‡ 106:48: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 107:1: When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “יהוה”, usually pronounced Yahweh).
‡ 107:11: The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
† 109:21: The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
† 111:1: Hebrew: יה Yah. Psalm 111 is an acrostic poem, with each verse after the initial “Praise the LORD!” starting with a letter of the alphabet (ordered from Alef to Tav).
‡ 111:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
† 112:1: Hebrew: יה Yah. Psalm 112 is an acrostic poem, with each verse after the initial “Praise the LORD!” starting with a letter of the alphabet (ordered from Alef to Tav).
‡ 112:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
† 113:1: Hebrew: יה Yah
‡ 113:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
§ 113:9: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 115:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
‡ 115:17: Hebrew: יה Yah
§ 115:18: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 115:18: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 116:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
‡ 116:3: Sheol is the place of the dead.
§ 116:19: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 117:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
‡ 117:2: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 118:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
‡ 118:5: Hebrew: יה Yah
§ 118:5: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 118:14: Hebrew: יה Yah
‡ 118:18: Hebrew: יה Yah
§ 118:19: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 118:22: Literally, head of the corner
† 130:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
‡ 130:3: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 135:1: Hebrew: יה Yah
‡ 135:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
§ 135:3: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 135:4: Hebrew: יה Yah
‡ 135:21: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 138:1: The word elohim, used here, usually means “God” but can also mean “gods”, “princes”, or “angels”.
† 139:8: Sheol is the place of the dead.
† 141:7: Sheol is the place of the dead.
† 145:: This is an acrostic psalm, with every verse (including the second half of verse 13) starting with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
‡ 145:13: Some manuscripts omit these last two lines.
† 146:1: Hebrew: יה Yah
‡ 146:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
§ 146:10: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 147:1: Hebrew: יה Yah
‡ 147:2: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
§ 147:20: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 148:1: Hebrew: יה Yah
‡ 148:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
§ 148:14: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 149:1: LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.
‡ 149:9: Hebrew: יה Yah
† 150:1: Hebrew: יה Yah
‡ 150:6: Hebrew: יה Yah
§ 150:6: Hebrew: יה Yah
Proverbs
The Proverbs
1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 to know wisdom and instruction;
to discern the words of understanding;
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young man—
5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;
that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
6 to understand a proverb and parables,
the words and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the LORD† is the beginning of knowledge,
but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction,
and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 for they will be a garland to grace your head,
and chains around your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
don’t consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us.
Let’s lie in wait for blood.
Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
12 Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol,‡
and whole, like those who go down into the pit.
13 We’ll find all valuable wealth.
We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
14 You shall cast your lot amongst us.
We’ll all have one purse”—
15 my son, don’t walk on the path with them.
Keep your foot from their path,
16 for their feet run to evil.
They hurry to shed blood.
17 For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
18 but these lay in wait for their own blood.
They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain.
It takes away the life of its owners.
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street.
She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 She calls at the head of noisy places.
At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery,
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn at my reproof.
Behold,§ I will pour out my spirit on you.
I will make known my words to you.
24 Because I have called, and you have refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 but you have ignored all my counsel,
and wanted none of my reproof;
26 I also will laugh at your disaster.
I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come on you.
28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer.
They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
29 because they hated knowledge,
and didn’t choose the fear of the LORD.
30 They wanted none of my counsel.
They despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,
and be filled with their own schemes.
32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.
The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely,
and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
2
1 My son, if you will receive my words,
and store up my commandments within you,
2 so as to turn your ear to wisdom,
and apply your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for discernment,
and lift up your voice for understanding;
4 if you seek her as silver,
and search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
and find the knowledge of God.†
6 For the LORD gives wisdom.
Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
7 He lays up sound wisdom for the upright.
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 that he may guard the paths of justice,
and preserve the way of his saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
equity and every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter into your heart.
Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you,
12 to deliver you from the way of evil,
from the men who speak perverse things,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness,
to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who rejoice to do evil,
and delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 who are crooked in their ways,
and wayward in their paths,
16 to deliver you from the strange woman,
even from the foreigner who flatters with her words,
17 who forsakes the friend of her youth,
and forgets the covenant of her God;
18 for her house leads down to death,
her paths to the departed spirits.
19 None who go to her return again,
neither do they attain to the paths of life.
20 Therefore walk in the way of good men,
and keep the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will dwell in the land.
The perfect will remain in it.
22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land.
The treacherous will be rooted out of it.
3
1 My son, don’t forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for they will add to you length of days,
years of life, and peace.
3 Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you.
Bind them around your neck.
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favour,
and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and don’t lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes.
Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your body,
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honour the LORD with your substance,
with the first fruits of all your increase;
10 so your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 My son, don’t despise the LORD’s discipline,
neither be weary of his correction;
12 for whom the LORD loves, he corrects,
even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gets understanding.
14 For her good profit is better than getting silver,
and her return is better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies.
None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.
16 Length of
