Study Desk

Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;^(j) then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.^(k)

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.^(l)

Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.^(m)

If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.

A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping⁽ⁿ⁾ of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;

restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,^(o) and whoever protects their master will be honored.^(p)

As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart.^[a]

Death and Destruction^[b] are never satisfied,^(q) and neither are human eyes.^(r)

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,^(s) but people are tested by their praise.

Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,^(t) give careful attention to your herds;

for riches do not endure forever,^(u) and a crown is not secure for all generations.

When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in,

the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.

You will have plenty of goats' milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.

The wicked flee^(a) though no one pursues,^(b) but the righteous are as bold as a lion.^(c)

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

A ruler^[a] who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, but those who heed it resist them.

Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.^(d)

A discerning son heeds instruction, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.^(e)

Whoever increases wealth by taking interest^(f) or profit from the poor amasses it for another,^(g) who will be kind to the poor.^(h)

If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.⁽ⁱ⁾

Whoever leads the upright along an evil path will fall into their own trap,^(j) but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

The rich are wise in their own eyes; one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;^(k) but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.^(l)

Whoever conceals their sins^(m) does not prosper, but the one who confesses⁽ⁿ⁾ and renounces them finds mercy.^(o)

Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

A tyrannical ruler practices extortion, but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder will seek refuge^(p) in the grave; let no one hold them back.

The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,^(q) but the one whose ways are perverse will fall^(r) into the pit.^[b]

Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.^(s)

A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.^(t)

To show partiality^(u) is not good^(v)— yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.^(w)

The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.^(x)

Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.^(y)

Whoever robs their father or mother^(z) and says, "It's not wrong," is partner to one who destroys.^(aa)

The greedy stir up conflict,^(ab) but those who trust in the Lord ^(ac) will prosper.

Those who trust in themselves are fools,^(ad) but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.^(ae)

Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,^(af) but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.^(ag)

When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;^(ah) but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.

Whoever remains stiff-necked^(a) after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed^(b)—without remedy.^(c)

When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;^(d) when the wicked rule,^(e) the people groan.^(f)

A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,^(g) but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.^(h)

By justice a king gives a country stability,⁽ⁱ⁾ but those who are greedy for^[a] bribes tear it down.

Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet.^(j)

Evildoers are snared by their own sin,^(k) but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.

The righteous care about justice for the poor,^(l) but the wicked have no such concern.

Mockers stir up a city, but the wise turn away anger.^(m)

If a wise person goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright.⁽ⁿ⁾

Fools give full vent to their rage,^(o) but the wise bring calm in the end.^(p)

If a ruler^(q) listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.^(r)

The poor and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.^(s)

If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever.^(t)

A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.^(u)

When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.^(v)

Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.^(w)

Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom's instruction.^(x)

Servants cannot be corrected by mere words; though they understand, they will not respond.

Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.^(y)

A servant pampered from youth will turn out to be insolent.

An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.^(z)

Pride brings a person low,^(aa) but the lowly in spirit gain honor.^(ab)

The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify.^(ac)

Fear^(ad) of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord ^(ae) is kept safe.^(af)

Many seek an audience with a ruler,^(ag) but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.^(ah)

The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.^(ai)

Sayings of Agur

The sayings^(a) of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. This man's utterance to Ithiel: "I am weary, God, but I can prevail.^[a]

Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding.

I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.^(b)

Who has gone up^(c) to heaven and come down? Whose hands^(d) have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters^(e) in a cloak?^(f) Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name,^(g) and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!

"Every word of God is flawless;^(h) he is a shield⁽ⁱ⁾ to those who take refuge in him.

Do not add^(j) to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

"Two things I ask of you, Lord ; do not refuse me before I die:

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.^(k)

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown^(l) you and say, ‘Who is the Lord ?'^(m) Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.⁽ⁿ⁾

"Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.

"There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers;^(o)

those who are pure in their own eyes^(p) and yet are not cleansed of their filth;^(q)

those whose eyes are ever so haughty,^(r) whose glances are so disdainful;

those whose teeth^(s) are swords and whose jaws are set with knives^(t) to devour^(u) the poor^(v) from the earth and the needy from among mankind.^(w)

"The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!' they cry. "There are three things that are never satisfied,^(x) four that never say, ‘Enough!':

the grave,^(y) the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!'

"The eye that mocks^(z) a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.^(aa)

"There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:

the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman.

"This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I've done nothing wrong.'^(ab)

"Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:

a servant who becomes king,^(ac) a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,

a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress.

"Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:

Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;^(ad)

hyraxes^(ae) are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;

locusts^(af) have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;

a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces.

"There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing:

a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;

a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt.^[b]

"If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth!^(ag)

For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife."