steal and assail the name of
my God.
10 Do
not slander a servant to his master, that he may not call down evil upon you,
and that you may not have to be held guilty.
11 There
is a generation that calls down evil even upon its father and that does not
bless even its mother.
12 There
is a generation that is pure in its own eyes but that has not been washed from
its own excrement.
13 There
is a generation whose eyes have become O how lofty! and whose beaming eyes are
lifted up.
14 There
is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jawbones are slaughtering
knives, to eat up the afflicted ones off the earth and the poor ones from among
mankind.
15 The
leeches have two daughters [that cry]: “Give! Give!” There are three things that
do not get satisfied, four that have not said: “Enough!”
16 Sheol
and a restrained womb, a land that has not been satisfied with water, and fire
that has not said: “Enough!”
17 The
eye that holds a father in derision and that despises obedience to a mother—the
ravens of the torrent valley will pick it out and the sons of the eagle will eat
it up.
18 There
are three things that have proved too wonderful for me, and four that I have not
come to know:
19 the
way of an eagle in the heavens, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a
ship in the heart of the sea and the way of an able-bodied man with a maiden.
20 Here
is the way of an adulterous woman: she has eaten and has wiped her mouth and she
has said: “I have committed no wrong.”
21 Under
three things the earth has been agitated, and under four it is not able to
endure:
22 under
a slave when he rules as king, and someone senseless when he has his sufficiency
of food;
23 under
a hated woman when she is taken possession of as a wife, and a maidservant when
she dispossesses her mistress.
24 There
are four things that are the smallest of the earth, but they are instinctively
wise:
25 the
ants are a people not strong, and yet in the summer they prepare their food;
26 the
rock badgers are a people not mighty, and yet upon a crag is where they put
their house;
27 the
locusts have no king, and yet they go forth all of them divided into groups;
28 the
gecko lizard takes hold with its own hands and it is in the grand palace of a
king.
29 There
are three that do well in [their] pacing, and four that do well in [their]
moving along:
30 the
lion, which is the mightiest among the beasts and which does not turn back from
before anyone;
31 the
greyhound or the he-goat, and a king of a band of soldiers of his own people.
32 If
you have acted senselessly by lifting yourself up, and if you have fixed your
thought [upon it], [put] the hand to the mouth.
33 For
the churning of milk is what brings forth butter, and the squeezing of the nose
is what brings forth blood, and the squeezing out of anger is what brings forth
quarreling.
31 The
words of Lemuel the king, the weighty message that his mother gave to him in
correction:
2 What
[am I saying], O son of mine, and what, O son of my belly, and what, O son of my
vows?
3 Do not
give your vital energy to women, nor your ways to [what leads to] wiping out
kings.
4 It is
not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine or for high officials
[to say:] “Where is intoxicating liquor?”
5 that
one may not drink and forget what is decreed and pervert the cause of any of the
sons of affliction.
6 Give
intoxicating liquor, YOU people, to the one about to perish and wine to those
who are bitter of soul.
7 Let
one drink and forget one’s poverty, and let one remember one’s own trouble no
more.
8 Open
your mouth for the speechless one, in the cause of all those passing away.
9 Open
your mouth, judge righteously and plead the cause of the afflicted one and the
poor one.
א [ʼAleph]
10 A
capable wife who can find? Her value is far more than that of corals.
ב [Behth]
11 In
her the heart of her owner has put trust, and there is no gain lacking.
ג [Gimel]
12 She
has rewarded him with good, and not bad, all the days of her life.
ד [Daleth]
13 She
has sought wool and linen, and she works at whatever is the delight of her
hands.
ה
[Heʼ]
14 She
has proved to be like the ships of a merchant. From far away she brings in her
food.
ו [Waw]
15 She
also gets up while it is still night, and gives food to her household and the
prescribed portion to her young women.
ז [Zayin]
16 She
has considered a field and proceeded to obtain it; from the fruitage of her
hands she has planted a vineyard.
ח [Chehth]
17 She
has girded her hips with strength, and she invigorates her arms.
ט [Tehth]
18 She
has sensed that her trading is good; her lamp does not go out at night.
י [Yohdh]
19 Her
hands she has thrust out to the distaff, and her own hands take hold of the
spindle.
כ [Kaph]
20 Her
palm she has stretched out to the afflicted one, and her hands she has thrust
out to the poor one.
ל
[Lamedh]
21 She
does not fear for her household because of the snow, for all her household are
clothed with double garments.
מ [Mem]
22 Coverlets
she has made for herself. Her clothing is of linen and wool dyed reddish purple.
נ [Nun]
23 Her
owner is someone known in the gates, when he sits down with the older men of the
land.
ס
[Samekh]
24 She
has made even undergarments and proceeded to sell [them], and belts she has
given to the tradesmen.
ע [ʽAyin]
25 Strength
and splendor are her clothing, and she laughs at a future day.
פ
[Peʼ]
26 Her
mouth she has opened in wisdom, and the law of loving-kindness is upon her
tongue.
צ
[Tsadheh]
27 She
is watching over the goings-on of her household, and the bread of laziness she
does not eat.
ק [Qohph]
28 Her
sons have risen up and proceeded to pronounce her happy; her owner [rises up],
and he praises her.
ר [Rehsh]
29 There
are many daughters that have shown capableness, but you—you have ascended above
them all.
ש [Shin]
30 Charm
may be false, and prettiness may be vain; [but] the woman that fears Jehovah is
the one that procures praise for herself.
ת [Taw]
31 GIVE
her of the fruitage of her hands, and let her works praise her even in the
gates.