Bible in 90 Days
24 A man’s steps are determined by the Lord,(F)
so how can anyone understand his own way?
25 It is a trap for anyone to dedicate something rashly
and later to reconsider his vows.(G)
28 Loyalty and faithfulness deliver a king;
through loyalty he maintains his throne.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
and the splendor of old men is gray hair.(K)
21 A king’s heart is like streams of water in the Lord’s hand:
He directs it wherever He chooses.(M)
3 Doing what is righteous and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(O)
5 The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.(Q)
7 The violence of the wicked sweeps them away
because they refuse to act justly.
9 Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.(U)
11 When a mocker is punished,
the inexperienced become wiser;
when one teaches a wise man,
he acquires knowledge.(W)
12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked;
He brings the wicked to ruin.
13 The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
will himself also call out and not be answered.(X)
15 Justice executed is a joy to the righteous
but a terror to those who practice iniquity.(Z)
16 The man who strays from the way of wisdom
will come to rest
in the assembly of the departed spirits.(AA)
17 The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man;
whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.(AB)
19 Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.(AD)
20 Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,
but a foolish man consumes them.[m](AE)
21 The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love
will find life, righteousness, and honor.(AF)
22 A wise person went up against a city of warriors
and brought down its secure fortress.(AG)
23 The one who guards his mouth and tongue
keeps himself out of trouble.(AH)
24 The proud and arrogant person, named “Mocker,”
acts with excessive pride.(AI)
25 A slacker’s craving will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.(AJ)
26 He is filled with craving[n] all day long,
but the righteous give and don’t hold back.(AK)
27 The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable—
how much more so
when he brings it with ulterior motives!(AL)
28 A lying witness will perish,(AM)
but the one who listens will speak successfully.
29 A wicked man puts on a bold face,(AN)
but the upright man considers his way.
30 No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel
will prevail against the Lord.(AO)
22 A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;
favor is better than silver and gold.(AR)
3 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover,
but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.(AT)
4 The result of humility is fear of the Lord,
along with wealth, honor, and life.(AU)
5 There are thorns and snares on the path of the crooked;(AV)
the one who guards himself stays far from them.
6 Teach a youth about the way he should go;(AW)
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
8 The one who sows injustice will reap disaster,(AZ)
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
11 The one who loves a pure heart
and gracious lips—the king is his friend.(BE)
12 The Lord’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,
but He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
13 The slacker says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square!”(BF)
14 The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;
a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it.(BG)
15 Foolishness is tangled up in the heart of a youth;
the rod of discipline will drive it away from him.(BH)
16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,
and giving to the rich—both lead only to poverty.(BI)
Words of the Wise
17 Listen closely,[r] pay attention to the words of the wise,(BJ)
and apply your mind to my knowledge.
18 For it is pleasing if you keep them within you
and if[s] they are constantly on your lips.
19 I have instructed you today—even you—
so that your confidence may be in the Lord.
20 Haven’t I written for you thirty sayings[t]
about counsel and knowledge,
21 in order to teach you true and reliable words,
so that you may give a dependable report[u](BK)
to those who sent you?(BL)
22 Don’t rob a poor man because he is poor,
and don’t crush the oppressed(BM) at the gate,(BN)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(BO)
and will plunder those who plunder them.
24 Don’t make friends with an angry man,[v]
and don’t be a companion of a hot-tempered man,(BP)
25 or you will learn his ways(BQ)
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Don’t be one of those who enter agreements,[w]
who put up security for loans.(BR)
27 If you have no money to pay,
even your bed will be taken from under you.(BS)
28 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker
that your fathers set up.(BT)
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand in the presence of kings.
He will not stand in the presence of unknown men.(BU)
23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
consider carefully what[x] is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you have a big[y] appetite;
3 don’t desire his choice food,(BV)
for that food is deceptive.
4 Don’t wear yourself out to get rich;(BW)
stop giving your attention to it.
5 As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears,(BX)
for it makes wings for itself
and flies like an eagle to the sky.
6 Don’t eat a stingy person’s bread,[z](BY)
and don’t desire his choice food,(BZ)
7 for it’s like someone calculating inwardly.[aa](CA)
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.(CB)
8 You will vomit the little you’ve eaten
and waste your pleasant words.
10 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker,(CD)
and don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Redeemer is strong,(CE)
and He will take up their case against you.(CF)
12 Apply yourself to discipline
and listen to words of knowledge.
13 Don’t withhold discipline from a youth;
if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.(CG)
14 Strike him with a rod,
and you will rescue his life from Sheol.(CH)
15 My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart will indeed rejoice.(CI)
16 My innermost being will cheer
when your lips say what is right.(CJ)
17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners;(CK)
instead, always fear the Lord.(CL)
18 For then you will have a future,
and your hope will never fade.(CM)
19 Listen, my son, and be wise;
keep your mind on the right course.
20 Don’t associate with those who drink too much wine(CN)
or with those who gorge themselves on meat.(CO)
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor,
and grogginess will clothe them in rags.(CP)
22 Listen to your father who gave you life,
and don’t despise your mother when[ac] she is old.(CQ)
23 Buy—and do not sell—truth,
wisdom, instruction, and understanding.(CR)
24 The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly,
and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.(CS)
25 Let your father and mother have joy,(CT)
and let her who gave birth to you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit,(CU)
and a stranger is a narrow well;
28 indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber(CV)
and increases those among men who are unfaithful.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has conflicts? Who has complaints?
Who has wounds for no reason?(CW)
Who has red eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine,
those who go looking for mixed wine.(CX)
31 Don’t gaze at wine because it is red,(CY)
when it gleams in the cup
and goes down smoothly.(CZ)
32 In the end it bites like a snake
and stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and you will say absurd things.[ad](DA)
34 You’ll be like someone sleeping out at sea
or lying down on the top of a ship’s mast.
35 “They struck me, but[ae] I feel no pain!
They beat me, but I didn’t know it!(DB)
When will I wake up?
I’ll look for another drink.”(DC)
24 Don’t envy evil men(DD)
or desire to be with them,(DE)
2 for their hearts plan violence,
and their words stir up trouble.(DF)
3 A house is built by wisdom,(DG)
and it is established by understanding;
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled
with every precious and beautiful treasure.
5 A wise warrior is better than a strong one,[af]
and a man of knowledge than one of strength;[ag](DH)
6 for you should wage war with sound guidance—
victory comes with many counselors.(DI)
8 The one who plots evil(DL)
will be called a schemer.
9 A foolish scheme is sin,
and a mocker is detestable to people.
10 If you do nothing in a difficult time,
your strength is limited.
11 Rescue those being taken off to death,
and save those stumbling toward slaughter.(DM)
12 If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,”
won’t He who weighs hearts(DN) consider it?
Won’t He who protects your life(DO) know?
Won’t He repay a person according to his work?(DP)
13 Eat honey,(DQ) my son, for it is good,
and the honeycomb is sweet to your palate;(DR)
14 realize that wisdom is the same for you.(DS)
If you find it, you will have a future,
and your hope will never fade.(DT)
15 Wicked man, don’t set an ambush,
at the camp of the righteous man;(DU)
don’t destroy his dwelling.
16 Though a righteous man falls seven times,
he will get up,(DV)
but the wicked will stumble into ruin.(DW)
17 Don’t gloat when your enemy falls,
and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,(DX)
18 or the Lord will see, be displeased,
and turn His wrath away from him.
19 Don’t be agitated by evildoers,
and don’t envy the wicked.(DY)
20 For the evil have no future;(DZ)
the lamp of the wicked will be put out.(EA)
21 My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king,(EB)
and don’t associate with rebels,[ai]
22 for destruction from them will come suddenly;
who knows what distress these two can bring?
23 These sayings also belong to the wise:(EC)
It is not good to show partiality in judgment.(ED)
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent”(EE)—
people will curse him,(EF) and tribes will denounce him;
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and a generous blessing will come to them.
26 He who gives an honest answer
gives a kiss on the lips.
27 Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field;(EG)
afterward, build your house.
28 Don’t testify against your neighbor without cause.(EH)
Don’t deceive with your lips.
29 Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me;
I’ll repay the man for what he has done.”(EI)
30 I went by the field of a slacker
and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense.
31 Thistles had come up everywhere,
weeds covered the ground,(EJ)
and the stone wall was ruined.
32 I saw, and took it to heart;
I looked, and received instruction:
33 a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
34 and your poverty will come like a robber,
your need, like a bandit.(EK)
Hezekiah’s Collection
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter(EN)
and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.
3 As the heaven is high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings cannot be investigated.
4 Remove impurities from silver,(EO)
and a vessel will be produced[aj] for a silversmith.(EP)
5 Remove the wicked from the king’s presence,(EQ)
and his throne will be established in righteousness.(ER)
6 Don’t brag about yourself before the king,
and don’t stand in the place of the great;
7 for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!”
than to demote you in plain view of a noble.[ak](ES)
8 Don’t take a matter to court hastily.(ET)
Otherwise, what will you do afterward
if your opponent[al] humiliates you?
9 Make your case with your opponent[am]
without revealing another’s secret;(EU)
10 otherwise, the one who hears will disgrace you,
and you’ll never live it down.[an]
11 A word spoken at the right time
is like gold apples on a silver tray.[ao](EV)
12 A wise correction to a receptive ear(EW)
is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.
13 To those who send him, a trustworthy messenger
is like the coolness of snow on a harvest day;
he refreshes the life of his masters.(EX)
14 The man who boasts about a gift that does not exist
is like clouds and wind without rain.(EY)
15 A ruler can be persuaded through patience,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.(EZ)
16 If you find honey,(FA) eat only what you need;
otherwise, you’ll get sick from it and vomit.(FB)
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house;
otherwise, he’ll get sick of you and hate you.
18 A man giving false testimony against his neighbor(FC)
is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow.(FD)
19 Trusting an unreliable person in a difficult time
is like a rotten tooth or a faltering foot.(FE)
20 Singing songs to a troubled heart
is like taking off clothing on a cold day
or like pouring vinegar on soda.[ap](FF)
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;(FG)
22 for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.(FH)
23 The north wind produces rain,
and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
24 Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.(FI)
25 Good news from a distant land
is like cold water to a parched throat.[aq](FJ)
26 A righteous person who yields to the wicked(FK)
is like a muddied spring or a polluted well.(FL)
27 It is not good to eat too much honey(FM)
or to seek glory after glory.[ar](FN)
28 A man who does not control his temper(FO)
is like a city whose wall is broken down.(FP)
26 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,(FQ)
honor is inappropriate for a fool.(FR)
2 Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow,(FS)
an undeserved curse goes nowhere.(FT)
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(FU)
and a rod for the backs of fools.(FV)
4 Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness(FW)
or you’ll be like him yourself.
5 Answer a fool according to his foolishness(FX)
or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.(FY)
6 The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand(FZ)
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.(GA)
7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like lame legs that hang limp.
8 Giving honor to a fool
is like binding a stone in a sling.[as]
9 A proverb in the mouth of a fool
is like a stick with thorns,
brandished by[at] the hand of a drunkard.
10 The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by
is like an archer who wounds everyone.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness.(GB)
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?(GC)
There is more hope for a fool than for him.(GD)
13 The slacker says, “There’s a lion in the road—
a lion in the public square!”(GE)
14 A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.(GF)
15 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he is too weary to bring it to his mouth.(GG)
16 In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser(GH)
than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his
is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,(GI)
19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.(GJ)
21 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.(GK)
22 A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.[au](GL)
23 Smooth[av] lips with an evil heart
are like glaze on an earthen vessel.(GM)
24 A hateful person disguises himself with his speech
and harbors deceit within.
25 When he speaks graciously, don’t believe him,
for there are seven abominations in his heart.(GN)
26 Though his hatred is concealed by deception,
his evil will be revealed in the assembly.
27 The one who digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever rolls a stone—
it will come back on him.(GO)
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
27 Don’t boast about tomorrow,
for you don’t know what a day might bring.(GP)
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—
a stranger, and not your own lips.(GQ)
3 A stone is heavy and sand, a burden,
but aggravation from a fool outweighs them both.
4 Fury is cruel, and anger a flood,
but who can withstand jealousy?(GR)
5 Better an open reprimand
than concealed love.(GS)
7 A person who is full tramples on a honeycomb,(GV)
but to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet.
8 A man wandering from his home
is like a bird wandering from its nest.(GW)
9 Oil(GX) and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the sweetness of a friend is better than self-counsel.[aw]
10 Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend,(GY)
and don’t go to your brother’s house
in your time of calamity;
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.(GZ)
12 A sensible person sees danger and takes cover;
the inexperienced keep going and are punished.(HC)
13 Take his garment,[ax]
for he has put up security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for foreigners.[ay](HD)
14 If one blesses his neighbor
with a loud voice early in the morning,
it will be counted as a curse to him.
15 An endless dripping on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike.(HE)
16 The one who controls her controls the wind
and grasps oil with his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.[az]
18 Whoever tends a fig tree(HF) will eat its fruit,(HG)
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.
19 As water reflects the face,
so the heart reflects the person.
22 Though you grind a fool
in a mortar with a pestle along with grain,
you will not separate his foolishness from him.(HL)
23 Know well the condition of your flock,(HM)
and pay attention to your herds,
24 for wealth is not forever;(HN)
not even a crown lasts for all time.
25 When hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills is gathered in,
26 lambs will provide your clothing,
and goats, the price of a field;
27 there will be enough goat’s milk for your food—
food for your household
and nourishment for your female servants.(HO)
2 When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers,(HR)
but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.
4 Those who reject the law praise the wicked,(HT)
but those who keep the law battle against them.(HU)
6 Better a poor man who lives with integrity(HX)
than a rich man who distorts right and wrong.[bc](HY)
7 A discerning son keeps the law,
but a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.(HZ)
8 Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest(IA)
collects it for one who is kind to the poor.(IB)
9 Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law—
even his prayer is detestable.(IC)
10 The one who leads the upright into an evil way
will fall into his own pit,(ID)
but the blameless will inherit what is good.(IE)
11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes,
but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.
12 When the righteous triumph,
there is great rejoicing,[bd]
but when the wicked come to power,
people hide themselves.(IF)
13 The one who conceals his sins
will not prosper,(IG)
but whoever confesses and renounces them
will find mercy.(IH)
14 Happy is the one who is always reverent,(II)
but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.(IJ)
16 A leader who lacks understanding
is very oppressive,
but one who hates dishonest profit
prolongs his life.(IM)
18 The one who lives with integrity will be helped,
but one who distorts right and wrong[bf]
will suddenly fall.(IP)
19 The one who works his land
will have plenty of food,(IQ)
but whoever chases fantasies
will have his fill of poverty.(IR)
20 A faithful man will have many blessings,(IS)
but one in a hurry to get rich(IT)
will not go unpunished.
23 One who rebukes a person will later find more favor(IX)
than one who flatters[bh] with his tongue.(IY)
24 The one who robs his father or mother(IZ)
and says, “That’s no sin,”(JA)
is a companion to a man who destroys.(JB)
27 The one who gives to the poor
will not be in need,
but one who turns his eyes away[bj]
will receive many curses.(JF)
28 When the wicked come to power,
people hide,
but when they are destroyed,
the righteous flourish.(JG)
29 One who becomes stiff-necked,
after many reprimands
will be shattered instantly—
beyond recovery.(JH)
2 When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, people groan.(JI)
3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(JJ)
but one who consorts with prostitutes destroys his wealth.(JK)
4 By justice a king brings stability to a land,(JL)
but a man who demands “contributions”[bk]
demolishes it.(JM)
7 The righteous person knows the rights[bm] of the poor,(JQ)
but the wicked one does not understand these concerns.
8 Mockers inflame a city,(JR)
but the wise turn away anger.
9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool,
there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.[bn](JS)
12 If a ruler listens to lies,(JW)
all his officials will be wicked.
14 A king who judges the poor with fairness—
his throne will be established forever.(JY)
15 A rod of correction imparts wisdom,(JZ)
but a youth left to himself[br]
is a disgrace to his mother.(KA)
16 When the wicked increase, rebellion increases,
but the righteous will see their downfall.(KB)
17 Discipline your son, and it will bring you peace of mind(KC)
and give you delight.
18 Without revelation[bs](KD) people run wild,(KE)
but one who listens to instruction will be happy.(KF)
19 A slave cannot be disciplined by words;
though he understands, he doesn’t respond.(KG)
21 A slave pampered from his youth
will become arrogant[bt] later on.
27 An unjust man is detestable to the righteous,
and one whose way is upright
is detestable to the wicked.(KR)
The Words of Agur
The man’s oration to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:[by]
2 I am more stupid than any other man,[bz]
and I lack man’s ability to understand.(KT)
3 I have not gained wisdom,
and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.(KU)
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down?(KV)
Who has gathered the wind in His hands?
Who has bound up the waters in a cloak?(KW)
Who has established all the ends of the earth?(KX)
What is His name,
and what is the name of His Son—
if you know?(KY)
5 Every word of God is pure;[ca](KZ)
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.(LA)
6 Don’t add to His words,(LB)
or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar.(LC)
7 Two things I ask of You;
don’t deny them to me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me.
Give me neither poverty nor wealth;
feed me with the food I need.(LD)
9 Otherwise, I might have too much(LE)
and deny You,(LF) saying, “Who is the Lord?”(LG)
or I might have nothing and steal,(LH)
profaning[cb] the name of my God.(LI)
10 Don’t slander a servant to his master
or he will curse you,(LJ) and you will become guilty.
11 There is a generation that curses its father
and does not bless its mother.(LK)
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,(LL)
yet is not washed from its filth.
13 There is a generation—how haughty its eyes
and pretentious its looks.[cc]
14 There is a generation whose teeth are swords,(LM)
whose fangs are knives,(LN)
devouring the oppressed from the land(LO)
and the needy from among mankind.
15 The leech has two daughters: “Give, Give!”
Three things(LP) are never satisfied;
four never say, “Enough!”:
16 Sheol;(LQ) a childless womb;(LR)
earth, which is never satisfied with water;
and fire, which never says, “Enough!”
17 As for the eye that ridicules a father(LS)
and despises obedience to a mother,
may ravens of the valley pluck it out
and young vultures eat it.(LT)
18 Three things are beyond me;
four I can’t understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship at sea,
and the way of a man with a young woman.
20 This is the way of an adulteress:
she eats and wipes her mouth
and says, “I’ve done nothing wrong.”(LU)
21 The earth trembles under three things;
it cannot bear up under four:
22 a servant when he becomes king,(LV)
a fool when he is stuffed with food,
23 an unloved woman when she marries,(LW)
and a servant girl when she ousts her queen.
24 Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:
25 the ants are not a strong people,
yet they store up their food in the summer;(LX)
26 hyraxes are not a mighty people,
yet they make their homes in the cliffs;(LY)
27 locusts have no king,
yet all of them march in ranks;(LZ)
28 a lizard[cd] can be caught in your hands,
yet it lives in kings’ palaces.
29 Three things are stately in their stride,
even four are stately in their walk:
30 a lion, which is mightiest among beasts
and doesn’t retreat before anything,
31 a strutting rooster,[ce] a goat,
and a king at the head of his army.[cf]
32 If you have been foolish by exalting yourself
or if you’ve been scheming,
put your hand over your mouth.(MA)
33 For the churning of milk produces butter,
and twisting a nose draws blood,
and stirring up anger produces strife.(MB)
The Words of Lemuel
2 What should I say, my son?
What, son of my womb?(MD)
What, son of my vows?
3 Don’t spend your energy(ME) on women
or your efforts on those who destroy kings.(MF)
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel,
it is not for kings(MG) to drink wine(MH)
or for rulers to desire beer.
5 Otherwise, they[ch] will drink,
forget what is decreed,(MI)
and pervert justice for all the oppressed.[ci](MJ)
6 Give beer to one who is dying
and wine to one whose life is bitter.(MK)
7 Let him drink so that he can forget his poverty
and remember his trouble no more.(ML)
8 Speak up[cj] for those who have no voice,[ck](MM)
for the justice of all who are dispossessed.[cl]
9 Speak up,[cm] judge righteously,(MN)
and defend the cause of[cn] the oppressed and needy.(MO)
In Praise of a Capable Wife
10 Who can find a capable wife?[co](MP)
She is far more precious than jewels.[cp]
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will not lack anything good.
12 She rewards him with good, not evil,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from far away.(MQ)
15 She rises while it is still night(MR)
and provides food for her household
and portions[cq] for her female servants.(MS)
16 She evaluates a field and buys it;
she plants a vineyard with her earnings.[cr](MT)
17 She draws on her strength[cs]
and reveals that her arms are strong.(MU)
18 She sees that her profits are good,
and her lamp never goes out at night.(MV)
19 She extends her hands to the spinning staff,
and her hands hold the spindle.(MW)
20 Her hands reach[ct] out to the poor,
and she extends her hands to the needy.(MX)
21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all in her household are doubly clothed.[cu]
22 She makes her own bed coverings;(MY)
her clothing is fine linen(MZ) and purple.(NA)
23 Her husband is known at the city gates,
where he sits among the elders of the land.(NB)
24 She makes and sells linen garments;
she delivers belts[cv] to the merchants.
25 Strength(NC) and honor are her clothing,(ND)
and she can laugh at the time to come.(NE)
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom
and loving instruction[cw] is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household(NF)
and is never idle.[cx]
28 Her sons rise up and call her blessed.
Her husband also praises her:
29 “Many women[cy] are capable,
but you surpass them all!”(NG)
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,(NH)
but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
31 Give her the reward of her labor,[cz]
and let her works praise her at the city gates.
Everything is Futile
1 The words of the Teacher,[da](NI) son of David, king in Jerusalem.(NJ)
2 “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher.
“Absolute futility. Everything is futile.”(NK)
3 What does a man gain for all his efforts
that he labors at under the sun?(NL)
4 A generation goes and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.(NM)
5 The sun rises and the sun sets;
panting, it returns to its place(NN)
where it rises.
6 Gusting to the south,
turning to the north,
turning, turning, goes the wind,(NO)
and the wind returns in its cycles.
7 All the streams flow to the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
The streams are flowing to the place,
and they flow there again.
8 All things[db] are wearisome;
man is unable to speak.
The eye is not satisfied by seeing(NP)
or the ear filled with hearing.
9 What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Can one say about anything,
“Look, this is new”?
It has already existed in the ages before us.
11 There is no remembrance of those who[dc] came before;(NQ)
and of those who[dd] will come after
there will also be no remembrance
by those who follow them.
The Limitations of Wisdom
12 I, the Teacher,(NR) have been[de] king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to seek(NS) and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven.(NT) God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied.(NU) 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.[df](NV)
15 What is crooked cannot be straightened;(NW)
what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I said to myself,[dg] “Look, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me,(NX) and my mind has thoroughly grasped[dh] wisdom and knowledge.” 17 I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge,(NY) madness and folly;(NZ) I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind.[di](OA)
18 For with much wisdom is much sorrow;(OB)
as knowledge increases, grief increases.
The Emptiness of Pleasure
2 I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure;(OC) enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile. 2 I said about laughter,(OD) “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 I explored with my mind how to let my body enjoy life[dj] with wine(OE) and how to grasp folly(OF)—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven[dk] during the few days of their lives.(OG)
The Emptiness of Possessions
4 I increased my achievements. I built houses(OH) and planted vineyards(OI) for myself. 5 I made gardens(OJ) and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them. 6 I constructed reservoirs of water for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees.(OK) 7 I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house.(OL) I also owned many herds of cattle and flocks, more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.(OM) 8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.(ON) I gathered male and female singers for myself,(OO) and many concubines, the delights of men.[dl][dm] 9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem;(OP) my wisdom also remained with me. 10 All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them.(OQ) I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles.(OR) 11 When I considered all that I had accomplished[dn] and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind.(OS) There was nothing to be gained under the sun.(OT)
The Relative Value of Wisdom
12 Then I turned to consider wisdom,(OU) madness, and folly, for what will the man be like who comes after the king? He[do] will do what has already been done.(OV) 13 And I realized that there is an advantage to wisdom over folly, like the advantage of light over darkness.(OW)
14 The wise man has eyes in his head,
but the fool walks in darkness.(OX)
Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.(OY) 15 So I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will also happen to me. Why then have I been overly wise?”(OZ) And I said to myself that this is also futile. 16 For, just like the fool, there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man,(PA) since in the days to come both will be forgotten. How is it that the wise man dies just like the fool? 17 Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
The Emptiness of Work
18 I hated all my work that I labored at under the sun(PB) because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.(PC) 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool?(PD) Yet he will take over all my work that I labored at skillfully under the sun. This too is futile. 20 So I began to give myself over[dp] to despair concerning all my work that I had labored at under the sun. 21 When there is a man whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill,(PE) and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong. 22 For what does a man get with all his work and all his efforts(PF) that he labors at under the sun? 23 For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful;(PG) even at night, his mind does not rest.(PH) This too is futile.
24 There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink, and enjoy[dq][dr] his work.(PI) I have seen that even this is from God’s hand,(PJ) 25 because who can eat and who can enjoy life[ds] apart from Him?[dt] 26 For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy,(PK) but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight.(PL) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.(PM)
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