June Three

All comments welcome!! It is how I get my questions answered.

 

~Good Morning~

I really enjoy Proverbs. But I cheated and now I feel …um…cheated and a little confused. I cheated by looking what is coming up in the next few days. I know, I do it with regular reading books to. I am impatient. Well I was browsing through how he has a lot of wives and concubines. Okay, I am not a feminist but I am glad we have more rights then back then. I want to be the perfect wife. When I am getting wisdom from a man on how a perfect wife should be I get a little hurt by HOW MANY WIVES AND CONCUBINES he has. I just don't get it. I love the show Big Love and I see how they are "sister wives" but I still don't get it. Did these wives get along? How often did he see the wives?? I mean I am sure he is a bizzy man.

Phew, I feel better just venting.

 

• Who is Proverbs meant for? What does he mean by "those who sent you"?
  

²⁰ I have written thirty sayings for you,
      filled with advice and knowledge.
 ²¹ In this way, you may know the truth
      and take an accurate report to those who sent you.

• I do not quite understand? Does he mean don't covet?
  

¹ While dining with a ruler,
      pay attention to what is put before you.
 ² If you are a big eater,
      put a knife to your throat;
 ³ don't desire all the delicacies,
      for he might be trying to trick you.

• Okay it really does say it is okay to spank your children. ..(see yesterday)
  

¹³ Don't fail to discipline your children.
      They won't die if you spank them.
 ¹⁴ Physical discipline
      may well save them from death.

• What does he mean "never sell it"? Don't make a profit? Or don't get rid of it?
  

   ²³ Get the truth and never sell it;
        also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.
  

• This is something I struggle with. I do get happy when an enemy falls. It is difficult for me not too.
  

¹⁷ Don't rejoice when your enemies fall;
      don't be happy when they stumble.
 ¹⁸ For the Lord will be displeased with you
      and will turn his anger away from them.

 

 

Proverbs 22:17-24:34 (New Living Translation)

Sayings of the Wise

 ¹⁷ Listen to the words of the wise;
      apply your heart to my instruction.
 ¹⁸ For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart
      and always ready on your lips.
 ¹⁹ I am teaching you today—yes, you—
      so you will trust in the Lord.
 ²⁰ I have written thirty sayings for you,
      filled with advice and knowledge.
 ²¹ In this way, you may know the truth
      and take an accurate report to those who sent you.

 ²² Don't rob the poor just because you can,
      or exploit the needy in court.
 ²³ For the Lord is their defender.
      He will ruin anyone who ruins them.

 ²⁴ Don't befriend angry people
      or associate with hot-tempered people,
 ²⁵ or you will learn to be like them
      and endanger your soul.

 ²⁶ Don't agree to guarantee another person's debt
      or put up security for someone else.
 ²⁷ If you can't pay it,
      even your bed will be snatched from under you.

 ²⁸ Don't cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers
      set up by previous generations.

 ²⁹ Do you see any truly competent workers?
      They will serve kings
      rather than working for ordinary people.

Proverbs 23

 ¹ While dining with a ruler,
      pay attention to what is put before you.
 ² If you are a big eater,
      put a knife to your throat;
 ³ don't desire all the delicacies,
      for he might be trying to trick you.

 ⁴ Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich.
      Be wise enough to know when to quit.
 ⁵ In the blink of an eye wealth disappears,
      for it will sprout wings
      and fly away like an eagle.

 ⁶ Don't eat with people who are stingy;
      don't desire their delicacies.
 ⁷ They are always thinking about how much it costs.
      "Eat and drink," they say, but they don't mean it.
 ⁸ You will throw up what little you've eaten,
      and your compliments will be wasted.

 ⁹ Don't waste your breath on fools,
      for they will despise the wisest advice.

 ¹⁰ Don't cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers;
      don't take the land of defenseless orphans.
 ¹¹ For their Redeemer is strong;
      he himself will bring their charges against you.

 ¹² Commit yourself to instruction;
      listen carefully to words of knowledge.

 ¹³ Don't fail to discipline your children.
      They won't die if you spank them.
 ¹⁴ Physical discipline
      may well save them from death.

 ¹⁵ My child, if your heart is wise,
      my own heart will rejoice!
 ¹⁶ Everything in me will celebrate
      when you speak what is right.

 ¹⁷ Don't envy sinners,
      but always continue to fear the Lord.
 ¹⁸ You will be rewarded for this;
      your hope will not be disappointed.

 ¹⁹ My child, listen and be wise:
      Keep your heart on the right course.
 ²⁰ Do not carouse with drunkards
      or feast with gluttons,
 ²¹ for they are on their way to poverty,
      and too much sleep clothes them in rags.

 ²² Listen to your father, who gave you life,
      and don't despise your mother when she is old.
 ²³ Get the truth and never sell it;
      also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.
 ²⁴ The father of godly children has cause for joy.
      What a pleasure to have children who are wise.
 ²⁵ So give your father and mother joy!
      May she who gave you birth be happy.

 ²⁶ O my son, give me your heart.
      May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
 ²⁷ A prostitute is a dangerous trap;
      a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.
 ²⁸ She hides and waits like a robber,
      eager to make more men unfaithful.

 ²⁹ Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?
      Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?
      Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
 ³⁰ It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,
      trying out new drinks.
 ³¹ Don't gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is,
      how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.
 ³² For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake;
      it stings like a viper.
 ³³ You will see hallucinations,
      and you will say crazy things.
 ³⁴ You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea,
      clinging to a swaying mast.
 ³⁵ And you will say, "They hit me, but I didn't feel it.
      I didn't even know it when they beat me up.
   When will I wake up
      so I can look for another drink?"

Proverbs 24

 ¹ Don't envy evil people
      or desire their company.
 ² For their hearts plot violence,
      and their words always stir up trouble.

 ³ A house is built by wisdom
      and becomes strong through good sense.
 ⁴ Through knowledge its rooms are filled
      with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

 ⁵ The wise are mightier than the strong,
      and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
 ⁶ So don't go to war without wise guidance;
      victory depends on having many advisers.

 ⁷ Wisdom is too lofty for fools.
      Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.

 ⁸ A person who plans evil
      will get a reputation as a troublemaker.
 ⁹ The schemes of a fool are sinful;
      everyone detests a mocker.

 ¹⁰ If you fail under pressure,
      your strength is too small.

 ¹¹ Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
      save them as they stagger to their death.
 ¹² Don't excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn't know."
      For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
   He who guards your soul knows you knew.
      He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

 ¹³ My child, eat honey, for it is good,
      and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.
 ¹⁴ In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.
      If you find it, you will have a bright future,
      and your hopes will not be cut short.

 ¹⁵ Don't wait in ambush at the home of the godly,
      and don't raid the house where the godly live.
 ¹⁶ The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
      But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.

 ¹⁷ Don't rejoice when your enemies fall;
      don't be happy when they stumble.
 ¹⁸ For the Lord will be displeased with you
      and will turn his anger away from them.

 ¹⁹ Don't fret because of evildoers;
      don't envy the wicked.
 ²⁰ For evil people have no future;
      the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.

 ²¹ My child, fear the Lord and the king.
   Don't associate with rebels,
    ²² for disaster will hit them suddenly.
   Who knows what punishment will come
      from the Lord and the king?

More Sayings of the Wise

 ²³ Here are some further sayings of the wise:

   It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.
 ²⁴ A judge who says to the wicked, "You are innocent,"
      will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.
 ²⁵ But it will go well for those who convict the guilty;
      rich blessings will be showered on them.

 ²⁶ An honest answer
      is like a kiss of friendship.

 ²⁷ Do your planning and prepare your fields
      before building your house.

 ²⁸ Don't testify against your neighbors without cause;
      don't lie about them.
 ²⁹ And don't say, "Now I can pay them back for what they've done to me!
      I'll get even with them!"

 ³⁰ I walked by the field of a lazy person,
      the vineyard of one with no common sense.
 ³¹ I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
      It was covered with weeds,
      and its walls were broken down.
 ³² Then, as I looked and thought about it,
      I learned this lesson:
 ³³ A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
      a little folding of the hands to rest—
 ³⁴ then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
      scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.