Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31

- NIV v23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

- Contemporary English Version
v23 Her husband is a well-known

and respected leader

in the city.

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I think this answers the qn posed in v10 - who can find a capable, intelligent and virtuous woman?

Proverbs 30

Proverbs 30

- v5 Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

- v33 ... So the forcing of wrath produces strife.

Proverbs 29

Proverbs 29

- AMP v11 A [self-confident] fool utters all his anger, but a wise man holds it back and stills it.

- NKJV v26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,
But justice for man comes from the LORD.

- MSG v26 Everyone tries to get help from the leader,
but only God will give us justice.

Management By Proverbs

Hi CG, as you can tell by now, I'm focusing on the book of Proverbs this whole month for 31 days. At the same time, I'm also reading a book called "Management by Proverbs - Applying Timeless Wisdom in the Workplace" by Michael A Zigarelli. It's basically a book for managers on applying the principles of Proverbs at your workplace.

I just finished the book, and I'm so awe-struck by part of its conclusion that I just have to share it here. Although it uses the context of the "workplace", you can just change that word to "school" or "home" or "church", and it makes perfect sense!

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For those of us who, for whatever reason, overlook the Father's instruction to "pay attention to my wisdom," Proverbs 19:27 speaks bluntly to the possible consequences:

"Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge."

The verse tells us what we know to be true from personal experience. When there is a hiatus in our exposure to God's wisdom - when we "stop listening to instruction" - we become increasingly deaf to Scripture's advice for decision making. We tend to "stray from the words of knowledge," from God's path, in favour of the displeasing alternative. In the workplace, many of us construct our managerial house on the quicksand of human experience rather than building it on the rocks of divine wisdom. The natural result is that we sink into whatever thinking pattern is typical for our organisation, thereby becoming largely indistinguishable from our unbelieving and nominally believing colleagues. Sadly, our deafness to God's wisdom renders our witness mute.

Proverbs 28

Proverbs 28

- AMP v1 THE WICKED flee when no man pursues them, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous are bold as a lion.

- MSG v1 The wicked are edgy with guilt, ready to run off even when no one's after them;
Honest people are relaxed and confident, bold as lions.

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- AMP v20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich [at any cost] shall not go unpunished.

- MSG v20 Committed and persistent work pays off;
get-rich-quick schemes are ripoffs.

Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27

- AMP v1 DO NOT boast of [yourself and] tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring forth.

- AMP v20 Sheol (the place of the dead) and Abaddon (the place of destruction) are never satisfied; so [the lust of] the eyes of man is never satisfied.

- AMP v21 As the refining pot for silver and the furnace for gold [bring forth all the impurities of the metal], so let a man be in his trial of praise [ridding himself of all that is base or insincere; for a man is judged by what he praises and of what he boasts].

Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26

- MSG v2 You have as little to fear from an undeserved curse
as from the dart of a wren or the swoop of a swallow.

- MSG v4 Don't respond to the stupidity of a fool;
you'll only look foolish yourself.

- NKJV v11 As a dog returns to his own vomit,
So a fool repeats his folly.

- MSG v24-26 Your enemy shakes hands and greets you like an old friend,
all the while conniving against you.
When he speaks warmly to you, don't believe him for a minute;
he's just waiting for the chance to rip you off.
No matter how cunningly he conceals his malice,
eventually his evil will be exposed in public.

- MSG v27 Malice backfires;
spite boomerangs.

Proverbs 25

Proverbs 25

- MSG v3 Like the horizons for breadth and the ocean for depth,
the understanding of a good leader is broad and deep.

- MSG v8 Don't jump to conclusions—there may be
a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.

Proverbs 24

Proverbs 24

- AMP v3 Through skillful and godly Wisdom is a house (a life, a home, a family) built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation],

- AMP v4 And by knowledge shall its chambers [of every area] be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

- AMP v5 A wise man is strong and is better than a strong man, and a man of knowledge increases and strengthens his power;

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- NKJV v10 If you faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.

- MSG v10 If you fall to pieces in a crisis,
there wasn't much to you in the first place.

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- AMP v16 For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again...

- MSG v16 No matter how many times you trip them up,
God-loyal people don't stay down long;
Soon they're up on their feet....

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- MSG v26 An honest answer
is like a warm hug.

- AMP 27 [Put first things first.] Prepare your work outside and get it ready for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house and establish a home.

Proverbs 23

Proverbs 23

- v7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

Proverbs 22

Proverbs 22

- MSG v28 Don't stealthily move back the boundary lines
staked out long ago by your ancestors.

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- NKJV v29 Do you see a man who excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before unknown men.

- AMP v29 Do you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

- MSG v29 Observe people who are good at their work—
skilled workers are always in demand and admired;
they don't take a backseat to anyone.

Proverbs 21

Proverbs 21

- NKJV v5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

- AMP v5The thoughts of the [steadily] diligent tend only to plenteousness, but everyone who is impatient and hasty hastens only to want.

- AMP v30 There is no [human] wisdom or understanding or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.

- AMP v31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory are of the Lord.

- MSGv31 Do your best, prepare for the worst—
then trust God to bring victory.

Proverbs 20

Proverbs 20

- NKJV v3 It is honorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel.

- AMP v5 Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out.

- MSG v10 Switching price tags and padding the expense account are two things God hates.

- AMP v14 It is worthless, it is worthless! says the buyer; but when he goes his way, then he boasts [about his bargain].

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- AMP v16 [The judge tells the creditor] Take the garment of one who is security for a stranger; and hold him in pledge when he is security for foreigners.

- AMP v16 Hold tight to collateral on any loan to a stranger;
beware of accepting what a transient has pawned.

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- AMP v18 Purposes and plans are established by counsel; and [only] with good advice make or carry on war.

- MSG v18 Form your purpose by asking for counsel,
then carry it out using all the help you can get.

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- MSG v22 Don't ever say, "I'll get you for that!"
Wait for God; he'll settle the score.

- MSG v23 God hates cheating in the marketplace;
rigged scales are an outrage.

- AMP v24 Man's steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?

- AMP v25 It is a snare to a man to utter a vow [of consecration] rashly and [not until] afterward inquire [whether he can fulfill it]

Proverbs 19

Proverbs 19

- AMP v2 Desire without knowledge is not good, and to be overhasty is to sin and miss the mark.

- MSG v2 Ignorant zeal is worthless;
haste makes waste.

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- AMP v4 Wealth makes many friends, but the poor man is avoided by his neighbor.

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- NKJV v6 Many entreat the favor of the nobility,
And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.

- AMP v6 Many will entreat the favor of a liberal man, and every man is a friend to him who gives gifts.

- MSG v6 Lots of people flock around a generous person;
everyone's a friend to the philanthropist.

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- NKJVv7 All the brothers of the poor hate him;
How much more do his friends go far from him!
He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.

- AMP v7 All the brothers of a poor man detest him--how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but they are gone.

- MSG v7 When you're down on your luck, even your family avoids you—
yes, even your best friends wish you'd get lost.
If they see you coming, they look the other way—
out of sight, out of mind.

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- NKJV v11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

- AMP v11 Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.

- MSG v11 Smart people know how to hold their tongue;
their grandeur is to forgive and forget.

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- NKJV v21 There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.

- AMP v21 Many plans are in a man's mind, but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand.

- MSG v21 We humans keep brainstorming options and plans,
but God's purpose prevails.

Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18

- NKJV v1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all wise judgment.

- AMP v1 HE WHO willfully separates and estranges himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire and pretext to break out against all wise and sound judgment.

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- NKJV v13 He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him.

- MSG v13 Answering before listening
is both stupid and rude.

Proverbs 17

Proverbs 17

- AMP v27 He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding has a cool spirit.

- MSG v27 The one who knows much says little;
an understanding person remains calm.

Proverbs 16

Proverbs 16

- MSG v1 Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word.

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- AMP v3 Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.

- MSG v3 Put God in charge of your work,
then what you've planned will take place.

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- AMP v9 A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.

- MSG v9 We plan the way we want to live,
but only God makes us able to live it.

Proverbs 15

Proverbs 15

- NKJV v13 A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,
But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

- MSG v13 A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face;
a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.

Proverbs 14

Proverbs 14

- MSG v10 The person who shuns the bitter moments of friends
will be an outsider at their celebrations.

- AMP v30 A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body, but envy, jealousy, and wrath are like rottenness of the bones.

Proverbs 13

Proverbs 13

- NKJV v4 The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

- NKJV v10 By pride comes nothing but strife,
But with the well-advised is wisdom.

- KJV v10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

- MSG v19 Souls who follow their hearts thrive;
fools bent on evil despise matters of soul.