A laborer's appetite works on his behalf, for his hunger urges him to work.

A violent person entices his neighbor, and leads him down a path that is terrible.

An evil person seeks only rebellion, and so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

A foolish child is a grief to his father, and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

When a wicked person arrives, contempt shows up with him, and with shame comes a reproach.

A person's spirit sustains him through sickness -- but who can bear a crushed spirit?

A person's gift makes room for him, and leads him before important people.

The first to state his case seems right, until his opponent begins to cross-examine him.

All the relatives of a poor person hate him; how much more do his friends avoid him -- he pursues them with words, but they do not respond.

A person's wisdom makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.

A person with great anger bears the penalty, but if you deliver him from it once, you will have to do it again.

The king's terrifying anger is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him sins against himself.

The righteous person behaves in integrity; blessed are his children after him.

Take a man's garment when he has given security for a stranger, and when he gives surety for strangers, hold him in pledge.

What the sluggard desires will kill him, for his hands refuse to work.

Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

Do not withhold discipline from a child; even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

If you strike him with the rod, you will deliver him from death.

The father of a righteous person will rejoice greatly; whoever fathers a wise child will have joy in him.

lest the Lord see it, and be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him.

The one who says to the guilty, "You are innocent," peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him.

Do not say, "I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will pay him back according to what he has done."

for it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than to put you lower before a prince, whom your eyes have seen.

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the heart of his masters.

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you yourself also be like him.

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The one who hates others disguises it with his lips, but he stores up deceit within him.

When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations within him.

The one who digs a pit will fall into it; the one who rolls a stone -- it will come back on him.

Take a man's garment when he has given security for a stranger, and when he gives surety for a stranger, hold him in pledge.

If someone blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse to him.

If you should pound the fool in the mortar among the grain with the pestle, his foolishness would not depart from him.

A rich person is wise in his own eyes, but a discerning poor person can evaluate him properly.

The one who is tormented by the murder of another will flee to the pit; let no one support him.

The stingy person hastens after riches and does not know that poverty will overtake him.

Do you see someone who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

A person's pride will bring him low, but one who has a lowly spirit will gain honor.

Every word of God is purified; he is like a shield for those who take refuge in him.

a strutting rooster, a male goat, and a king with his army around him.

The words of King Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught him:

She brings him good and not evil all the days of her life.

For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him.

For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth -- only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile -- like chasing the wind!

I also know that whatever God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it. God has made it this way, so that men will fear him.

For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.

Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken.

There is no end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and like chasing the wind.

The sleep of the laborer is pleasant -- whether he eats little or much -- but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.

To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.

For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.

God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor -- instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.

Whatever has happened was foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown. It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate because God is more powerful than he is.

The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him?

For no one knows what is best for a person during his life -- during the few days of his fleeting life -- for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.

Obey the king's command, because you took an oath before God to be loyal to him.

Surely the king's authority is absolute; no one can say to him, "What are you doing?"

Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes and still live a long time, yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people -- for they stand in fear before him.

So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.

A wise person's good sense protects him, but a fool's lack of sense leaves him vulnerable.

The words of a wise person win him favor, but the words of a fool are self-destructive.

yet a fool keeps on babbling. No one knows what will happen; who can tell him what will happen in the future?

The toil of a stupid fool wears him out, because he does not even know the way to the city.

So, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all, but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many -- all that is about to come is obscure.

The Beloved about Her Lover: All night long on my bed I longed for my lover. I longed for him but he never appeared.

"I will arise and look all around throughout the town, and throughout the streets and squares; I will search for my beloved." I searched for him but I did not find him.

Scarcely had I passed them by when I found my beloved! I held onto him tightly and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother's house, to the bedroom chamber of the one who conceived me.

Come out, O maidens of Zion, and gaze upon King Solomon! He is wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on his wedding day, on the most joyous day of his life!

My lover thrust his hand through the hole, and my feelings were stirred for him.

I opened for my beloved, but my lover had already turned and gone away. I fell into despair when he departed. I looked for him but did not find him; I called him but he did not answer me.

The Beloved to the Maidens: O maidens of Jerusalem, I command you -- If you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him that I am lovesick!

The Maidens to the Beloved: Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned? Tell us, that we may seek him with you.

The sinful nation is as good as dead, the people weighed down by evil deeds. They are offspring who do wrong, children who do wicked things. They have abandoned the Lord, and rejected the Holy One of Israel. They are alienated from him.

They say, "Let him hurry, let him act quickly, so we can see; let the plan of the Holy One of Israel take shape and come to pass, then we will know it!"

Seraphs stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and they used the remaining two to fly.

Tell him, 'Make sure you stay calm! Don't be afraid! Don't be intimidated by these two stubs of smoking logs, or by the raging anger of Rezin, Syria, and the son of Remaliah.

For this reason the sovereign master himself will give you a confirming sign. Look, this young woman is about to conceive and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him Immanuel.

He will eat sour milk and honey, which will help him know how to reject evil and choose what is right.

I then had sexual relations with the prophetess; she conceived and gave birth to a son. The Lord told me, "Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz,

I will wait patiently for the Lord, who has rejected the family of Jacob; I will wait for him.

I sent him against a godless nation, I ordered him to attack the people with whom I was angry, to take plunder and to carry away loot, to trample them down like dirt in the streets.

The Lord's spirit will rest on him -- a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord.

At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic.

Look, God is my deliverer! I will trust in him and not fear. For the Lord gives me strength and protects me; he has become my deliverer."

At that time you will say: "Praise the Lord! Ask him for help! Publicize his mighty acts among the nations! Make it known that he is unique!

Here is a message about Egypt: Look, the Lord rides on a swift-moving cloud and approaches Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him; the Egyptians lose their courage.

This is what the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, says: "Go visit this administrator, Shebna, who supervises the palace, and tell him:

I will put your robe on him, tie your belt around him, and transfer your authority to him. He will become a protector of the residents of Jerusalem and of the people of Judah.

I will fasten him like a peg into a solid place; he will bring honor and respect to his father's family.

His father's family will gain increasing prominence because of him, including the offspring and the offshoots. All the small containers, including the bowls and all the jars will hang from this peg.'

At that time they will say, "Look, here is our God! We waited for him and he delivered us. Here is the Lord! We waited for him. Let's rejoice and celebrate his deliverance!"

His God instructs him; he teaches him the principles of agriculture.

For this reason the Lord is ready to show you mercy; he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you. Indeed, the Lord is a just God; all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.

An honorable man makes honorable plans; his honorable character gives him security.

He is your constant source of stability; he abundantly provides safety and great wisdom; he gives all this to those who fear him.

Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace supervisor, accompanied by Shebna the scribe and Joah son of Asaph, the secretary, went out to meet him.

Look, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If someone leans on it for support, it punctures his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him!

They were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, "Don't respond to him."