Proverbs 30

The Words of Agur

1 These are the solemn words of Agur son of Jakeh:

“God is not with me, God is not with me,

and I am helpless.

2 I am more like an animal than a human being;

I do not have the sense we humans should have.

3 I have never learned any wisdom,

and I know nothing at all about God.

4 Have any ever mastered heavenly knowledge?

Have any ever caught the wind in their hands?

Or wrapped up water in a piece of cloth?

Or fixed the boundaries of the earth?

Who are they, if you know? Who are their children?

5 “God keeps every promise he makes. He is like a shield for all who seek his protection.

6 If you claim that he said something that he never said, he will reprimand you and show that you are a liar.”

More Proverbs

7 I ask you, God, to let me have two things before I die:

8 keep me from lying, and let me be neither rich nor poor. So give me only as much food as I need.

9 If I have more, I might say that I do not need you. But if I am poor, I might steal and bring disgrace on my God.

10 Never criticize servants to their master. You will be cursed and suffer for it.

11 There are people who curse their fathers and do not show their appreciation for their mothers.

12 There are people who think they are pure when they are as filthy as they can be.

13 There are people who think they are so good—oh, how good they think they are!

14 There are people who take cruel advantage of the poor and needy; that is the way they make their living.

15 A leech has two daughters, and both are named “Give me!”

There are four things that are never satisfied:

16 the world of the dead,

a woman without children,

dry ground that needs rain,

and a fire burning out of control.

17 If you make fun of your father or despise your mother in her old age,you ought to be eaten by vultures or have your eyes picked out by wild ravens.

18 There are four things that are too mysterious for me to understand:

19 an eagle flying in the sky,

a snake moving on a rock,

a ship finding its way over the sea,

and a man and a woman falling in love.

20 This is how an unfaithful wife acts: she commits adultery, takes a bath, and says, “But I haven’t done anything wrong!”

21 There are four things that the earth itself cannot tolerate:

22 a slave who becomes a king,

a fool who has all he wants to eat,

23 a hateful woman who gets married,

and a servant woman who takes the place of her mistress.

24 There are four animals in the world that are small, but very, very clever:

25 Ants: they are weak, but they store up their food in the summer.

26 Rock badgers: they are not strong either, but they make their homes among the rocks.

27 Locusts: they have no king, but they move in formation.

28 Lizards: you can hold one in your hand, but you can find them in palaces.

29 There are four things that are impressive to watch as they walk:

30 lions, strongest of all animals and afraid of none;

31 goats, strutting roosters,

and kings in front of their people.

32 If you have been foolish enough to be arrogant and plan evil, stop and think!

33 If you churn milk, you get butter. If you hit someone’s nose, it bleeds. If you stir up anger, you get into trouble.

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Proverbs 31

Advice to a King

1 These are the solemn words which King Lemuel’s mother said to him:

2 “You are my own dear son, the answer to my prayers. What shall I tell you?

3 Don’t spend all your energy on sex and all your money on women; they have destroyed kings.

4 Listen, Lemuel. Kings should not drink wine or have a craving for alcohol.

5 When they drink, they forget the laws and ignore the rights of people in need.

6 Alcohol is for people who are dying, for those who are in misery.

7 Let them drink and forget their poverty and unhappiness.

8 “Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless.

9 Speak for them and be a righteous judge. Protect the rights of the poor and needy.”

The Capable Wife

10 How hard it is to find a capable wife! She is worth far more than jewels!

11 Her husband puts his confidence in her, and he will never be poor.

12 As long as she lives, she does him good and never harm.

13 She keeps herself busy making wool and linen cloth.

14 She brings home food from out-of-the-way places, as merchant ships do.

15 She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and to tell her servant women what to do.

16 She looks at land and buys it, and with money she has earned she plants a vineyard.

17 She is a hard worker, strong and industrious.

18 She knows the value of everything she makes, and works late into the night.

19 She spins her own thread and weaves her own cloth.

20 She is generous to the poor and needy.

21 She doesn’t worry when it snows, because her family has warm clothing.

22 She makes bedspreads and wears clothes of fine purple linen.

23 Her husband is well known, one of the leading citizens.

24 She makes clothes and belts, and sells them to merchants.

25 She is strong and respected and not afraid of the future.

26 She speaks with a gentle wisdom.

27 She is always busy and looks after her family’s needs.

28 Her children show their appreciation, and her husband praises her.

29 He says, “Many women are good wives, but you are the best of them all.”

30 Charm is deceptive and beauty disappears, but a woman who honors the Lord should be praised.

31 Give her credit for all she does. She deserves the respect of everyone.

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Psalm 1

True Happiness

1 Happy are those

who reject the advice of evil people,

who do not follow the example of sinners

or join those who have no use for God.

2 Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord,

and they study it day and night.

3 They are like trees that grow beside a stream,

that bear fruit at the right time,

and whose leaves do not dry up.

They succeed in everything they do.

4 But evil people are not like this at all;

they are like straw that the wind blows away.

5 Sinners will be condemned by God

and kept apart from God’s own people.

6 The righteous are guided and protected by the Lord,

but the evil are on the way to their doom.

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Psalm 2

God’s Chosen King

1 Why do the nations plan rebellion?

Why do people make their useless plots?

2 Their kings revolt,

their rulers plot together against the Lord

and against the king he chose.

3 “Let us free ourselves from their rule,” they say;

“let us throw off their control.”

4 From his throne in heaven the Lord laughs

and mocks their feeble plans.

5 Then he warns them in anger

and terrifies them with his fury.

6 “On Zion,my sacred hill,” he says,

“I have installed my king.”

7 “I will announce,” says the king, “what the Lord has declared.

He said to me: ‘You are my son;

today I have become your father.

8 Ask, and I will give you all the nations;

the whole earth will be yours.

9 You will break them with an iron rod;

you will shatter them in pieces like a clay pot.’”

10 Now listen to this warning, you kings;

learn this lesson, you rulers of the world:

11 Serve the Lord with fear;

tremble

12 and bow down to him;

or else his anger will be quickly aroused,

and you will suddenly die.

Happy are all who go to him for protection.

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Psalm 3

Morning Prayer for Help

1 I have so many enemies, Lord,

so many who turn against me!

2 They talk about me and say,

“God will not help him.”

3 But you, O Lord, are always my shield from danger;

you give me victory

and restore my courage.

4 I call to the Lord for help,

and from his sacred hillhe answers me.

5 I lie down and sleep,

and all night long the Lord protects me.

6 I am not afraid of the thousands of enemies

who surround me on every side.

7 Come, Lord! Save me, my God!

You punish all my enemies

and leave them powerless to harm me.

8 Victory comes from the Lord—

may he bless his people.

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Psalm 4

Evening Prayer for Help

1 Answer me when I pray,

O God, my defender!

When I was in trouble, you helped me.

Be kind to me now and hear my prayer.

2 How long will you people insult me?

How long will you love what is worthless

and go after what is false?

3 Remember that the Lord has chosen the righteous for his own,

and he hears me when I call to him.

4 Tremble with fear and stop sinning;

think deeply about this,

when you lie in silence on your beds.

5 Offer the right sacrifices to the Lord,

and put your trust in him.

6 There are many who pray:

“Give us more blessings, O Lord.

Look on us with kindness!”

7 But the joy that you have given me

is more than they will ever have

with all their grain and wine.

8 When I lie down, I go to sleep in peace;

you alone, O Lord, keep me perfectly safe.

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Psalm 5

A Prayer for Protection

1 Listen to my words, O Lord,

and hear my sighs.

2 Listen to my cry for help,

my God and king!

I pray to you, O Lord;

3 you hear my voice in the morning;

at sunrise I offer my prayer

and wait for your answer.

4 You are not a God who is pleased with wrongdoing;

you allow no evil in your presence.

5 You cannot stand the sight of the proud;

you hate all wicked people.

6 You destroy all liars

and despise violent, deceitful people.

7 But because of your great love

I can come into your house;

I can worship in your holy Temple

and bow down to you in reverence.

8 Lord, I have so many enemies!

Lead me to do your will;

make your way plain for me to follow.

9 What my enemies say can never be trusted;

they only want to destroy.

Their words are flattering and smooth,

but full of deadly deceit.

10 Condemn and punish them, O God;

may their own plots cause their ruin.

Drive them out of your presence

because of their many sins

and their rebellion against you.

11 But all who find safety in you will rejoice;

they can always sing for joy.

Protect those who love you;

because of you they are truly happy.

12 You bless those who obey you, Lord;

your love protects them like a shield.

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Psalm 6

A Prayer for Help in Time of Trouble

1 Lord, don’t be angry and rebuke me!

Don’t punish me in your anger!

2 I am worn out, O Lord; have pity on me!

Give me strength; I am completely exhausted

3 and my whole being is deeply troubled.

How long, O Lord, will you wait to help me?

4 Come and save me, Lord;

in your mercy rescue me from death.

5 In the world of the dead you are not remembered;

no one can praise you there.

6 I am worn out with grief;

every night my bed is damp from my weeping;

my pillow is soaked with tears.

7 I can hardly see;

my eyes are so swollen

from the weeping caused by my enemies.

8 Keep away from me, you evil people!

The Lord hears my weeping;

9 he listens to my cry for help

and will answer my prayer.

10 My enemies will know the bitter shame of defeat;

in sudden confusion they will be driven away.

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Psalm 7

A Prayer for Justice

1 O Lord, my God, I come to you for protection;

rescue me and save me from all who pursue me,

2 or else like a lion they will carry me off

where no one can save me,

and there they will tear me to pieces.

3-4 O Lord, my God, if I have wronged anyone,

if I have betrayed a friend

or without cause done violence to my enemy—

if I have done any of these things—

5 then let my enemies pursue me and catch me,

let them cut me down and kill me

and leave me lifeless on the ground!

6 Rise in your anger, O Lord!

Stand up against the fury of my enemies;

rouse yourself and help me!

Justice is what you demand,

7 so bring together all the peoples around you,

and rule over them from above.

8 You are the judge of all people.

Judge in my favor, O Lord;

you know that I am innocent.

9 You are a righteous God

and judge our thoughts and desires.

Stop the wickedness of evildoers

and reward those who are good.

10 God is my protector;

he saves those who obey him.

11 God is a righteous judge

and always condemns the wicked.

12 If they do not change their ways,

God will sharpen his sword.

He bends his bow and makes it ready;

13 he takes up his deadly weapons

and aims his burning arrows.

14 See how wicked people think up evil;

they plan trouble and practice deception.

15 But in the traps they set for others,

they themselves get caught.

16 So they are punished by their own evil

and are hurt by their own violence.

17 I thank the Lord for his justice;

I sing praises to the Lord, the Most High.

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Psalm 8

God’s Glory and Human Dignity

1 O Lord, our Lord,

your greatness is seen in all the world!

Your praise reaches up to the heavens;

2 it is sung by children and babies.

You are safe and secure from all your enemies;

you stop anyone who opposes you.

3 When I look at the sky, which you have made,

at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places—

4 what are human beings, that you think of them;

mere mortals, that you care for them?

5 Yet you made them inferior only to yourself;

you crowned them with glory and honor.

6 You appointed them rulers over everything you made;

you placed them over all creation:

7 sheep and cattle, and the wild animals too;

8 the birds and the fish

and the creatures in the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord,

your greatness is seen in all the world!

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