Pearls Of Wisdom Bible Reading With Dr Diana Brevan 06-30-2024

Proverbs 30-31

New King James Version

The Wisdom of Agur

30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 Surely I am more stupid than any man,And do not have the understanding of a man.3 I neither learned wisdomNor have knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?Who has gathered the wind in His fists?Who has bound the waters in a garment?Who has established all the ends of the earth?What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,If you know?

5 Every word of God is [a]pure;He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.6 Do not add to His words,Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

7 Two things I request of You(Deprive me not before I die):8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;Give me neither poverty nor riches—Feed me with the food allotted to me;9 Lest I be full and deny You,And say, “Who is the Lord?”Or lest I be poor and steal,And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not malign a servant to his master,Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

11 There is a generation that curses its father,And does not bless its mother.12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,Yet is not washed from its filthiness.13 There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes!And their eyelids are [b]lifted up.14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,And whose fangs are like knives,To devour the poor from off the earth,And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters—Give and Give!

There are three things that are never satisfied,Four never say, “Enough!”:16 The[c] grave,The barren womb,The earth that is not satisfied with water—And the fire never says, “Enough!”

17 The eye that mocks his father,And scorns obedience to his mother,The ravens of the valley will pick it out,And the young eagles will eat it.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,Yes, four which I do not understand:19 The way of an eagle in the air,The way of a serpent on a rock,The way of a ship in the [d]midst of the sea,And the way of a man with a virgin.

20 This is the way of an adulterous woman:She eats and wipes her mouth,And says, “I have done no wickedness.”

21 For three things the earth is perturbed,Yes, for four it cannot bear up:22 For a servant when he reigns,A fool when he is filled with food,23 A [e]hateful woman when she is married,And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.

24 There are four things which are little on the earth,But they are exceedingly wise:25 The ants are a people not strong,Yet they prepare their food in the summer;26 The [f]rock badgers are a feeble folk,Yet they make their homes in the crags;27 The locusts have no king,Yet they all advance in ranks;28 The [g]spider skillfully grasps with its hands,And it is in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things which are majestic in pace,Yes, four which are stately in walk:30 A lion, which is mighty among beastsAnd does not turn away from any;31 A [h]greyhound,A male goat also,And [i]a king whose troops are with him.

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth.33 For as the churning of milk produces butter,And wringing the nose produces blood,So the forcing of wrath produces strife.

The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother

31 The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:

2 What, my son?And what, son of my womb?And what, son of my vows?3 Do not give your strength to women,Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,It is not for kings to drink wine,Nor for princes intoxicating drink;5 Lest they drink and forget the law,And pervert the justice of all [j]the afflicted.6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing,And wine to those who are bitter of heart.7 Let him drink and forget his poverty,And remember his misery no more.

8 Open your mouth for the speechless,In the cause of all who are [k]appointed to die.9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The Virtuous Wife

10 Who[l] can find a [m]virtuous wife?For her worth is far above rubies.11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;So he will have no lack of gain.12 She does him good and not evilAll the days of her life.13 She seeks wool and flax,And willingly works with her hands.14 She is like the merchant ships,She brings her food from afar.15 She also rises while it is yet night,And provides food for her household,And a portion for her maidservants.16 She considers a field and buys it;From [n]her profits she plants a vineyard.17 She girds herself with strength,And strengthens her arms.18 She perceives that her merchandise is good,And her lamp does not go out by night.19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,And her hand holds the spindle.20 She extends her hand to the poor,Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,For all her household is clothed with scarlet.22 She makes tapestry for herself;Her clothing is fine linen and purple.23 Her husband is known in the gates,When he sits among the elders of the land.24 She makes linen garments and sells them,And supplies sashes for the merchants.25 Strength and honor are her clothing;She shall rejoice in time to come.26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,And on her tongue is the law of kindness.27 She watches over the ways of her household,And does not eat the bread of idleness.28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;Her husband also, and he praises her:29 “Many daughters have done well,But you excel them all.”30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Footnotes

1. Proverbs 30:5 tested, refined, found pure

2. Proverbs 30:13 In arrogance

3. Proverbs 30:16 Or Sheol

4. Proverbs 30:19 Lit. heart

5. Proverbs 30:23 Or hated

6. Proverbs 30:26 rock hyraxes

7. Proverbs 30:28 Or lizard

8. Proverbs 30:31 Or perhaps strutting rooster, lit. girded of waist

9. Proverbs 30:31 A Jewish tradition a king against whom there is no uprising

10. Proverbs 31:5 Lit. sons of affliction

11. Proverbs 31:8 Lit. sons of passing away

12. Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10–31 are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew; cf. Ps. 119

13. Proverbs 31:10 Lit. a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence

14. Proverbs 31:16 Lit. the fruit of her hands

Proverbios 30-31

La Palabra (España)

VI.— SABIDURÍA DE AGUR (30)

El escéptico y el creyente

30 Palabras de Agur, hijo de Jaqué, de Masá. Oráculo de este hombre.

Me he fatigado, oh Dios, y estoy agotado.2 Nadie hay más estúpido que yo,no tengo inteligencia humana.3 No he aprendido sabiduría,no conozco la ciencia santa.4 ¿Quién subió hasta el cielo y luego bajó?¿Quién encerró el viento en su puño?¿Quién recogió el mar en su vestido?¿Quién estableció los confines de la tierra?¿Sabes cuál es su nombre y el de su hijo?5 Toda palabra de Dios es digna de crédito,es un escudo para cuantos confían en él.6 No añadas nada a sus palabras,no sea que te corrija y demuestre tu mentira.7 Dos cosas te he pedido,concédemelas antes de morir:8 aleja de mí la falsedad y la mentira;y no me des pobreza ni riqueza,sino sólo el alimento necesario;9 no sea que, si estoy saciado, reniegue de tiy diga: “¿Quién es el Señor?”;y si estoy necesitado, me dedique a robary a ofender así el nombre de mi Dios.

Tipología de malvados

10 No acuses a un criado ante su amo,pues te maldecirá y lo pagarás.11 Hay gente que maldice a su padrey no bendice a su madre;12 hay gente que se cree puray no ha lavado sus manchas;13 hay gente de ojos altivos,gente cuya mirada es altanera.14 Y hay gente con espadas por dientesy cuchillos en lugar de muelaspara devorar a los humildes del paísy a los pobres de la tierra.

Dichos numéricos

15 La sanguijuela tiene dos hijasy las dos se llaman “dame”.Hay tres cosas insaciablesy una cuarta que nunca se harta:16 abismo, vientre estéril,tierra sedienta de aguay fuego que nunca se harta.17 Quien mira a su padre en son de burlay desprecia a su anciana madre,los cuervos le sacarán [los ojos]y será devorado por los buitres.18 Hay tres cosas que me desbordany una cuarta que no comprendo:19 el rastro del águila por el cielo,el rastro de la serpiente sobre la roca,el rastro del barco en alta mary el rastro del hombre en la mujer.20 Este es el proceder de la adúltera:come, se limpia la boca y dice:“¡No he hecho nada malo!”.21 Tres cosas hay que hacen temblar la tierray una cuarta que no puede soportar:22 esclavo que llega a rey,necio sobrado de alimento,23 arpía que caza maridoy criada que hereda de su ama.24 Hay cuatro pequeños seres en la tierraque son más sabios que los sabios:25 las hormigas, pueblo débilque en verano asegura su alimento;26 los tejones, pueblo sin fuerzaque hace madrigueras en la roca;27 las langostas, que no tienen reyy avanzan todas bien organizadas;28 la lagartija, que la atrapas con las manosy habita en palacios reales.29 Hay tres seres de paso garbosoy un cuarto de airoso caminar:30 el león, el animal más fuerteque ante nada retrocede,31 el gallo orgulloso, el macho cabrío,y el rey al frente de su pueblo.32 Si hiciste el tonto presumiendoy has reflexionado, cierra la boca;33 apretar la leche produce manteca,apretar la nariz produce sangre,apretar la ira produce riñas.

VII.— SABIDURÍA DE LEMUEL (31)

31 Palabras de Lemuel, rey de Masá, que le enseñó su madre.

Instrucción real

2 ¿Qué decirte, hijo mío,hijo de mis entrañas,hijo de mis promesas?3 Que no entregues tu energía a las mujeres,ni tu vigor a las que pierden a reyes.4 No es digno de reyes, Lemuel,no es digno de reyes beber vino,ni de gobernantes consumir licores;5 pues, si beben, olvidan la leyy traicionan a los más humildes.6 Dad alcohol al desesperadoy vino al que está amargado:7 que beba y olvide su miseria,que no se acuerde más de sus penas.8 Habla por el que no puede hablar,sal en defensa de los desvalidos;9 habla para juzgar con justiciay para defender a humildes y pobres.

Conclusión: la mujer ideal

10 ¿Quién encontrará a una mujer ideal?Vale mucho más que las piedras preciosas.11 Su marido confía plenamente en ellay no le faltan ganancias.12 Le da beneficios sin menguatodos los días de su vida.13 Adquiere lana y linoy los trabaja con finas manos.14 Es como un barco mercanteque de lejos trae provisiones.15 Se levanta cuando aún es de nochepara dar de comer a su familiay organizar a sus criadas.16 Examina y compra tierras,con sus ganancias planta viñas.17 Se arremanga con decisióny trabaja con energía.18 Comprueba si sus negocios van bieny de noche no apaga su lámpara.19 Sus manos se aplican al telary sus dedos manejan la aguja.20 Tiende sus manos al necesitadoy ofrece su ayuda al indigente.21 No teme por su familia cuando nieva,pues todos los suyos van bien abrigados.22 Fabrica sus propias mantasy se viste con las telas más finas.23 Su marido es conocido en la ciudady se sienta con los ancianos del lugar.24 Teje y vende prendas de linoy provee de cinturones al comerciante.25 Va vestida de fuerza y dignidady mira con optimismo el porvenir.26 Abre su boca con sabiduríay su lengua instruye con cariño.27 Vigila la marcha de su casay no come el pan de balde.28 Sus hijos se apresuran a felicitarlay su marido entona su alabanza:29 “Muchas mujeres han hecho proezas,¡pero tú las superas a todas!”.30 Engañoso es el encanto y fugaz la belleza;la mujer que respeta al Señor es digna de alabanza.31 Recompensadle el fruto de su trabajoy que sus obras publiquen su alabanza.