The Living Bible (206 page)
Authors: Inc. Tyndale House Publishers
Tags: #BIBLES / Other Translations / Text
The Lord hates cheating and delights in honesty.
2
Proud men end in shame, but the meek become wise.
3
A good man is guided by his honesty; the evil man is destroyed by his dishonesty.
4
Your riches won’t help you on Judgment Day; only righteousness counts then.
5
Good people are directed by their honesty; the wicked shall fall beneath their load of sins.
6
The good man’s goodness delivers him; the evil man’s treachery is his undoing.
7
When an evil man dies, his hopes all perish, for they are based upon this earthly life.
8
God rescues good men from danger while letting the wicked fall into it.
9
Evil words destroy; godly skill rebuilds.
*
10
The whole city celebrates a good man’s success—and also the godless man’s death.
11
The good influence of godly citizens causes a city to prosper, but the moral decay of the wicked drives it downhill.
12
To quarrel with a neighbor is foolish; a man with good sense holds his tongue.
13
A gossip goes around spreading rumors, while a trustworthy man tries to quiet them.
14
Without wise leadership, a nation is in trouble; but with good counselors there is safety.
15
Be sure you know a person well before you vouch for his credit! Better refuse than suffer later.
16
Honor goes to kind and gracious women, mere
*
money to cruel men.
17
Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel.
18
The evil man gets rich for the moment, but the good man’s reward lasts forever.
19
The good man finds life; the evil man, death.
20
The Lord hates the stubborn but delights in those who are good.
21
You can be very sure the evil man will not go unpunished forever. And you can also be very sure God will rescue the children of the godly.
22
A beautiful woman lacking discretion and modesty is like a fine gold ring in a pig’s snout.
23
The good man can look forward to happiness, while the wicked can expect only wrath.
24-25
It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself.
26
People curse the man who holds his grain for higher prices, but they bless the man who sells it to them in their time of need.
27
If you search for good, you will find God’s favor; if you search for evil, you will find his curse.
28
Trust in your money and down you go! Trust in God and flourish as a tree!
29
The fool who provokes his family to anger and resentment will finally have nothing worthwhile left. He shall be the servant of a wiser man.
30
Godly men are growing a tree that bears life-giving fruit, and all who win souls are wise.
*
31
Even the godly shall be rewarded here on earth; how much more the wicked!
To learn, you must want to be taught. To refuse reproof is stupid.
2
The Lord blesses good men and condemns the wicked.
3
Wickedness never brings real success; only the godly have that.
4
A worthy wife is her husband’s joy and crown; the other kind corrodes his strength and tears down everything he does.
5
A good man’s mind is filled with honest thoughts; an evil man’s mind is crammed with lies.
6
The wicked accuse; the godly defend.
7
The wicked shall perish; the godly shall stand.
8
Everyone admires a man with good sense, but a man with a warped mind is despised.
9
It is better to get your hands dirty—and eat,
*
than to be too proud to work—and starve.
10
A good man is concerned for the welfare of his animals, but even the kindness of godless men is cruel.
11
Hard work means prosperity;
*
only a fool idles away his time.
12
Crooks are jealous of each other’s loot, while good men long to help each other.
13
Lies will get any man into trouble, but honesty is its own defense.
14
Telling the truth gives a man great satisfaction, and hard work returns many blessings to him.
15
A fool thinks he needs no advice, but a wise man listens to others.
16
A fool is quick-tempered; a wise man stays cool when insulted.
17
A good man is known by his truthfulness; a false man by deceit and lies.
18
Some people like to make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise soothe and heal.
19
Truth stands the test of time; lies are soon exposed.
20
Deceit fills hearts that are plotting for evil; joy fills hearts that are planning for good!
21
No real harm befalls the good, but there is constant trouble for the wicked.
22
God delights in those who keep their promises and abhors those who don’t.
23
A wise man doesn’t display his knowledge, but a fool displays his foolishness.
24
Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and never succeed.
25
Anxious hearts are very heavy, but a word of encouragement does wonders!
26
The good man asks advice from friends; the wicked plunge ahead—and fall.
27
A lazy man won’t even dress the game he gets while hunting, but the diligent man makes good use of everything he finds.
28
The path of the godly leads to life. So why fear death?
A wise youth accepts his father’s rebuke; a young mocker doesn’t.
2
The good man wins his case by careful argument; the evil-minded only wants to fight.
3
Self-control means controlling the tongue! A quick retort can ruin everything.
4
Lazy people want much but get little, while the diligent are prospering.
5
A good man hates lies; wicked men lie constantly
*
and come to shame.
6
A man’s goodness helps him all through life, while evil men are being destroyed by their wickedness.
7
Some rich people are poor, and some poor people have great wealth!
8
Being kidnapped and held for ransom never worries the poor man!
9
The good man’s life is full of light. The sinner’s road is dark and gloomy.
10
Pride leads to arguments; be humble, take advice, and become wise.
11
Wealth from gambling quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows.
12
Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but when dreams come true at last, there is life and joy.
*
13
Despise God’s Word and find yourself in trouble. Obey it and succeed.
14
The advice of a wise man refreshes like water from a mountain spring. Those accepting it become aware of the pitfalls on ahead.
15
A man with good sense is appreciated. A treacherous man must walk a rocky road.
16
A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t and even brags about it!
17
An unreliable messenger can cause a lot of trouble. Reliable communication permits progress.
18
If you refuse criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept criticism, you are on the road to fame.
19
It is pleasant to see plans develop. That is why fools refuse to give them up even when they are wrong.
20
Be with wise men and become wise. Be with evil men and become evil.
21
Curses chase sinners, while blessings chase the righteous!
22
When a good man dies, he leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren; but when a sinner dies, his wealth is stored up for the godly.
23
A poor man’s farm may have good soil, but injustice robs him of its riches.
24
If you refuse to discipline your son, it proves you don’t love him; for if you love him, you will be prompt to punish him.
25
The good man eats to live, while the evil man lives to eat.
*
