Bible In A Year

¹> Yahweh, don't rebuke me in your anger, Neither discipline me in your wrath.

²Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint. Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

³My soul is also in great anguish. But you, Yahweh--how long?

⁴Return, Yahweh. Deliver my soul, And save me for your loving kindness' sake.

⁵For in death there is no memory of you. In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?

⁶I am weary with my groaning; Every night I flood my bed; I drench my couch with my tears.

⁷My eye wastes away because of grief; It grows old because of all my adversaries.

⁸Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, For Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping.

⁹Yahweh has heard my supplication. Yahweh accepts my prayer.

¹⁰May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed. They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly.

¹These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out. ²It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. ³As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, So the hearts of kings are unsearchable. ⁴Take away the dross from the silver, And material comes out for the refiner; ⁵Take away the wicked from the king's presence, And his throne will be established in righteousness. ⁶Don't exalt yourself in the presence of the king, Or claim a place among great men; ⁷For it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here," Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen. ⁸Don't be hasty in bringing charges to court. What will you do in the end when your neighbor shames you? ⁹Debate your case with your neighbor, And don't betray the confidence of another; ¹⁰Lest one who hears it put you to shame, And your bad reputation never depart. ¹¹A word fitly spoken Is like apples of gold in settings of silver. ¹²As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover to an obedient ear. ¹³As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, So is a faithful messenger to those who send him; For he refreshes the soul of his masters. ¹⁴As clouds and wind without rain, So is he who boasts of gifts deceptively. ¹⁵By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone. ¹⁶Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, Lest you eat too much, and vomit it. ¹⁷Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, Lest he be weary of you, and hate you. ¹⁸A man who gives false testimony against his neighbor Is like a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow. ¹⁹Confidence in someone unfaithful in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth, or a lame foot. ²⁰As one who takes away a garment in cold weather, Or vinegar on soda, So is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. ²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; If he is thirsty, give him water to drink: ²²For you will heap coals of fire on his head, And Yahweh will reward you. ²³The north wind brings forth rain: So a backbiting tongue brings an angry face. ²⁴It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than to share a house with a contentious woman. ²⁵Like cold water to a thirsty soul, So is good news from a far country. ²⁶Like a muddied spring, and a polluted well, So is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. ²⁷It is not good to eat much honey; Nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor. ²⁸Like a city that is broken down and without walls Is a man whose spirit is without restraint.

¹Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool. ²Like a fluttering sparrow, Like a darting swallow, So the undeserved curse doesn't come to rest. ³A whip for the horse, A bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the back of fools! ⁴Don't answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. ⁵Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes. ⁶One who sends a message by the hand of a fool Is cutting off feet and drinking violence. ⁷Like the legs of the lame that hang loose: So is a parable in the mouth of fools. ⁸As one who binds a stone in a sling, So is he who gives honor to a fool. ⁹Like a thornbush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, So is a parable in the mouth of fools. ¹⁰As an archer who wounds all, So is he who hires a fool Or he who hires those who pass by. ¹¹As a dog that returns to his vomit, So is a fool who repeats his folly. ¹²Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. ¹³The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!" ¹⁴As the door turns on its hinges, So does the sluggard on his bed. ¹⁵The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. ¹⁶The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who answer with discretion. ¹⁷Like one who grabs a dog's ears Is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own. ¹⁸Like a madman who shoots firebrands, arrows, and death, ¹⁹Is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "Am I not joking?" ²⁰For lack of wood a fire goes out; Without gossip, a quarrel dies down. ²¹As coals are to hot embers, And wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindling strife. ²²The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, They go down into the innermost parts. ²³Like silver dross on an earthen vessel Are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart. ²⁴A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, But he harbors evil in his heart. ²⁵When his speech is charming, don't believe him; For there are seven abominations in his heart: ²⁶His malice may be concealed by deception, But his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. ²⁷Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him. ²⁸A lying tongue hates those it hurts; And a flattering mouth works ruin.

¹Don't boast about tomorrow; For you don't know what a day may bring forth. ²Let another man praise you, And not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. ³A stone is heavy, And sand is a burden; But a fool's provocation is heavier than both. ⁴Wrath is cruel, And anger is overwhelming; But who is able to stand before jealousy? ⁵Better is open rebuke Than hidden love. ⁶Faithful are the wounds of a friend; Although the kisses of an enemy are profuse. ⁷A full soul loathes a honeycomb; But to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet. ⁸As a bird that wanders from her nest, So is a man who wanders from his home. ⁹Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; So does earnest counsel from a man's friend. ¹⁰Don't forsake your friend and your father's friend. Don't go to your brother's house in the day of your disaster: Better is a neighbor who is near than a distant brother. ¹¹Be wise, my son, And bring joy to my heart, Then I can answer my tormentor. ¹²A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it: ¹³Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger; Hold it for a wayward woman! ¹⁴He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, It will be taken as a curse by him. ¹⁵A continual dropping on a rainy day And a contentious wife are alike: ¹⁶Restraining her is like restraining the wind, Or like grasping oil in his right hand. ¹⁷Iron sharpens iron; So a man sharpens his friend's countenance. ¹⁸Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honored. ¹⁹As water reflects a face, So a man's heart reflects the man. ²⁰Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; And a man's eyes are never satisfied. ²¹The crucible is for silver, And the furnace for gold; But man is refined by his praise. ²²Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, Yet his foolishness will not be removed from him. ²³Know well the state of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds: ²⁴For riches are not forever, Nor does even the crown endure to all generations. ²⁵The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, The grasses of the hills are gathered in. ²⁶The lambs are for your clothing, And the goats are the price of a field. ²⁷There will be plenty of goats' milk for your food, For your family's food, And for the nourishment of your servant girls.