'May' in the Bible

To know [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction;To discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight,

That prudence (good judgment, astute common sense) may be given to the naive or inexperienced [who are easily misled],And knowledge and discretion (intelligent discernment) to the youth,

That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:

To understand a proverb and a figure [of speech] or an enigma with its interpretation,And the words of the wise and their riddles [that require reflection].

My child, may you keep your father's instruction, and do not reject your mother's teachings,

May you turn to my argument! Behold, I shall pour out my spirit upon you; I will make my words known to you.

so that He may guard the paths of justiceand protect the way of His loyal followers.

So you will walk in the way of good men [that is, those of personal integrity, moral courage and honorable character],And keep to the paths of the righteous.

My child, do not forget my instruction, and may your heart guard my commands.

May loyal love and truth not forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them upon your heart.

She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her.

My child, may they not escape from your {sight}; may you keep sound wisdom and prudence.

Listen, my sons, to a father’s discipline,and pay attention so that you may gain understanding,

he taught me and said to me, "May your heart hold fast [to] my words; guard my commandments and live.

May they not escape from your {sight}; keep them in [the] midst of your heart.

May your eyes look forward and your gaze be straight before you.

Make the path for your feet level, so that all your ways may be established.

That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

For fear that you may give your honour to others, and your wealth to strange men:

And strange men may be full of your wealth, and the fruit of your work go to the house of others;

May they be yours alone, and not for strangers [who are] with you.

May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in your young wife --

a loving doe, a graceful deer; may her breasts satisfy you at all times, may you be captivated by her love always.

Do not desire her beauty in your heart; may she not capture you with her eyelashes.

May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?

Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?

Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.

Keep my commands so that you may live, and obey my instruction as your most prized possession.

That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

May your heart not turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her path.

Take my teaching and not silver; may you choose knowledge rather than choice gold.

For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

Listen to my instruction so that you may be wise, and do not neglect it.

Abandon your foolish ways so that you may live, and proceed in the way of understanding."

"Whoever is simple, may he turn here!" As for he who lacks {sense}, she says to him,

A man may give freely, and still his wealth will be increased; and another may keep back more than is right, but only comes to be in need.

On the road of righteousness is life, and [on] the way of the path, [may there be] no death.

A man may be acting as if he had wealth, but have nothing; another may seem poor, but have great wealth.

The life of a wealthy man may be held for ransom, but whoever is poor receives no threats.

The law of the wise is a fountain of life, That one may depart from the snares of death.

The field of the poor may produce much food, but it can be swept away through injustice.

Even in laughter a heart may be sad,and joy may end in grief.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,That one may avoid the snares of death.

A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.

The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

A man may make designs for his way, but the Lord is the guide of his steps.

A thing may be put to the decision of chance, but it comes about through the Lord.

[May] a man meet a she-bear robbed of offspring and not a fool in his folly.

A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

The spirit of a man will endure his sickness, but a broken spirit, who may bear it?

The poor may speak entreaties, but the rich will answer roughly.

A man with many friends may be harmed,but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother. >

All the brothers of a poor man hate him;how much more do his friendskeep their distance from him!He may pursue them with words,but they are not there.

Listen to counsel and receive instructionso that you may be wise later in life.

A man's heart may be full of designs, but the purpose of the Lord is unchanging.

The fear of the Lord leads to life,So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

If you scourge a scoffer, the simple person may learn to be discreet; rebuke a discerning man and he will gain understanding.

Even a child may be judged by his doings, if his work is free from sin and if it is right.

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

Do not say, "I will pay back evil!" Wait for the Lord, so that he may vindicate you.

A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?

Haughty and arrogant eyes and a proud heart,The lamp of the wicked [their self-centered pride], is sin [in the eyes of God].

The horse may be prepared for the day of battle, but to the LORD goes the victory.

For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,That they may be ready on your lips.

That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

in order to teach you true and reliable words,so that you may give a dependable reportto those who sent you?

or you may learn his ways and find yourself caught in a trap.

Do not tire [in order] to become rich; out of your understanding, [may you] desist

May your heart not envy the sinners, but [live] in fear of Yahweh {all day}.

May your father and your mother have joy; may she who bore you rejoice.

My child, may you give your heart to me, and may your eyes delight in my ways.

Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will be brought down by calamity.

While your enemies are falling, do not rejoice; when he trips himself, may your heart not be glad

For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.

The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.

Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away.

Through patience a ruler may be persuaded; a gentle word can break a bone.

If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down.

Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate.

Though his hatred may be concealed by deceit, his evil will be uncovered in the assembly.

Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

May another praise you and not your own mouth, a stranger and not your own lips.

My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.

The rich man may be wise in his own opinion; but a discerning, poor man sees through him.

It is not good to show partiality—yet a man may sin for a piece of bread.

If a wise man goes to law with a foolish man, he may be angry or laughing, but there will be no rest.

For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.

As for the eye that ridicules a fatherand despises obedience to a mother,may ravens of the valley pluck it outand young vultures eat it.

The lizard you may grasp with the hands,Yet it is in kings’ palaces.

Otherwise, they may drink and forget what has been ordained, perverting justice for all the oppressed.

Who may make discovery of a woman of virtue? For her price is much higher than jewels.

The grace is false, and the beauty is vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.

Give to her from the fruit of her hand, and may they praise her works in the city gates.