Proverbs Remix: Remember That Proverb!: Three Easy Formats for Quickly Memorizing the Book of Proverbs

By Gerald Sablo Jr.

One of the five books of wisdom found in the Old Testament, the Book of Proverbs is the wisdom of kings, and of one king in particular, Solomon, son of King David.

Proverbs Remix: Remember that Proverb! is a select reordering of the Book of Proverbs as found in the New King James Version of the Bible.

The rearrangement into three distinct formats facilitates easy and rapid memorization of the proverbs of your choice, whether it is for the verses that contain the words “knowledge,” “understanding,” and “wisdom,” or any of your favorite words.

As you memorize proverbs on a daily basis, you assimilate eternal wisdom into your heart and mind—which no one can take from you.

And you can begin today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449752538

Gerald Sablo Jr.

Gerald Sablo, Jr. is a compiler of God’s thoughts, which helps in the understanding of His words by concentrating on those thoughts and words that often repeat. Note well and meditate upon them. Mr. Sablo lives in Jonesboro, Georgia, with his wife, Ronni, and their dog, Danni.

Book preview

PROVERBS REMIX:

Remember That Proverb!

Three East Formats for Quickly

Memorizing the Book of Proverbs

Gerald Sablo, Jr.

General Editor

Image415.JPG

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2012 Gerald Sablo, Jr.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-5252-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-5253-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012909055

WestBow Press rev. date: 5/16/2012

Contents

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Statistics of Proverbs Remix

About the Author

Proverbs Remix

IMPORTANT NOTICE

As a matter of perspective, we are facing a worldwide crisis, which Paul describes as a great falling away from the faith just before the return of the LORD (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3). Today we see an unprecedented rise in atheism throughout the world, and not just in the United States, where people raised in the Christian tradition are renouncing their faith.

The mission of Proverbs Remix: Remember That Proverb! is to confront this problem head-on by providing a means for preserving the Wisdom of God (placed in man, particularly King Solomon) by establishing it in the hearts of people—because the battle for your mind will be won in your heart.

Arguably, the Chinese ideogram for crisis contains both the characters for danger and opportunity. Proverbs Remix: Remember That Proverb! is a response to this worldwide crisis, and an opportunity to install the wisdom of Solomon (which comes from God) in your heart. In standing against this ever-spreading danger of irreligious nihilism expanding throughout the world, you can do your part by memorizing the proverbs that make a difference in your life, and therefore in the lives of those you love. Thus, if Proverbs disappears from the printed word, it will remain in the spirit of man’s heart.

To Ronni,

my wife and closet friend,

this is for you,

and for the millions of people

who decide to implement the daily practice

of reading from the Book of Proverbs—

hopefully and prayerfully

for the rest of their lives.

Proverbs Remix Introduction

W elcome to the wonderful, exciting world of Proverbs Remix: Remember That Proverb! Taken from the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, the Book of Proverbs is one of the five books of wisdom. As such, it is the wisdom of kings, and of one king in particular, Solomon, who wrote and gathered together most of the sayings found in the Book of Proverbs.

Solomon, we are told in the Bible, was the richest and wisest king of all time. God blessed Solomon when he asked for an understanding heart in the governing of the people he had been made king over (see 1 Kings 3:1-13 and 2 Chronicles 1:1-12). Solomon is also reported as having spoken three thousand proverbs (1 Kings 4:32). The Book of Proverbs contains much of Solomon’s wisdom.

The genesis of this manual came about from my having noticed while reading Proverbs on a daily basis that many words are often repeated in the different chapters and verses. Words like abomination, foolish, heart, man, wise, and so forth. I’ve always thought it would be nice to have a handy reference that annotated the many instances of words repeatedly found in Proverbs. Since I couldn’t find such a dedicated reference, and rather than reaching for my trusty Strong’s Concordance and ferreting out the many instances of the searched-for word, I designed Proverbs Remix: Remember That Proverb! to make this task easier.

However, as the book took shape, I quickly realized that with a little tweaking, the format of the book could easily facilitate the rapid memorizing of any individual proverb. I saw that what was missing in the process of biblical memorization was the format, or what the layout of the words looks like.

Think about this. What do you do when you want to remember something in the Bible? For most of us, the first thing would be to either underline it, or write it down on a separate piece of paper or index card. In that very act, what we are essentially doing is separating the desired quotation from the surrounding material. Or reformatting. We make it special by emphasizing it—changing its format—to make it stand out from the crowd of words that surrounds it. And that is what the various parts of Proverbs Remix do. Each part has its own layout for how it functions in memorization. We will explore more of this later.

The book you hold in your hands is actually a tool for quickly assimilating eternal wisdom into your heart. This is the wisdom by which many ancient kings live. With our present-day Bible, each of us now has the fortunate opportunity of being mentored not only by these kings, but by the greatest king of all, Solomon. In the process of using Proverbs Remix: Remember That Proverb!, we easily infuse his wisdom into our lives, because this manual is designed for quick memorization. It is a how-to manual for memorizing Proverbs.

How To Use This Manual

This manual is easy to use. For example, if you want to find the different verses in Proverbs that contain the word rejoice, you turn first to Part 3 in Proverbs Remix: Remember That Proverb!, called Proverbs Remix Index, or Index, for short. Occupying the middle of the book (as opposed to the end of the book, where most indexes are found), the Index section begins on page 331 and is strictly alphanumeric. That is, the Index includes a word (the alpha), such as rejoice, and the page (the numeric) on which the word and its verses are found. In our example, according to the Index, the word rejoice is found on pages 249/250, while related words rejoices and rejoicing only appear on page 250.

In the special event you cannot find a word in the Index, you can probably find it in the list of words not found in the Index, located at the beginning of the Index (page 333). Between the two lists are all the words found in the Book of Proverbs. It goes (almost) without saying, that if a word is missing from either list, it won’t be found in Proverbs either. (Need I include the following disclaimer for our special folks? This ain’t a dictionary!)

While the Index appears in the middle of the book, Parts 1 and 2 and Parts 4 and 5 take their respective positions to the left and right of the Index, Part 3. On the immediate left of the Index is Part 2, Proverbs Remix. It takes its name from the title of the book, because it was the book before the idea to expand it into a how-to manual arrived. In opposition to the Index, it is the breakdown and compilation of most of the words (in verse form) found in the Book of Proverbs, grouped loosely by alphabet. Notice the alphabetizing of rejoice, rejoices and rejoicing.

To the left of Proverbs Remix, Part 2 is Part 1, the complete Book of Proverbs, as found in any Bible. This is the New King James Version (NKJV), which I find is the closest to everyday speech and still faithful to the original King James Version (KJV), but without the thees and thous, etc.

Its special format groups verses in numeric-alpha form. For example, if you look at Chapter 1, verses 10 and 11, you’ll see the form 10a and 10b and 11a, 11b and 11c. Compare that to Chapter 23, verse 29, and you will see 29a, 29b, 29c, 29d, 29e and 29f, and you’ll understand what I mean by numeric-alpha form. Strictly grouped this way, it does not necessarily denote the complete thought of the proverb.

The reason for this format is two-fold. First, it is the foundation on which the other formats rest; and second, there are undoubtedly those who memorize words grouped as multiple verses. I, for one, had to memorize while in grade school the Longfellow poem of the Six Hundred Horsemen. There were at least a hundred or more lines in that poem! Compared with Proverbs 23:29, there’s no contest of which is easier to remember.

To the immediate right of the middle-positioned Part 3 Index is Part 4, Proverbs Remix Cross-Index, or simply Cross-Index. As its name implies, this section references the Index and Part 2, the Remix. Its special format is that it is essentially a line-by-line copy of the Book of Proverbs, but with emphasis on the key words found in the Index. This section is for those who memorize single lines of poetry, such as For as he thinks in his heart, so is he (23:7a).

Finally, to the right of the (Part 4) Cross-Index is Part 5, Personal Notes, which are several blank pages upon which you can write anything that comes to you as you go about the process of memorizing proverbs. After reading Proverbs for a while, things will come to you.

Why So Many Different Formats?

Still, someone might ask the following question: Why is the Book of Proverbs arranged in these different formats? Well, designed for quick memorization of proverbs, the book recognizes the needs of the individual. Since we are all fearfully and wonderfully made, but nevertheless made individually, each of us also learns or memorizes differently. It’s been estimated that at least 90 billion people have been born into this world since the beginning of humankind, each uniquely different from one another. Just as each of us is uniquely different, we also learn in a different manner.

Learning links with how your brain works. Again, it is an individual effort, and we all approach memorization differently. In other words, we all use our brains differently from one another. Research has discovered that successful learning has three major principles involved: the principles of synergy, repetition, and being successful. These are the principles that we use to learn or memorize material. Let’s briefly look at each of these concepts.

In a synergetic system, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In such a system, sometimes called holistic, 1+1 often equals more than 2, and more can reach infinity! Relating this to the brain and learning, the combined thoughts of two people can produce an infinite number of possibilities. So you can quickly understand the great power of a mastermind group, with the ideal number of seven people. Thoughts do not simply add up one by one, in a literal or linear sense, but radiate outward in many directions at once. This is what Albert Einstein, discover of the laws of relativity, meant when he said, Imagination is more important than knowledge, for imagination is limitless. The process of daydreaming, for example, is a form of imaginative, multiplicative, synergetic thinking. Therefore, one person’s whole could be a word (a group of letters), a verse (a group of words), or a whole section of verses (you get the idea).

The second key principle of learning, repetition, is easily understandable. Rumor has it that cows initially formed the streets of Boston (Massachusetts). In the early days of the city, cows roamed independently, and each time a cow traversed the route of a cow or cows before it, the route became a lot easier to travel over. This was because the resistance was a little less each time. Initiated by cows, the streets of Boston became routes, which then became roads, then ultimately streets, and now we have major thoroughfares.

In a similar fashion, the more you use your brain to think about, or memorize, something, such as a verse of scripture, the easier it is to think about it again and again. This is because the biochemical resistance to that particular thought steadily diminishes each time you review the thought.

Which is why, if you want to incorporate a verse of scripture from a proverb into your life, it is recommended that you read the verse on a daily basis. Since most months have 30 or 31 days and there are 31 chapters in the Book of Proverbs, a chapter a day is very easy to read, and you won’t forget where you left off from the day before.

Reading Proverbs consistently on a daily/monthly basis, at the same time each day (like in the morning), from year to year is easy to do because it quickly becomes habit-forming.

As you read a chapter a day, either from Part 1 or Part 4, watch how fast you’ll assimilate Solomon’s wisdom into your life. Then, when you least think about it, you’ll find yourself in a conversation and hear something that brings a verse of proverb to mind. Such is the power of repetition. The more you think about something, the quicker it will manifest into your life.

The third principle is a double-edged sword that cuts both ways. You see, your unconscious mind has a success mechanism hardwired in that pushes you to be successful in life. You can either be negatively successful or positively successful. The choice is yours. Job, in the Old Testament book of the same name, makes this perfectly clear when he says, For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me (Job 3:25). Such is an example of something negative.

In a similar manner, if you repeatedly think of something positive, your mind will act to make that thing happen in your life. For example, decide to memorize seven verses a week, which is one a day, and your brain will make it happen. No matter how you think, positively or negatively, your unconscious mind will make it happen for you. As Henry Ford, the great automaker, said, Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.

Designed To Be Memorized

Since memorization is the design of this manual, remember this is your book. Make the book your own by marking it up. After all, you did pay for it, didn’t you? So don’t forget that Part 5 is ideal for this work, which is available for any personal ideas, notes or insights that come to mind as you are reading, thinking and meditating on Proverbs. Remember, the amount of work you put into consistently reading Proverbs Remix daily will equal the same amount of result you get out of it.

A word of warning, though: As you read the Cross-Index, or any of the other parts, don’t take the verse at face value. Sometimes the construction of what you read is misleading, leading you to the wrong conclusion. For example, in Chapter 19, the first part of verse 27 says, Cease listening to instruction, my son. This is not advocating to stop studying or hearing the Word. On the contrary, if you do this, there is a result that follows (which isn’t positive), as found by reading further. So read and study and memorize the verse in context. Check the whole verse, and the whole chapter in which it appears, to get the whole (right) meaning.

There are many benefits you, the reader of Proverbs Remix: Remember That Proverb!, will discover after reading Solomon’s proverbs daily for some time. One such reader went from being a failure in the workplace to becoming a multimillionaire in the space of two years. And there have been many, many famous people who have read Proverbs once a day over long periods of time. You, too, can become a member of these elite. Although I make no promise that you will be catapulted into the ranks of the wealthy and noteworthy, you will add to your spirit the wisdom of the Bible. That, no one can take from you. Enjoy!

Gerald Sablo, Jr.

General Editor

The Book of Proverbs

Part 1

The fear of the LORD …

… is the beginning of knowledge—1:7a

… is the instruction of wisdom—15:33a

… leads to life—19:23a

1

The Beginning of Knowledge

1:1       The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

1:2a      To know wisdom and instruction,

1:2b       To perceive the words of understanding,

1:3a       To receive the instruction of wisdom,

1:3b       Justice, judgment, and equity;

1:4a       To give prudence to the simple,

1:4b       To the young man knowledge and discretion—

1:5a       A wise man will hear and increase learning,

1:5b       And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

1:6a       To understand a proverb and an enigma,

1:6b       The words of the wise and their riddles.

1:7a       The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

1:7b       But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Shun Evil Counsel

1:8a       My son, hear the instruction of your father,

1:8b       And do not forsake the law of your mother;

1:9a       For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,

1:9b       And chains about your neck.

1:10a       My son, if sinners entice you,

1:10b       Do not consent.

1:11a       If they say, "Come with us,

1:11b       Let us lie in wait to shed blood;

1:11c       Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

1:12a       Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,

1:12b       And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;

1:13a       We shall find all kinds of precious possessions,

1:13b       We shall fill our houses with spoil;

1:14a       Cast in your lot among us,

1:14b       Let us all have one purse"—

1:15a       My son, do not walk in the way with them,

1:15b       Keep your foot from their path;

1:16a       For their feet run to evil,

1:16b       And they make haste to shed blood.

1:17a       Surely, in vain the net is spread

1:17b       In the sight of any bird;

1:18a       But they lie in wait for their own blood,

1:18b       They lurk secretly for their own lives.

1:19a       So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain;

1:19b       It takes away the life of its owners.

The Call of Wisdom

1:20a       Wisdom calls aloud outside;

1:20b       She raises her voice in the open squares.

1:21a       She cries out in the chief concourses,

1:21b       At the openings of the gates in the city

1:21c       She speaks her words:

1:22a       "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?

1:22b       For scorners delight in their scorning,

1:22c       And fools hate knowledge.

1:23a       Turn at my rebuke;

1:23b       Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;

1:23c       I will make my words known to you.

1:24a       Because I have called and you refused,

1:24b       I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

1:25a       Because you disdained all my counsel,

1:25b       And would have none of my rebuke,

1:26a       I also will laugh at your calamity;

1:26b       I will mock when your terror comes,

1:27a       When your terror comes like a storm,

1:27b       And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,

1:27c       When distress and anguish come upon you.

1:28a       Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

1:28b       They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

1:29a       Because they hated knowledge

1:29b       And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

1:30a       They would have none of my counsel

1:30b       And despised my every rebuke.

1:31a       Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

1:31b       And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

1:32a       For the turning away of the simple will slay them,

1:32b       And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

1:33a       But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,

1:33b       And will be secure, without fear of evil."

2

The Value of Wisdom

2:1a       My son, if you receive my words,

2:1b       And treasure my commands within you,

2:2a       So that you incline your ear to wisdom,

2:2b       And apply your heart to understanding;

2:3a       Yes, if you cry out for discernment,

2:3b       And lift up your voice for understanding,

2:4a       If you seek her as silver;

2:4b       And search for her as for hidden treasures;

2:5a       Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,

2:5b       And find the knowledge of God.

2:6a       For the LORD gives wisdom;

2:6b       From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

2:7a       He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

2:7b       He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;

2:8a       He guards the paths of justice,

2:8b       And preserves the way of His saints.

2:9a       Then you will understand righteousness and justice,

2:9b       Equity and every good path.

2:10a       When wisdom enters your heart,

2:10b       And knowledge is pleasant tc your soul,

2:11a       Discretion will preserve you;

2:11b       Understanding will keep you,

2:12a       To deliver you from the way of evil,

2:12b       From the man who speaks perverse things,

2:13a       From those who leave the paths of uprightness

2:13b       To walk in the ways of darkness;

2:14a       Who rejoice in doing evil,

2:14b       And delight in the perversity of the wicked;

2:15a       Whose ways are crooked,

2:15b       And who are devious in their paths;

2:16a       To deliver you from the immoral woman,

2:16b       From the seductress who flatters with her words,

2:17a       Who forsakes the companion of her youth,

2:17b       And forgets the covenant of her God.

2:18a       For her house leads down to death,

2:18b       And her paths to the dead;

2:19a       None who go to her return,

2:19b       Nor do they regain the paths of life—

2:20a       So you may walk in the way of goodness,

2:20b       And keep to the paths of righteousness.

2:21a       For the upright will dwell in the land,

2:21b       And the blameless will remain in it;

2:22a       But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,

2:22b       And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

3

Guidance for the Young

3:1a       My son, do not forget my law,

3:1b       But let your heart keep my commands;

3:2a       For length of days and long life

3:2b       And peace they will add to you.

3:3a       Let not mercy and truth forsake you;

3:3b       Bind then around your neck,

3:3c       Write them on the tablet of your heart,

3:4a       And so find favor and high esteem

3:4b       In the sight of God and man.

3:5a       Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

3:5b       And lean not on your own understanding;

3:6a       In all your ways acknowledge Him,

3:6b       And He shall direct your paths.

3:7a       Do not be wise in your own eyes;

3:7b       Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

3:8a       It will be health to your flesh,

3:8b       And strength to your bones.

3:9a       Honor the LORD with your possessions,

3:9b       And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

3:10a       So your barns will be filled with plenty,

3:10b       And your vats will overflow with new wine.

3:11a       My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,

3:11b       Nor detest His correction;

3:12a       For whom the LORD loves He corrects,

3:12b       Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

3:13a       Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

3:13b       And the man who gains understanding;

3:14a       For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,

3:14b       And her gain than fine gold.

3:15a       She is more precious than rubies,

3:15b       And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

3:16a       Length of days is in her right hand,

3:16b       In her left hand riches and honor.

3:17a       Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

3:17b       And all her paths are peace.

3:18a       She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,

3:18b       And happy are all who retain her.

3:19a       The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;

3:19b       By understanding He established the heavens;

3:20a       By His knowledge the depths were broken up,

3:20b       And clouds drop down the dew.

3:21a       My son, let them not depart from your eyes—

3:21b       Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

3:22a       So they will be life to your soul

3:22b       And grace to your neck.

3:23a       Then you will walk safely in your way,

3:23b       And your foot will not stumble.

3:24a       When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

3:24b       Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

3:25a       Do not be afraid of sudden terror;

3:25b       Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;

3:26a       For the LORD will be your confidence,

3:26b       And will keep your foot from being caught.

3:27a       Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

3:27b       When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

3:28a       Do not say to your neighbor,

3:28b       "Go, and come back,

3:28c       And tomorrow I will give it,"

3:28d       When you have it with you.

3:29a       Do not devise evil against your neighbor,

3:29b       For he dwells by you for safety’s sake.

3:30a       Do not strive with a man without cause,

3:30b       If he has done you no harm.

3:31a       Do not envy the oppressor,

3:31b       And choose none of his ways;

3:32a       For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,

3:32b       But His secret counsel is with the upright.

3:33a       The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,

3:33b       But He blesses the home of the just.

3:34a       Surely He scorns the scornful,

3:34b       But gives grace to the humble.

3:35a       The wise shall inherit glory,

3:35b       But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

4

Security in Wisdom

4:1a       Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,

4:1b       And give attention to know understanding;

4:2a       For I give you good doctrine:

4:2b       Do not forsake my law.

4:3a       When I was my father’s son,

4:3b       Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,

4:4a       He also taught me, and said to me:

4:4b       "Let your heart retain my words;

4:4c       Keep my commands, and live.

4:5a       Get wisdom! Get understanding!

4:5b       Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

4:6a       Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;

4:6b       Love her, and she will keep you.

4:7a       Wisdom is the principal thing;

4:7b       Therefore get wisdom.

4:7c       And in all your getting, get understanding.

4:8a       Exalt her, and she will promote you;

4:8b       She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.

4:9a       She will place on your head an ornament of grace;

4:9b       A crown of glory she will deliver to you."

4:10a       Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,

4:10b       And the years of your life will be many.

4:11a       I have taught you in the way of wisdom;

4:11b       I have led you in right paths.

4:12a       When you walk, your steps will not be hindered,

4:12b       And when you run, you will not stumble.

4:13a       Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;

4:13b       Keep her, for she is your life.

4:14a       Do not enter the path of the wicked,

4:14b       And do not walk in the way of evil.

4:15a       Avoid it, do not travel on it;

4:15b       Turn away from it and pass on.

4:16a       For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;

4:16b       And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.

4:17a       For they eat the bread of wickedness

4:17b       And drink the wine of violence.

4:18a       But the path of the just is like the shining sun,

4:18b       That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

4:19a       The way of the wicked is like darkness;

4:19b       They do not know what makes them stumble.

4:20a       My son, give attention to my words;

4:20b       Incline your ear to my sayings.

4:21a       Do not let then depart from your eyes;

4:21b       Keep them in the midst of your heart;

4:22a       For they are life to those who find them,

4:22b       And health to all their flesh.

4:23a       Keep your heart with all diligence,

4:23b       For out of it spring the issues of life.

4:24a       Put away from you a deceitful mouth,

4:24b       And put perverse lips far from you.

4:25a       Let your eyes look straight ahead,

4:25b       And your eyelids look right before you.

4:26a       Ponder the path of your feet,

4:26b       And let all your ways be established.

4:27a       Do not turn to the right or the left;

4:27b       Remove your foot from evil.

5

The Peril of Adultery

5:1a       My son, pay attention to my wisdom;

5:1b       Lend your ear to my understanding,

5:2a       That you may preserve discretion,

5:2b       And your lips may keep knowledge.

5:3a       For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey,

5:3b       And her mouth is smoother than oil;

5:4a       But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,

5:4b       Sharp as a two-edged sword.

5:5a       Her feet go down to death,

5:5b       Her steps lay hold of hell.

5:6a       Lest you ponder her path of life—

5:6b       Her ways are unstable;

5:6c       You do not know them.

5:7a       Therefore hear me now, my children,

5:7b       And do not depart from the words of my mouth.

5:8a       Remove your way far from her,

5:8b       And do not go near the door of her house,

5:9a       Lest you give your honor to others,

5:9b       And your years to the cruel one;

5:10a       Lest aliens be filled with your wealth,

5:10b       And your labors go to the house of a foreigner;

5:11a       And you mourn at last,

5:11b       When your flesh and your body are consumed,

5:12a       And say:

5:12b       "How I have hated instruction,

5:12c       And my heart despised correction!

5:13a       I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers,

5:13b       Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!

5:14a       I was on the verge of total ruin,

5:14b       In the midst of the assembly and congregation."

5:15a       Drink water from your own cistern,

5:15b       And running water from your own well.

5:16a       Should your fountains be dispersed aboard,

5:16b      Streams of water in the streets?

5:17a       Let them be only your own,

5:17b       And not for strangers with you.

5:18a       Let your fountain be blessed,

5:18b       And rejoice with the wife of your youth.

 5:19a      As a loving deer and a graceful doe,

5:19b       Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;

5:19c       And always be enraptured with her love.

5:20a       For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman,

5:20b       And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?

5:21a       For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD,

5:21b       And He ponders all his paths.

5:22a       His own iniquities entrap the wicked man,

5:22b       And he is caught in the cords of his sin.

5:23a       He shall die for lack of instruction,

5:23b       And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

6

Dangerous Promises

6:1a       My son, if you become surety for your friend,

6:1b       If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

6:2a       You are snared by the words of your mouth;

6:2b       You are taken by the words of your mouth.

6:3a       So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;

6:3b       For you have come into the hand of your friend;

6:3c       Go and humble yourself;

6:3d       Plead with your friend.

6:4a       Give no sleep to your eyes,

6:4b       Nor slumber to your eyelids.

6:5a       Deliver yourself like the gazelle from the hand of the hunter,

6:5b       And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

The Folly of Indolence

6:6a       Go to the ant, you sluggard!

6:6b       Consider her ways and be wise,

6:7a       Which, having no captain,

6:7b       Overseer or ruler,

6:8a       Provides her supplies in the summer,

6:8b       And gathers her food in the harvest.

6:9a       How long will you slumber, O sluggard?

6:9b       When will you rise from your sleep?

6:10a       A little sleep, a little slumber,

6:10b       A little folding of the hands to sleep—

6:11a       So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,

6:11b       And your need like an armed man.

The Wicked Man

6:12a       A worthless person, a wicked man,

6:12b       Walks with a perverse mouth;

6:13a       He winks with his eyes,

6:13b       He shuffles his feet,

6:13c       He points with his fingers;

6:14a       Perversity is in his heart,

6:14b       He devises evil continually,

6:14c       He sows discord.

6:15a       Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly;

6:15b       Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.

6:16a       These six things the LORD hates,

6:16b       Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:

6:17a       A proud look,

6:17b       A lying tongue,

6:17c       Hands that