If you have put up security for your neighbor, or made a pledge to a stranger, if you have been snared by what you have said, trapped by the words that came out of your mouth, do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen under your neighbor’s power: humble yourself and strongly importune your neighbor. Do not rest; allow yourself no sleep. Flee like a gazelle from the weapons of the hunter; fly away like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
Take note of the ant, you loafer; consider its ways and be wise. It has no general, no supervisor, no ruler. Yet, it gets food for itself in the summer and gathers provisions at harvest time. How long will you lie around, you loafer? When will you rouse yourself from your lethargy. For a little sleep, a short nap, a folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a bandit, privation will assault you like an armed robber.
Those who are worthless and wicked are the ones who use deceitful speech; they wink maliciously, make signs with their feet, and point with their fingers. He of corrupt mind continually plots evil and sows discord. Calamity will overtake him precipitously. He will be broken suddenly and be beyond recovery.
There are six things Jehovah detests, indeed seven that are an abomination to him: an arrogant look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a mind that devises wicked schemes, feet that run quicky to evil, a false witness that spews lies, and one who incites discord within his family.
My son, obey your father’s commands and do not disregard the rules of your mother. Keep them continually in mind, fasten them round your neck. When you walk about, they will lead you. When you sleep, they will watch over you. When you awake, they will speak to you. For the commandments are a lamp and the law is a light.
The reproofs of instruction is the way to life, keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of the adulterous woman. In your heart, do not lust after her beauty, nor let her flashing eyes captivate you, for though a prostitute may cost you but the price of a loaf of bread, an adulterous wife goes after your precious life. Can a man hold fire in his lap without burning his clothes? Can he walk on hot coals without blistering his feet? So it is having sexual relations with another man’s wife. He who touches her will not go unpunished.
People do not despise a thief if he steals merely to fill his belly when he is hungry. Yet, if he is caught, he must make a sevenfold compensation, even if he must give up all the goods of his house. But a man who commits adultery has no sense; he only destroys himself. He will be wounded and dishonored and the blot will never be wiped away. For jealousy arouses a husband’s ire, and he will show no mercy when he exacts vengeance. He will not accept any compensation; he will not be appeased no matter how much you increase the payoff.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Chapter Five
My son, pay heed to my wisdom and listen closely to my words of understanding so that you may practice discretion and by your speech conserve this knowledge. For the lips of the exotic woman are as sweet as honey and her speech is as smooth as oil, but in the end she is as bitter as gall, as sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet descend to death and her steps lead to the grave. She gives no thought to the path her life should take and doesn’t realize that her ways meander.
Now then, my sons, listen to me and do not deviate from what I saying. Stay far away from her. Don’t go near the door of her house. If you do, you may sacrifice the vitality of your youth to ruthless strangers who will drain you of your wealth. You will toil to enrich the house of a stranger and at the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and body are wasted away. You will lament, “How I hated instruction. How my mind despised being corrected. I wouldn’t listen to my teachers or pay attention to those who instructed me. Now I have come to the brink of ruin in the presence of the entire community.”
Drink water from your own cistern, fresh water from your own well. Let not your fountains overflow onto the street and stream into the public square. Keep its water for yourself alone and do not share it with strangers. Let your fountain be blessed — may you fulfill your desires with the wife of your youth. She is a loving hind, a graceful roe. Let her body always satisfy you and may you always be thrilled by her love. Why excite yourself, my son, with a strange woman; why make love to a someone you don’t know?
For a man’s conduct is under the eye of Jehovah, who examines all a person’s actions. The evil deeds of the wicked will ensnare him and he will be bound by the cords of his sins. Because he has not received instruction, he will die, having been led astray by the magnitude of his foolishness.
Now then, my sons, listen to me and do not deviate from what I saying. Stay far away from her. Don’t go near the door of her house. If you do, you may sacrifice the vitality of your youth to ruthless strangers who will drain you of your wealth. You will toil to enrich the house of a stranger and at the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and body are wasted away. You will lament, “How I hated instruction. How my mind despised being corrected. I wouldn’t listen to my teachers or pay attention to those who instructed me. Now I have come to the brink of ruin in the presence of the entire community.”
Drink water from your own cistern, fresh water from your own well. Let not your fountains overflow onto the street and stream into the public square. Keep its water for yourself alone and do not share it with strangers. Let your fountain be blessed — may you fulfill your desires with the wife of your youth. She is a loving hind, a graceful roe. Let her body always satisfy you and may you always be thrilled by her love. Why excite yourself, my son, with a strange woman; why make love to a someone you don’t know?
For a man’s conduct is under the eye of Jehovah, who examines all a person’s actions. The evil deeds of the wicked will ensnare him and he will be bound by the cords of his sins. Because he has not received instruction, he will die, having been led astray by the magnitude of his foolishness.
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Chapter Four
Listen, my son, when your father instructs you. Pay attention that you may gain understanding, for I am giving you sound guidance. Therefore, do not ignore my teaching. For I, too, was my father’s son, callow, and, in my mother’s eyes, her favorite child. Teaching me, he said, “Your mind must retain my words. Obey my commandments and live. Acquire wisdom. Gain understanding. Do not forget my words or reject them. Do not forsake wisdom, for she will preserve you. Respect her and she will watch over you. Wisdom is the most important thing — get wisdom and, whatever it may cost, get understanding. Prize it and she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place upon your head a garland of grace and deliver to you a crown of glory.”
Listen to me, my son, accept my words, and the years of your life will be many. I will teach you the way of wisdom and lead you along the path of the upright. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction; do not let it go. Guard it, for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk on the road used by evil men. Avoid it. Do not tread upon it. Turn away from it and pass it by. Evil men will not sleep until they can do some mischief; sleep is snatched away from them unless they can make someone stumble. They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. The path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines brighter and brighter until midday. But the way of the wicked is like utter darkness; they do not even know over what they stumble.
Pay attention, my son, to what I say. Tune your ear to my words. Do not lose sight of them; inscribe them upon your heart. For they bring life to those who discover them and bring health to one’s whole body. Above all, conserve your mind, for from it flows the springs of life. Shun deceitful language and stay far away from devious talk. Let your eyes look directly before you and fix your gaze straight ahead. Ponder the path your feet may take, and then all your ways will be secure. Do not be diverted to the right or to the left — turn away your foot from evil.
Listen to me, my son, accept my words, and the years of your life will be many. I will teach you the way of wisdom and lead you along the path of the upright. When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction; do not let it go. Guard it, for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk on the road used by evil men. Avoid it. Do not tread upon it. Turn away from it and pass it by. Evil men will not sleep until they can do some mischief; sleep is snatched away from them unless they can make someone stumble. They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. The path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines brighter and brighter until midday. But the way of the wicked is like utter darkness; they do not even know over what they stumble.
Pay attention, my son, to what I say. Tune your ear to my words. Do not lose sight of them; inscribe them upon your heart. For they bring life to those who discover them and bring health to one’s whole body. Above all, conserve your mind, for from it flows the springs of life. Shun deceitful language and stay far away from devious talk. Let your eyes look directly before you and fix your gaze straight ahead. Ponder the path your feet may take, and then all your ways will be secure. Do not be diverted to the right or to the left — turn away your foot from evil.
Chapter Three
Do not forget my teachings, my son, but keep in mind my commandments, for they will prolong your life and add to your peace of mind. Let not kindness or truth desert you. Tie them round your neck; inscribe them in your heart. Then you will find favor and sympathy with God and with man. Trust Jehovah with all your heart and do not rely upon your own understanding. Defer to him in all things and he will smooth the way for you. Do not regard yourself as wise, but revere Jehovah and shun evil. This will be healthful for your body, nourishing to your bones. Honor Jehovah with your wealth and tender to him the first fruits of all your harvests: then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will be brim with new wine.
My son, do not reject the discipline of Jehovah or be offended by his rebukes, because Jehovah corrects those that he loves, just as a father corrects the son who pleases him. Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding. Wisdom, she is a property more valuable than silver; she yields more profit than gold. She is more precious than rubies. Nothing that you might desire can compare with her. In her right hand is long life, in her left, wealth and honor. Her way is one of sweetness, her path, one of peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her. and those who cling to her will be made happy. It is by wisdom that Jehovah laid the foundations of the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. Through his knowledge were the waters divided and the clouds dropped down dew.
My son, do not loose sight of common sense and discretion; they are life for your body, an ornament round your neck. With them you will go your way with safety and your foot will not stumble. When you will lie down, you will have no fear and when you go to bed, your sleep will be sound. Do not be afraid of a sudden disaster, for when ruin comes to the wicked, Jehovah will be at your side and keep your foot from being caught.
Do not withhold money from those to whom it is due, when it is within your power to pay. Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will give it to you then,” when you already have the money with you.
Do not plot to harm the neighbor who lives peaceably next to you. Don’t pick a fight with a man without cause, if he has done you no ill. Do not envy the man of violence or copy his behavior. Such crooked people are an abomination to Jehovah, while he shares his secret counsel with the upright. Jehovah’s curse is upon the house of the wicked, while his blessing is upon the dwelling of the righteous. To the arrogant scorner he is scornful, but to the humble he shows his favor. The wise will inherit honor, but shame is the recompense of fools.
My son, do not reject the discipline of Jehovah or be offended by his rebukes, because Jehovah corrects those that he loves, just as a father corrects the son who pleases him. Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding. Wisdom, she is a property more valuable than silver; she yields more profit than gold. She is more precious than rubies. Nothing that you might desire can compare with her. In her right hand is long life, in her left, wealth and honor. Her way is one of sweetness, her path, one of peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her. and those who cling to her will be made happy. It is by wisdom that Jehovah laid the foundations of the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. Through his knowledge were the waters divided and the clouds dropped down dew.
My son, do not loose sight of common sense and discretion; they are life for your body, an ornament round your neck. With them you will go your way with safety and your foot will not stumble. When you will lie down, you will have no fear and when you go to bed, your sleep will be sound. Do not be afraid of a sudden disaster, for when ruin comes to the wicked, Jehovah will be at your side and keep your foot from being caught.
Do not withhold money from those to whom it is due, when it is within your power to pay. Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will give it to you then,” when you already have the money with you.
Do not plot to harm the neighbor who lives peaceably next to you. Don’t pick a fight with a man without cause, if he has done you no ill. Do not envy the man of violence or copy his behavior. Such crooked people are an abomination to Jehovah, while he shares his secret counsel with the upright. Jehovah’s curse is upon the house of the wicked, while his blessing is upon the dwelling of the righteous. To the arrogant scorner he is scornful, but to the humble he shows his favor. The wise will inherit honor, but shame is the recompense of fools.
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