Every night, the kids and I enjoy reading from different books, poems and religious texts. Usually I read mostly from the Qu'ran but last night I pulled out my Bible and started reading Proverbs with them. I forgot how good the book was....
Proverbs 26
1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey,
and a rod for the backs of fools!
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you will be like him yourself.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.
6 Like cutting off one's feet or drinking violence
is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
7 Like a lame man's legs that hang limp
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Like tying a stone in a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool.
9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Like an archer who wounds at random
is he who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11
As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his folly. 12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to a man's inmost parts.
23 Like a coating of glaze [a] over earthenware
are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 A malicious man disguises himself with his lips,
but in his heart he harbors deceit.
25 Though his speech is charming, do not believe him,
for seven abominations fill his heart.
26 His malice may be concealed by deception,
but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it;
if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.
28
A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Proverbs 27
1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
someone else, and not your own lips.
3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden,
but provocation by a fool is heavier than both.
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.
7 He who is full loathes honey,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
8
Like a bird that strays from its nest
is a man who strays from his home.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.
10 Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father,
and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.
12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.
14 If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse.
15 A quarrelsome wife is like
a constant dripping on a rainy day;
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another.
18 He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who looks after his master will be honored.
19 As water reflects a face,
so a man's heart reflects the man.
20 Death and Destruction [a] are never satisfied,
and neither are the eyes of man.
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but man is tested by the praise he receives.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
grinding him like grain with a pestle,
you will not remove his folly from him.
23
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds; 24
for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations.
Proverbs 28
1 The wicked man flees though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.
3 A ruler [a] who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.
4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law resist them.
5
Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the LORD understand it fully. 6
Better a poor man whose walk is blameless
than a rich man whose ways are perverse. 7
He who keeps the law is a discerning son,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father. 8 He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest
amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.
9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law,
even his prayers are detestable.
10
He who leads the upright along an evil path
will fall into his own trap,
but the blameless will receive a good inheritance. 11
A rich man may be wise in his own eyes,
but a poor man who has discernment sees through him. 12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding.
13
He who conceals his sins does not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. 14 Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD,
but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.
15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked man ruling over a helpless people.
16 A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment,
but he who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long life.
17 A man tormented by the guilt of murder
will be a fugitive till death;
let no one support him.
18 He whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall.
19 He who works his land will have abundant food,
but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
20 A faithful man will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good—
yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.
22 A stingy man is eager to get rich
and is unaware that poverty awaits him.
23 He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor
than he who has a flattering tongue.
24
He who robs his father or mother
and says, "It's not wrong"—
he is partner to him who destroys. 25 A greedy man stirs up dissension,
but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.
26 He who trusts in himself is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.
27
He who gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses. 28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.
