Through My Bible Yr 03 – October 08
Through My Bible Yr 03 – October 08
Proverbs 20:14 – 22:16
Proverbs 20
14 “It’s no good! It’s no good!” says the buyer,
but then he goes away and brags.
15 There is gold, and there are many gems, [1]
but lips that have knowledge are a precious vessel.
16 Take the garment from someone who guarantees a loan for a stranger.
Hold on to it when he offers it as collateral for a foreigner.
17 Food gained dishonestly tastes sweet to a person,
but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 Plans are strengthened by obtaining advice,
so do not wage war without consultation.
19 A person who goes around spreading gossip reveals secrets,
so do not associate with anyone whose lips are always open.
20 The person who curses his father and his mother—
his lamp will be snuffed out in total darkness.
21 An inheritance easily obtained [2] in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, “I’ll get even with you!”
Wait for the Lord, and he will rescue you.
23 Differing weights are disgusting [3] to the Lord,
and dishonest scales are not good.
24 The steps a man takes come from the Lord,
so how can anyone understand his own way?
25 A person falls into a trap if he pledges something to God impulsively
and considers his pledge only later.
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked.
He rolls the threshing wheel over them.
27 A man’s spirit is the lamp of the Lord.
It illuminates the depths of his heart.
28 Mercy and truth protect a king,
and he maintains his throne with mercy.
29 The splendor of young men is their strength,
but the majesty of old men is their gray hair.
30 Wounds and bruises scrub away evil,
and a beating scrubs the depths of the heart.
Wise and Foolish Behaviors
Proverbs 21
1 A king’s heart is like streams of water in the hand of the Lord.
He directs it wherever he desires.
2 In a person’s own eyes all his ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the motives of the heart.
3 Practicing righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than a sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and an arrogant heart,
the unplowed field [4] of the wicked, produce sin.
5 The plans of a hard worker lead to abundance,
but everyone in a hurry rushes toward scarcity.
6 Piling up treasure by a lying tongue
is a vanishing vapor for those who seek death.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
8 A guilty person’s way is very crooked,
but the conduct of a pure person is straight.
9 Better to live on the corner of a roof
than in a house shared with a nagging wife.
10 The soul of a wicked person craves evil.
He does not look on his neighbor with mercy.
11 When a scoffer is punished, an undisciplined person becomes wise,
and when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 The Righteous One [5] carefully watches the house of the wicked.
He throws the wicked down to ruin.
13 Whoever shuts his ear to the cries of the poor—
he too will cry out and not be answered.
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe slipped into the pocket soothes fury.
15 It is a joy for a righteous person to practice justice,
but destruction waits for those who practice evil.
16 A person who wanders from the way of understanding
will rest in the company of departed spirits.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be poor.
Whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.
18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,
and the treacherous make a payment for the upright.
19 Better to live in an arid region
than with a nagging, ill-tempered wife.
20 Good food and olive oil are stored up in the dwellings of the wise,
but a foolish person devours everything he has.
21 A person who pursues righteousness and mercy
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man can climb up to a city full of warriors
and pull down the strong defenses in which they trust.
23 The person who guards his mouth and his tongue
guards himself from troubles.
24 The contemptuous, insolent person—“Scoffer” is his name—
behaves with overflowing arrogance.
25 A lazy person’s craving will kill him,
because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves something more,
but a righteous person gives and does not hold back.
27 A sacrifice offered by wicked people is an abomination. [6]
How much more when they bring it with evil intent!
28 A lying witness will perish,
but a man who listens will keep speaking forever. [7]
29 A wicked person puts on a bold front,
but an upright person gives thought to [8] his way.
30 There is no wisdom, no cleverness, and no advice
that can stand up against the Lord.
31 A horse is made ready for a day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the Lord.
Wise and Foolish Behaviors
Proverbs 22
1 A good name is worth more than great wealth.
Respect is worth more than silver and gold.
2 Rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord is the maker of them all.
3 A sensible person sees trouble and hides,
but the naïve keep going and pay the penalty.
4 The outcome of humility and of the fear of the Lord
is wealth, honor, and life.
5 Thorns and traps are on the road followed by the crooked.
Whoever guards his soul [9] will stay far away from them.
6 Dedicate [10] a child to the way he should go,
and even when he becomes old, he will not turn away from it.
7 A rich person rules over poor people,
and a borrower is a slave to a lender.
8 Whoever sows injustice reaps trouble,
and the rod that inflicts his fury will be destroyed.
9 A generous person will be blessed,
because he gives some of his food to the poor.
10 Drive away a scoffer, and conflict leaves.
Quarrels and insults cease.
11 A person who loves a pure heart and whose lips are gracious
will have a king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord watch over knowledge.
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 immoral woman is a deep pit.
The man who is under the Lord’s wrath will fall there.
15 Foolishness is bound tightly to a child’s heart.
A rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to become great,
and whoever gives gifts to the rich—
both are sure to suffer loss.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:15 The identity of these gems is uncertain. Rubies and red coral are among the suggestions.
- Proverbs 20:21 The translation easily obtained is an alternate Hebrew reading. The main Hebrew reading is gotten by greed.
- Proverbs 20:23 Or repulsive or an abomination
- Proverbs 21:4 Or lamp. The meaning of the word and the point of comparison are unclear.
- Proverbs 21:12 Or righteous one
- Proverbs 21:27 Or a disgusting thing
- Proverbs 21:28 The line is cryptic. Another suggestion is one who listens to him will perish forever.
- Proverbs 21:29 The translation follows an alternate Hebrew reading. The main Hebrew reading is establishes.
- Proverbs 22:5 Or his life
- Proverbs 22:6 Or consecrate. The Hebrew word used here is not one of the usual words for teaching or training, but it is the same word used for dedicating a temple. It adds the connotation of entrusting the child to the Lord, as Hannah did.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.