Immerse: Poets Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 241
19:26–20:13
P ro v er b s
Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother
are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.
If you stop listening to instruction, my child,
you will turn your back on knowledge.
A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice;
the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.
Punishment is made for mockers,
and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.
Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls.
Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar;
to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;
only fools insist on quarreling.
Those too lazy to plow in the right season
will have no food at the harvest.
Though good advice lies deep within the heart,
a person with understanding will draw it out.
Many will say they are loyal friends,
but who can find one who is truly reliable?
The godly walk with integrity;
blessed are their children who follow them.
When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence,
distinguishing the bad from the good.
Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart;
I am pure and free from sin”?
False weights and unequal measures—
the Lord detests double standards of every kind.
Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
Ears to hear and eyes to see—
both are gifts from the Lord.
If you love sleep, you will end in poverty.
Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!
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