Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare and their prosperity become a trap. Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and make their bodies shake continually. Pour out your fury on them; consume them with your burning anger. Let their homes become desolate and their tents be deserted. To the one you have punished, they add insult to injury; they add to the pain of those you have hurt. Pile their sins up high, and don’t let them go free. Erase their names from the Book of Life; don’t let them be counted among the righteous.
I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.
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!
The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,” then brags about getting a bargain!
Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.
Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.
Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.
Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.
A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.
If you insult your father or mother, your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.
An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.
Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
The Lord detests double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales.
The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?
Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost.
A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat, then runs his threshing wheel over them.
The Lord ’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.
Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.
The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.
Physical punishment cleanses away evil; such discipline purifies the heart.
Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.
But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.