1. Wed: Ezra 1-6
  2. Thu: Revelation 6-8
  3. Fri: Haggai
Saturday · Week 47
The Books of Poetry & Wisdom

Proverbs 29-31

Week 47 · about 11 min
  1. Sun: Deuteronomy 18-21
  2. Mon: Acts 17-19
  3. Tue: Jeremiah 50

Proverbs ends with Solomon’s last proverbs, the words of Agur, and the words of King Lemuel’s mother.

Neither Poverty Nor Riches

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

Proverbs 31:30 (KJV)

“The fear of man bringeth a snare.” In chapter 30 a man named Agur speaks humbly: “Surely I am more brutish than any man.” His prayer is wise: “give me neither poverty nor riches.” If he were rich, he might forget God, and if he were poor, he might steal. He admires small creatures that are wise, like ants, conies, locusts, and spiders. Chapter 31 is advice from King Lemuel’s mother: “Open thy mouth for the dumb.” It ends with a poem about a woman of strength. She runs a business, buys a field, works hard, and “stretcheth out her hand to the poor.” “Strength and honour are her clothing.”

Reflect: Which is your bigger danger right now, having too much or too little?

Proverbs 29

1A man often reproved, hardening the neck, Is suddenly broken, and there is no healing.

2In the multiplying of the righteous the people rejoice, And in the ruling of the wicked the people sigh.

3A man loving wisdom rejoiceth his father, And a friend of harlots destroyeth wealth.

4A king by judgment establisheth a land, And one receiving gifts throweth it down.

5A man taking a portion above his neighbour, Spreadeth a net for his own steps.

6In the transgression of the evil is a snare, And the righteous doth sing and rejoice.

7The righteous knoweth the plea of the poor, The wicked understandeth not knowledge.

8Men of scorning ensnare a city, And the wise turn back anger.

9A wise man is judged by the foolish man, And he hath been angry, And he hath laughed, and there is no rest.

10Men of blood hate the perfect, And the upright seek his soul.

11A fool bringeth out all his mind, And the wise till afterwards restraineth it.

12A ruler who is attending to lying words, All his ministers are wicked.

13The poor and the man of frauds have met together, Jehovah is enlightening the eyes of them both.

14a king that is judging truly the poor, His throne for ever is established.

15A rod and reproof give wisdom, And a youth let away is shaming his mother.

16In the multiplying of the wicked transgression multiplieth, And the righteous on their fall do look.

17Chastise thy son, and he giveth thee comfort, Yea, he giveth delights to thy soul.

18Without a Vision is a people made naked, And whoso is keeping the law, O his happiness!

19By words a servant is not instructed though he understand, And there is nothing answering.

20Thou hast seen a man hasty in his words! More hope of a fool than of him.

21Whoso is bringing up his servant delicately, from youth, At his latter end also he is continuator.

22An angry man stirreth up contention, And a furious man is multiplying transgression.

23The pride of man humbleth him, And humility of spirit upholdeth honour.

24Whoso is sharing with a thief is hating his own soul, Execration he heareth, and telleth not.

25Fear of man causeth a snare, And the confident in Jehovah is set on high.

26Many are seeking the face of a ruler, And from Jehovah is the judgment of each.

27An abomination to the righteous is the perverse man, And an abomination to the wicked is the upright in the way!

Proverbs 30

1Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: -- I have wearied myself for God, I have wearied myself for God, and am consumed.

2For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man.

3Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.

4Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What is His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!

5Every saying of God is tried, A shield He is to those trusting in Him.

6Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.

7Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.

8Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,

9Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, ‘Who is Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.

10Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty.

11A generation is, that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless.

12A generation -- pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.

13A generation -- how high are their eyes, Yea, their eyelids are lifted up.

14A generation -- swords are their teeth, And knives -- their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from earth, And the needy from among men.

15To the leech are two daughters, ‘Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said ‘Sufficiency;'

16Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth -- it is not satisfied with water, And fire -- it hath not said, ‘Sufficiency,'

17An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles.

18Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:

19The way of the eagle in the heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth.

20So -- the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, ‘I have not done iniquity.'

21For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four -- it is not able to bear:

22For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,

23For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress.

24Four are little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise:

25The ants are a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food,

26Conies are a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house,

27A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out -- each one shouting,

28A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.

29Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going:

30An old lion -- mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,

31A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king -- no rising up with him.

32If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil -- hand to mouth!

33For the churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!

Proverbs 31

1Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:

2‘What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?

3Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.

4Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.

5Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.

6Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,

7He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.

8Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.

9Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'

10A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies is her price.

11The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not.

12She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.

13She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh with her hands.

14She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.

15Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels.

16She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.

17She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.

18She hath perceived when her merchandise is good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.

19Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.

20Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.

21She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed with scarlet.

22Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple are her clothing.

23Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.

24Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.

25Strength and honour are her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.

26Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

27She is watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.

28Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,

29‘Many are the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.'

30The grace is false, and the beauty is vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.

31Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!

Young’s Literal Translation (YLT). Public domain.