Online Bible

Warnings and Instructions

^aDo not boast about tomorrow,For you ^bdo not know what a day may bring. Luke 12:19, 20; James 4:132 Let ^aanother praise you, and not your own mouth;A stranger, and not your own lips.3 Stone is heavy and the sand weighty,But a fool’s unreasonable wrath is heavier and more burdensome than both of them.4 Wrath is cruel and anger is an overwhelming flood,But ^awho is able to endure and stand before the sin of jealousy?5 ^aBetter is an open reprimand of loving correctionThan love that is hidden. Prov 28:23; Gal 2:146 Faithful are the ^awounds of a friend who corrects out of love and concern,But the ^bkisses of an enemy are deceitful because they serve his hidden agenda.7 He who is satisfied loathes honey,But to the hungry soul any bitter thing is sweet.8 Like a ^abird that wanders from her nest with its comfort and safety,So is a man who ^bwanders from his home.9 ^aOil and perfume make the heart glad;So does the sweetness of a friend’s counsel that comes from the heart.10 Do not abandon your own ^afriend and ^byour father’s friend,And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster.Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.11 My son, ^abe wise, and make my heart glad,That I may ^breply to him who reproaches (reprimands, criticizes) me. Prov 10:1; 23:15, 2412 A prudent man sees evil and hides himself and avoids it,But the naive who are easily misled continue on and are punished by suffering the consequences of sin. Prov 22:313 The judge tells the creditor, “^aTake the garment of one who is surety (guarantees a loan) for a stranger;And hold him in pledge when he is surety for an immoral woman for it is unlikely the debt will be repaid.” Prov 20:1614 ^aHe who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning,It will be counted as a curse to him for it will either be annoying or his purpose will be suspect.15 A ^aconstant dripping on a day of steady rainAnd a contentious (quarrelsome) woman are alike; Prov 19:1316 Whoever attempts to restrain her criticism might as well try to stop the wind,And grasps oil with his right hand.17 As iron sharpens iron,So one man sharpens and influences another through discussion.18 He who tends the ^afig tree will eat its fruit,And he who faithfully ^bprotects and cares for his master will be honored. 1+@Cor 9:7, 1319 As in water face reflects face,So the heart of man reflects man.20 ^aSheol (the place of the dead) and Abaddon (the underworld) are ^bnever satisfied;Nor are the ^ceyes of man ever satisfied. Prov 30:16; Hab 2:521 The ^arefining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold to separate the impurities of the metal,And each ^bis tested by the praise given to him and his response to it, whether humble or proud.22 Even though you ^apound a hardened, arrogant fool who rejects wisdom in a mortar with a pestle like grain,Yet his foolishness will not leave him.

23 Be diligent to ^aknow the condition of your flocks,And pay attention to your herds;24 For riches are not forever,Nor does a ^acrown endure to all generations.25 When the grass is gone, the new growth is seen,And herbs of the mountain are ^agathered in,26 The lambs will supply wool for your clothing,And the goats will bring the price of a field.27 And there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,For the food of your household,And for the maintenance of your maids.

Warnings and Instructions

^aDo not boast about tomorrow,For you ^bdo not know what a day may bring forth.2 Let ^aanother praise you, and not your own mouth;A stranger, and not your own lips.3 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.4 Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,But ^awho can stand before jealousy?5 Better is ^aopen rebukeThan love that is concealed.6 Faithful are the ^awounds of a friend,But ¹deceitful are the ^bkisses of an enemy.7 A sated ¹man ²loathes honey,But to a famished ³man any bitter thing is sweet.8 Like a ^abird that wanders from her nest,So is a man who ^bwanders from his ¹home.9 ^aOil and perfume make the heart glad,So a ¹man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.10 Do not forsake your own ^afriend or ^byour father’s friend,And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.11 ^aBe wise, my son, and make my heart glad,That I may ^breply to him who reproaches me.12 A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,The ¹naive proceed and pay the penalty.13 ^aTake his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;And for an ¹adulterous woman hold him in pledge.14 ^aHe who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,It will be reckoned a curse to him.15 A ^aconstant dripping on a day of steady rainAnd a contentious woman are alike;16 He who would ¹restrain her ²restrains the wind,And ³grasps oil with his right hand.17 Iron sharpens iron,So one man sharpens another.18 He who tends the ^afig tree will eat its fruit,And he who ^bcares for his master will be honored.19 As in water face reflects face,So the heart of man reflects man.20 ¹^aSheol and ²Abaddon are ^bnever satisfied,Nor are the ^ceyes of man ever satisfied.21 The ^acrucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,And each ^bis tested by the praise accorded him.22 Though you ^apound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

23 ^aKnow well the ¹condition of your flocks,And pay attention to your herds;24 For riches are not forever,Nor does a ^acrown endure to all generations.25 When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,And the herbs of the mountains are ^agathered in,26 The lambs will be for your clothing,And the goats will bring the price of a field,27 And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food,For the food of your household,And sustenance for your maidens.