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Living Your Dreams, Achieving Your Goals!
Become All That You Ever Wanted To Be!
Intro
1) I want to commend you for being here. Just by making the choice to read this information tells me a lot about you. As you read you will come to a better understanding of why having your life in balance Spiritually, Mentally, Physically, and Financially is so importent. You will learn how and why you will have a better way of life. It's having that overall well being in your life. I have and still am finding that when I apply these resources and methods to my life, I can't help but succeed in what I am doing. You too will find that you can have the same results when you apply them in your life. The purpose of this book is to help aide you in having a more happy, healthy and prosperous life. One key is to start doing them now. The sooner in life you apply and start living them, the sooner you can help yourself and others live a happier and better way of life. Now I am not saying you won't go through some things in life. Life will always go on. Things can and will always happen. However the way you deal with these issues can be different. Its not what happens to you that determines your disiny and future, its what you do with what happens to you that will determine your outcome of life. You can have victory over all these things. All four of these areas interlock with one another. I believe by having one, two or three of these areas and not all four in balance will keep you from being all that you can be. All four is a must to have that complete balance to achieve an incredible way of life. I am truly going to set the stage with information, that when applied will have a posititve impact on your life. (Key words, when applied) By the time we are done, we will have covered all four areas of being balanced Spiritually, Mentally, Physically, and Financially. Plus why and how they interlock with one another. Here are few questions. One, are you ready for change? Two, Are you willing to do something about where you are today, where you want to be in life? It is your choice.
2) Now you can choose to take this information and use it as you will, work on having a compete balance in your life. Or take just what you feel you want, and only come up with a not so complete balance! Is that fair enough? All this information is my opinion from the resources and methods I use in my life. It excites me when I see lives changed when others come to this understanding of having balance in their life. As I share with you these resources and methods, I will at time refer to the bible as a way to help you have a better understanding of the truth.
3) Now when I say I want to use the bible, Please don't feel as I am going to shove religion down your throat. This is not the case at all. To become more informed about having balance in your life, one of the ingredients is Spiritually balance! It is about your personal walk and relationship with God and His Son Jesus Christ. Maybe you have not really thought about God and how you can really have a relationship with Him. I will explain how you can have this relationship in another chapter in this book. What most people don't realize is, that the bible has all the answers to lifes questions! When you truly apply the bible in your life, things will change.(Guaranteed) I believe that people have not been tought growing up about the truth of the bible and God the Father. It truly has nothing to do with religion!!! It has everything to do with your personal relationship and walk with God your creator! (You knowing Him, and Him knowing you!) If you have never been told about how you can have a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ, then I will give you a chance to hear how you can do this. It will be your choice to read that chapter. For those who take God at His word can have victory over all areas of your life! This is just a seed planted.
Today Can Be A New Beginning!
4) You are at the beginning stages of becomeing everything you ever wanted to be! I pray you will use this information to help you in achieving your dreams and goals in life. No matter where you may be in life now, you have the power within you that will make a differance to how you end up. I know, because I am living proff. I, just like you want to live a healthy and happy life. Wanting to fulfill all my dreams to the full. If your unhappy with some of the choices you have made in life, or may not be pleased as to where you are in life now, things can still change. I don't know what your looking to achieve in life, It may be to improve your health or fitness level, better your financial well being. Maybe start a business of some kind. It just may be, that you want to be and feel happy about your life and who you are! What ever it may be, all this can change in your favor. It is all up to you! If a person will change their attitude, they will change their life! It's that simple! However, I didn't say it would be easy! Everything you want in life is going to require some kind of work and change! Remember this, its not what happens to you that determines your destiny and future. Its what you do and how you deal with what has or is happening to you that will determine your future. You have the ability within you to achieve all of this and much more! It's about the choices we make or don't make. By choosing to do or not to do something is always a choice! Everything we do is based on a choice. The way things are today in your life is because of the choices you have made in the pass up to this time. You may of even made some choices without even thinking you was making a decision. Maybe you made a choice or decision to do something that at the time seemed to be a good decision, just to find out down the road that you made the wrong one. Or that you should of took a little more time to pray and think about it before you did it. Maybe you went through life not even thinking about how the affects of your living had on you and your future. That if you had done things a little differently how things may be now. Well, things can still turn around for you. No matter how bad it may look from the outside. TODAY, can be a NEW BEGINNING! I know this to be true. Do you want change in your life? I believe you do, that is why your reading this. However, reading this alone will not help you at all! It is a good start though! However, You are going to have to take action! You may of heard that knowledge is power! Well, I disagree! Knowledge is nothing more then knowing information. What you do with the information, (Action) Now, that is power! I want to encourage and challenge you to take action of your circumstances in life right now! If you was to look at the people around you, you will find there are three types of people. Those who watch things happen, those who make things happen, and those who wonder what happen! Who are you?
Start By Being Thankful!
5) Start by being thankful! Yes Thankful!! You do have a lot to be thankful for! Take the time to write down the things you should be thankful for! Your still alive! You can breath. You have food and water. You have a place to live. A place you may call home! Whether you own or rent. You can see, you may be able to hear, you may have good health, you may have a special skill and talent. You may be able to talk. You may own somethings. Do you own your own house? Do you own a car? How about a bike? Do you have a pair of shoes? How about more then one pair? Can you read? How about learning? Can you learn? Well then YES, you have a lot to be thankful for. Also, be thankful you can change the circumstance your in now!. So be thankful that you can change your circumstance. No matter how bad it may seem to you now, be thankful that this can change and be better! Be thankful and believe it will happen! Be thankful for the things and abilities that you do have. By being thankful, you can appreciate life better. Plus, it is healthy to be thankful! When you are thankful it has great health benefits. When you are thankful, you can have a peace of mind and of heart! Being thankful can make one glad and happy! By feeling glad and happy, you will feel good about yourself and others. This can and will help in your health. It helps by reducing the feeling of stress, anxiety and many other negative emotions and feelings one may have in life. If a person can be thankful and diligent to stay that way, then you can change your life! It may take doing things you are not use to doing, or things you don't want to do. Getting out of your comfort zone. Doing some things that you have never done before. However you can do this. Something as simple as being thankful, for what you have, for what you can really do to change where you are, where you want to be and do in life! To be a champion, to be able to win titles or have any other kind of victory in your life, one will have to sometimes do things and go through things that they don't always like or enjoy. However be THANKFUL! These thing will only make you stronger. You go through somethings, as soreness,discomfort, and even struggles in someways so you can have the ultimate prize that you are after! It's part of the joy of victory! Meaning you had to work for it! You will have challenges and choices to make that will be difficult. Be thankful! However, this is how you will grow and have that victory in your life. Being thankful, happy, and glad that you can change the way things are is importent. You need to work on enjoying and being thankful for the changes that are going to happen in your life. It is up to you and only you as to how you will be able to overcome where you are and where you are going. You may rely on others for help, as you are now by reading this, however it is you that has the final say on what you are going to do, and how you will do it! Think of the people you associate with as partners! They will either help you or hinder you. I'll be talking more about this later as we go on.
6) Somehow people have forgotten or have not been taught that you have the last say on how your life will be! That you truly have a purpose and cause in life. That you can live a happy and enjoyable life! By understanding life can and will throw all kinds of things at you, dose not mean you have to accept it! How you react and respond to these things in life will determine who you are and where you are going! Again, It is about those choices you make. Be thankful!
7) Some may be thinking, well you don't know me. You don't know my circumstances. You don't know what I'm going through. Franklin, you don't understand how bad it really is. My health or fitness condition is hindering me. I am financially unable, the money just is not there for me. I am to old to start and change the way things are now, who are you joking! Ya right!!! You may even think that you are to young to be able to start doing something! Well my new friend, non of these excuses, I mean reasons really matter! You just may have to do somethings differently to get to where you would like to be! You can make excuses and reason or you can make things happen and live a happier life, but you won't do both! Think on this! (If a person will change their attitude, then they will change their life!) An importent key of being thankful and change is, how you think and believe! How you think and believe is everything to you doing this! The bible says in (Proverbs 23:7) "As a man thinks so is he"
8) As you grew up in life, you had been influenced by others. From the things you have heard and seen. Knowing or unknowingly. As a child growing up, you became the person you are today because of the things you have seen and heard by others. Parents, teachers, friends, not so called friends, people in authority and others. Even by the things you have seen and heard on TV, radio and in movies! As life around you takes place, your mind was always taking things in. Whether it may of been good, bad, happy, sad, right or wrong. Your mind is always taking it in. By what you have seen and heard in life, you have made decisions and choices from the information that you had received one time or another. These are the things that you have accepted to believe. This is how you think! You have been taught everything you know now by others that have come into your life whether you wanted them there or not. Your mind has observed these things and kept them for remembrance.
9) Now remind you, not everything you had seen and heard was exactly what you seen and heard! Think on this! Yes, you had seen and heard these thing. However not all of it was truth, nor does it all apply to you! Because you had seen and heard these things from people that somehow had an influence on you, you believed! It has built you to be the person you are today! As of now, you would like to make some changes as to who you are and where you are going in life. In order to do that you need to make a new decision. That you need to reprogram yourself as to how you think and what you believe! Because if you "keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting what you have always gotten"! Would that be a fair statement? I believe so! You will not get a different result by doing the same thing over and over again! Something has to be different, even a little to get a different result! Lets look at how you can start this process.
Your Belief, Your Dream, Your Vision!
10) Here would be a good place to take time to pray, ask God for His help. To help you to believe in this area of thinking and believing. If you have never prayed before, or don't understand what prayer has to do with all this, move foreward to the chapter on prayer and knowing God! Then come back! Although we may be different individuals, we are all still human beings. We all would like to see our dreams, hopes, and desires come to pass. In some way, make our mark here on earth. Enjoy life to it's fullness. Although we may of made some wrong choices in life, things can still change. Do you think and believe things can change? Do you think and believe that they will change? These are good questions! Things are always up to change. Either they can get better, or they could get worst. However, things will always be up to change. And YES, what you think and believe will help make that happen! So no matter where you are in life now, whether you think and believe that you can, will, won't or can't, then you are right!!!! That is how it will be! What do you think and believe? I just gave you the number one key to your succeeding in your quest to become everything you want to be in life! No matter what you want to do or have in life, depends on this! How you think and believe! So, think on this statement! (Weather you think and believe that you can, will, won't or can't, then you are right!!!! ) To get started on your journey to become all that you ever wanted to be, start by truly thinking and believing that you can and that you will achieve this! With your thinking and belief that you can and will achieve your quest to become all that you ever wanted to be, I want to add the ingredient of faith. (Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.) More on the faith ingredient later. I just wanted to plant this seed.
11) The first key and step in believing is your thinking! How do you think? How and what you think is going to be the motivating factors that will eather help you, are hinder you from achieving your goals and vision. How you think is everything to how you believe! What you allow to come into your mind and thoughts will have an affect on what you believe! Watch what you think! Be careful of what you put in front of you. Be careful of the things and people around you! Be careful of what you put into your mind! Be careful of what you let yourself hear and see. Whatever you put into yourself well eventually come out of you! Whether it be of good nature or bad! Whether you want it to or not. It is biblical law! (Philippians 4:8:, Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. KJV) Also ( Proverbs 23:7:, For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.)
12) Thinking and believing from the mind and from the heart are two different things! When one thinks and believes from the mind, one may know something mentally! When one thinks and believes from the heart, then we know spiritually. When you move the thoughts and belief from the mind to the heart, then you will experience real belief that will change your life. The thoughts from your mind that go to the heart interlock together. Whether they be of good use or evil! So it is important on what we think on. Because thinking can and will become belief, even if it is for the wrong thing. We may not of even known it! Thinking is a powerful tool in a persons mind and body. Most don't even know that they can use this to achieve their goals and vision in life. Thinking is the start of that dream and vision you have for your life! Most people are where they are today because of the way they are thinking and the way they believe and don't even realize it! They also don't realize how they have gotten to where they are now. That because they thought and believed what they have, they are now where they are at!
13) When we were young, for most it was easy to dream and believe in something. As a child, we could think and dream of having a house or a fort. Then we would make one out of a big cardboard box or something. We would make race cars and anything else we dreamed, out of anything we could find to live our moment and vision! We was excited and happy and having fun! We sometimes dreamed of being an ice skater, hockey player, baseball player. Some football players, basketball, and some even a world class boxer! A teacher, policeman, fireman, even a pro dancer or cheerleader. As a child we sometimes created that person we looked up to! So why is it today, we are not that person we dreamed to one day be? I have heard a person say (Donovan McNabb of the Philadelpha Eagles) as a child, he would watch one of his favorite NFL teams play football (The Green Bay Packers) and dream of one day playing against them. Today, I have watched him not just play that team, but beat this team time and time again! Dreaming and believing that one day you can and will is an importent key to you doing it. As a madder of fact, it is the starting factor of doing it!
14) Lets look at how we may become that person even today. The sooner in life you get started the better. As of now, you can't undo what you have done in life, that has gotten you to where you are now! However, you can do something about where it is you want to go! What is it that you want to achieve? For those who may want to be a professional athlete. It would be wise to start young. Develop the skill needed for that sport or career. It will take work and time from what you are doing now in life. You may remember me saying to achieve something you want, you may have to do things you may not like or want to do!!! Do you remeber that? To get the final product or prize, you have to sometimes make a dicision to do something that will determine whether you will or won't achieve this goal! You have to count the cost of what it will take to achieve this dream! When I say cost, I am not talking about money! I am talking about sacrifice! What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve and live your deams and vision for your life? What are you willing to do, and not do to achieve this dream and vision! I know I am talking to a lot of different people here. Different ages with different goals. However this applys to anything you are wanting to do or have in life. To do or to have anything in your life will always take some kind of sacrifice of something. You just may of not thought of it this way! Let me give you some exampes of what I am talking about. In order for you to achieve what you want in your life, you have to take some kind of action to achieve this. As you take action you will be changing the routines that you are living in your life right now. In other wards, there is not going to be time to do both what you are doing now and the things you are going to need to do to achieve your goals and dreams! (A seed planted, PRIORITIZE) Remember, if you keep doing what you always done, you will keep getting what you aways gotten! How importent is it to achieve this dream and vision for your life? Are you going to stay on the couch and watch TV, or are you going to be doing something to achieve your dream and goals? Ask yourself this questions, what am I doing today that will help me to achieve my goal for tomorrow? What am I doing today that will help me to achieve my dreams and goals in life for what I really what for myself and my family? What am I doing that will help better me and my future as to enjoy my life with my spouse? (Wife or Husband) It is about you and your spouse! As I have seen and still am learning, the children will grow up and leave to live their own life. It needs to be about you and your mate. The person in which God has given you to marrie with. It all comes back to the choices we make in life!!! Are you going to hang out with your friends or others when you know you need to be doing something else to achieve your dream and vision? Now, I am not saying you can't have friends and shouldn't hang with other people. What I am implying is that you may need to sacrifice some of the time you spend with them. Are you beginning to understand what I am saying? Again, more about your friends and who you hang with later. Another seed planted!
15) For some who are reading this, at one time in your life you may of felt to be in good shape and good heath. However, over the years you let yourself go. For whatever reason. However this also can change! What you once did and was able to do, for some can still start over and do the same thing! Now that we are older, we may have different reasons to do these things. We will also have to train and work differently to get there. However, for most people, this still can be done! Because we once was able to do this, lets us know that we still can. Granted we are not as young as we once was, howerver that should not stop us from achieving the best that we can be now! More on the reason for fitness and health in another chapter.
True Desire, Real Dream, Real Vision!
16) You have to have a true desire for what you want! For what you want to do,be and have in life! Without a true desire, it will be harder to achieve it. You also have to believe! You have to believe that you can and will achieve this dream and vision. Everything starts with a dream. You have to start dreaming again, just as a child. The dream of the career you want, being an athlete, having a business. Being financially free of debt and enjoying your life! The dream of being fit and healthy. The dream of setting records. The dream of being Mayor or even a President. The dream of being the best at what ever your dream is. This is your dream and vision! You also need to ask yourself why!!! Why is it important that I achieve this dream and vision for my life! Why is it, I want this to be a part of my life? Now, write it down and read it twice a day, everyday till you can keep seeing it in your mind!
17) Dreaming of this is not just a good thing, it is importent. You have to have that dream. That dream of you being this person you desire to be. Then you have to start visualizing yourself as being this person! Visualizing all the steps that will get you there. Without the dream and visualization, you won't be able to see yourself, or believe in yourself as being this person. You have to believe, and see yourself living this dream by visualization! Here is an example.
18) When I was introduced to powerlifting, I was 23 years old and 112lbs. I started weight lifting when I was 18. I lifted to get toned and to become stronger. This was a good thing. However, powerlifting is much different. I learned that there is a differance in being strong and being powerful. You can be stong, and still not have power. However, when you have power, you are both strong and powerful. I liked this concept. So I started powerlifting. The owner of the gym I lifted at introduced me to this sport. He and another lifter was state and national level lifters.
19) I would dream and visualize myself as being a State and National Champion. I would also look at myself as a World Champion! Although I just started this new lifting program, as I trained I would be thinking and saying that I was the State Champion. A National Champion as well as a would class lifter. I would see myself as being the best. Always visualizing who I was and how I was going to get there! As a champion.
20) As I jogged through the streets of Oswego NY, I would be saying aloud, I am a champion! I would be looking at the cars going by thinking and saying, they may not know this, But I am a champion. I repesent the USA. I am from Oswego NY, A State and National Champion from the USA. America's best! I would be telling myself that I was on my way to clamming my title! Someone else may have it now, however that it was mine and I come to take it!
21) I would be visualizing my training workouts in my mind as I jogged. My streching, lifting, form and technique of eveything I would be doing that day . As to become a champion, I would have to do a champions workout. No less! I would find ways of doing things that I felt would give me the advantage over my competitors. I am telling you this to show you the importance of the concept of visualization! A major key to your success! You see, visualization is an important factor in building and having a positive mind and attitude! Helping you to believe and see yourself as who you are, and who you are going to be! Dreaming and visualizing interlock each other and go hand in hand! Both as being one factor and cause! (Vicotry and Success) If you are not sure what it is you want of life, start by dreaming again. Examine yourself! Truly take it to God in prayer. He will help you to see and know your cause. Then act on it! Remember, when you pray take time to hear from God. The answer may not come right away. Howerver, you will know when He answers your prayer, you will know! More on the importance of the power of prayer later. (Another seed planted)
Plan of Action
Without A Plan of Action, The Dream Will Be Nothing But A Nightmare!
22) Now that your dreaming again, also believe that this can and will become a reality in your life, your visualizing the dream! Praise God, your now on your way. This is just the start of that dream coming a reality. Now you can make a plan of action! Without a plan of action, the dream will be nothing more then a nightmare! (what is a plan of action?) Good question! A plan of action is you writing down the vision of your dream! As well as how you are going to have this dream become reality! In complete detail! Whatever you want to have or do, you must write it down! It dose not matter if you think you already know how. That you can and will remember the plan. WRITE IT DOWN! This will be your plan and blue print to success! This is going to be one of those things you are not going to want to do! Writing down your plan of action. It will take great time and effort from what you are doing. You will keep adding and taking away from this plan of action. It may even frustrate you in believing that you won't be able to do this! Too much work involved! You will have to think a lot and come out of that comfort zone I speaked about! Remeber I said that to become a champion you sometimes have to do things you don't like, things that are uncomfortable and irritating? Well this is one of them! However it is an ingredient that will cause you to succeed or fail! So it may delay you if you choose not to do it! By having this plan of action, you will be able to read it everyday. You would be able to make the changes you need in this plan as you need to. This is part of your plan of action. You will know what, when, where and how to do it! (NOTE) In everything you do, it is going to take work and effort. Writting things down, and taking action. Welcome to taking control of your life. In some cases, consider it as managing your life.
23) Write in detail every step of this vision. In detail what you are going to do to achieve this. Daily, weekly,and monthly! What is it going to take to achieve this dream? Now I want to remind you, that you can make a plen of action for everything you do in life! Most don't achieve or get done the things they want in life because they didn't write it down. They didn't make a plan of action to look at as a guide. There are so many steps to become this dream and vision, that you will not remember everything. Writing it down and reading it helps make it real. This will also become your journal as to how you did this. What worked for you and what did not. By writing all this down, you can look at it and also say, I'm on my way! For one thing, you are doing it. You are at the beginning stages of this dream and vision. You have it on paper in a note book. You can now see what it is going to take to achieve this. You now know what you are going to have to do.(What,when.where and how you are going to do it) Now, lets take even more action by emplementing your plan of action!
Believe that you can, Then just Do It!
24) As you can now see, there is a lot of things you are going to need to do to become all that you dreamed of. You may ask yourself, how is this going to happen? How am I going do this? The answer, BELIEVE that you can! Then do it! Let me share with you something that will help you in this journey. Make a plan of action, then get started! Just start doing something. Do what you can do, and believe that it is enough! A little is better then nothing. However, a little will only reap a little. A little is better then nothing. Though to achieve the whole picture, you need to strive to do all that is needed to achieve this dream and vision! A key factor to remember is, after you get started always follow through with what you have started! In others words, always follow up with what your doing. Whether it is with a person doing business or if you are doing something else. Complete the task in a reasonable time. Short term goals and long term goals. Some examples: If you are doing business and make an appointment with someone, always keep the appointment or contact them if something has changed. Always make a time to get back with someone to find out how they are doing and how they liked your servise. (Product) More about business later on. Another way I mean follow through is, If you start a fitness program, keep doing it! Keep a regular schedule of when you train and work-out. Keep doing it. A little at a time and increase your program as you progress in fitness. Something everyday. Again, more on the fitness and health later on. Just like walking, take one step at a time. Bit by bit wins the race. Stay focused on your dream and vision. Don't allow life and people to distract you from your focus of the task at hand. Be careful of the things that WILL come your way as hurdles and stumbling blocks!
25) Set and work on short and long term goals! Goals are another importent key to achieving your dream and quest of the life you really want. Again, write down your goals. Goals can be the things you are going to need to do to achieve your dream. Goals can also be doing the thing that is going to be needed to achieve your dream. Goals can be a time table you set for yourself to be able to do something to help achieve this dream. A short term goal is something that you may need to be doing to help get things done for your overall dream and long term goal! Goals are making a plan of action, and making different time tables to achieve these tasks! (Short tearm, Long term) Meaning goals,dreams and visions! (Example: Short tearm being a three week goal, long tearm as a six month to a year from now goal.) You can even have a daily goal to meet your weekly goals, to meet your monthly goals, as to meet your year to end goals! This will help you to achieve that dream and vision!
Those who are around you, The word you say and hear!
They Will Eather Affect You, or Infect You!
The People!
26) Whether you want to believe this or not, the people you hang with or associate with will help determine how successful you will or won't be! This is quite a statement! However it is a true one. The people you let yourself be around will have some kind of affect on you. Whether you want them to or not! Either they will uplift and encourage you and help you to achieve your goals and dreams in life, or they will hinder you from getting there all together! With their disbelief and negative attitude and actions. The associates and friends you allow in your life is extremely important. Associates are the people that you associate with. Whether it be in everyday business or just the people you come in contact with in everyday life. Anyone you let yourself associate with is in some way an associate of yours! Whether they may be a good one or not. This includes you friends! You see by being with a person at that particular time is associating with them. You are spending time with that person. Now to enjoy life to the full that you want, caution yourself to whom you spend your time with and for how long you spend time with them! Please understand what I am trying to say here. You have a dream and vision to do something that you want in life. To enjoy who you are and what you like. To create the future that you want to have. When you start doing this, you will find out that not everyone will be in agreement or in favor of your dream and vision! Some will be though. You will find some of your close friends and family members will not give you the support you thought they would. So take caution of who you tell about your dream and vision. You are not really looking for their support and blessings! Yes, it would be good to have it. However, not all will be happy with you. Why am I telling you this? So you will not be discouraged! This is your dream and vision, not theirs. Only you can be happy and excited about this. Not everyone is going to see it the way you do. Do what you need to do to achieve this dream,vision and goal for your life! Don't allow others to steal your time, your dream or your vision! Don't even entertain any kind of negative or non belief in who you are, your dream, or your vision! It goes back to you having the choice of who you will believe! Are you going to believe others, or are you going to believe in yourself ? As you start living your dream by taking action, you will come to a better understanding of what I am telling you. You will have to make changes of who you allow into your life to meet your dreams and goals. This is not a bad thing! You should not depend on others to make you happy to enjoy the life that God has given you to live! I am going to share something with you that may not be easy to hear or accept. However it has to be told so you can determine how much success you really want to have. Fair enough? The type of people you let yourself hang with dose have an affect on you, whether you like it or not! People will and do judge others by who they hang with. I'm not saying this is right, I am saying that this is how lots of people are. And if it is not judging, then they may feel they are just inspecting what they may be seeing and hearing from the people that you hang with. You should have a positive affect on your friends and those you hang with. They should NOT infect you with there negative or foul life style! If you don't have a reputation for having integrity, then this MUST change now! There is no easy way of telling you this. To have balance and well being in life, you have to be a person of your word and stand up for what is right, good,and honest! Integrity is doing what is right, good and honest even when others don't believe your integrity. Integrity is you backing up your words with truth. Integrity is you saying that you made a mistake. Integrity is telling someone you was wrong. Integrity is asking for forgiveness, then changing your ways and making things right! Integrity is not being in agreement or hanging with others that are living a life of deception! Integrity is who you are, what you believe and stand for, which is right,good and honest! If your not a person of integrity, it will soon be revealed and your reputation will be questioned and not believed. So, you should hang with others that have and live your views of integrity in their lives. By hanging with others that see and live differently then what you believe is in some way saying, I except your ways. I except what you beleive and what you are saying,even though it is wrong. You need to stand out from among them! Because it will infect you, whether you want it to or not!
The Words!
27) Integrity is considering the words that you use and say in everday life! (Ephesians 4:29 ) says, Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. In these days, people don't always consider the words that they say. For some reason people feel it is okay to use foul language and words as they talk with their friend and others. It is a part of their everyday vocabulary. Not everone wants to hear these word and language. If you are around it long enough, you will start hearing them in your mind, then you will start saying them yourself. Even if it is a slipt of the tongue. You see, if something is foul, that would make it rotten and no good. It would smell and be nasty. It would be no good for use. You would throw it away in the trash! Foul language and words are no different. That is why it is called foul. The words and language is no good at all. It sticks, it is bad and will make one sick. Words do affect and infect you and others. Should I say more,or are you begainning to understand. Now you may be saying, I don't use these word all the time. Maybe not at all even. So why is it you let your so called friends and others use it around you when you don't like it and say you don't use it? As you stive to achieve your dreams and goals in life, others will inspect and valuate the people and integrity of those that you hang with. People can and will believe they know who you are by those you associate yourself with. So, if you can't or won't have a good and positive affect on those you hang with, it would be good to say, it may be time to start hanging with more like minded people. Even if it means starting over with new friends and associates! Because you will be accountable for the words that you are saying and using in your life today.
36) You have to get mentally ready! Part of being well balanced. Mentally, meaning the mind! You see, visualizing will help you both in being positive and mentally balanced. Preparing to do something starts in the mind! (Thinking) What you are telling yourself. Also what you are letting others say to you! What you are hearing! The mental portion of being well balanced to achieve your dream is vital. In some cases a person would be wise to start the mental planning of the dream as a way to get themself started. Here is an example: Where I work now I had to make a decision to leave a department I was working in. I really didn't want to leave it, however I knew it was the right thing to do in order for me to accomplish the goals I am working on in life now. Leaving the job I was doing ment I was leaving a forty hour a week job. Eight hours a day, five days a week. six a.m. to two p.m. The new job in the company was a different shift all together. Twelve hours a day working nights! Six pm to six a.m. therty six to forty four hours a week. However I believe this is only going to be till the fall, where I believe I should be able to go to six a.m. to six p.m. days! I bid on the job and got it. So for three weeks I was preparing myself to get ready to go to nights. Focusing on why I need to go to nights. How I may use this as an advantage to help me meet my goals. So as when I go to days I will have a lot of things done and in place! I had to get my mind ready for the changes coming. So when I went to nights, I could handle what needed to be done! I am not a night person as far as work goes. However in order for me to rotate to days I had to go to nights and do some things I didn't want to do. All this to achieve the things that I really want! (My goal!!) After I went to nights, I learned I had more time in the day time to do the things I needed to do. So, I desided to stay on nights. Here is another example: Lets say you want to make some changes in your life. Lets say you want to get into better physical condition. You know to do this, you are going to need do things you are not doing now. Making some chages in the way you are living now. Changing your eating habits and exercise. To do this you are going to have to make a decision! The decision that you are going to do this and stick with it! So to help you in getting mentally ready to start your journey to becoming physically fit, you investigate and look into what it will take to become as fit as you would like. Knowing this will take some time out of what your doing now. Knowing that your body will be going through some different changes then it is used to. Being sore for a short period of time is one of them. Doing something you have not done or may not even want to do may be another challenge in itself. This is why you need to get yourself ready mentally to commit to what you want to do! Look through some fitness books! Look up some fitness websites! Get some DVD's and so on. Share the www.InFitnessAndHealth.org website with others. Help other to live their dreams and goals in life. In helping myself get mentally ready I will also change the things around me. My workout area. I make it my own place to enjoy. I listen to gospel and worship as I train. This helps my spiritual walk as well. I praise and worship the Lord as I train. Giving God the thanks for being able to do this. I also look to God as a way of help and strenth to do my workouts as well. I will shop and buy clearance fitness wear so I can feel good while working out. I also buy clearance dress close to look and feel better for my business. Its about living your successful dreams into life. Living as if you are already there. (With balance) Don't put yourself into debt while doing this. Its about doing what you can do, that is enough. As you are able you can do more. This all takes time. Plan and try to do it right the first time. Just remember, that each day can be a new beginning. Make today better then yesterday. Make tomorrow better then today. Make this week better then last week. Make this month better then last month. This year better then last year. All this is truly up to you. Make the decision to live and enjoy your life. It is possible. It can happen!
Procrastination And Excuses
37) Procrastination is one thing you will need to learn to overcome! You can make excuses or live your dreams, however you won't do both! Not knowing how to do something is not a reason or excuse to not being able to do it. Learn how to do it. The best way to learn is to do it. I was once told the best way to learn is to teach. There are many ways to learn the things you need to know. One of them is to just do it! Remember this, it is OK to get something wrong. Just learn from it. You did not fail. You just got it wrong. The only way you can fail is when you quit and stop going after that dream. You need to learn to forgive yourself when things go wrong. Having something go wrong, or having something that did not work did not mean that you failed. It just ment that it did not work. You just found a way that didn't work. So move on! Keep on going and do not slow down. There will come a time that you can rest. However keep focused on task at hand.
38) Do not use others as an excuse to procrastinate and not do what you know you need to be doing to achieve your dreams! It is easy to blame others for you not doing what you know you should be doing. People seem to find a way to let their feelings and emotions get in their way of achieving their quest to better themselves. They may of been hurt by someone and use that as an excuse or reason not to do something. Do not let what someone else dose to you affect you from doing what is best for you. The only one that will truly suffer from that is you. More ways then you may of thought of. So do what you know to be right. Live your life for you, as a way that it then will be able to help others. If you do not take care of yourself, then you will be no good for others. What I am saying here is simple. You was given this life to live well. To please God. So live it and enjoy the journey. Don't make excuses for not living your life well. Today can be a new beginning. Each day can be a new beginning. Are you starting to understand what I am saying to you? I repeat myself throughout this book for reason. That you may get it! You can and will learn to live your life to it's fullest. However, it is your choice!
Its Being Balance Spiritually, Mentally, Physically, and Financially!
How They InterLock As One!
This is going to be an interesting chapter. For some, you may of never been told about any of this. For others, you may of hard it and never applied it to your lives. When our forefathers fought to build this country they had God in it. Most prayed and looked to God for His help to guide them as they built and fought for this country and land. To have the freedom to teach about God in our schools and on the streets. That we would be able to openly speak and share the true word of God. To use the bible openly in schools and on the streets.The word of God was our foundation. This is what they believed and had writen into our constitution. However, somehow down the road America seemed to twist the wording of it, or changed the meaning of the constitution about the separation of church and state. Our forefathers put in the separation of the church and state to protect the church. To keep government from having control over the church.The constitution of church and state has NOTHING to do with whether we should or should not be able to teach the bible in schools.
Today it seems that the government has slipted itself into the church and looks differently at the real meaning of what the separation of church and state means. Although it is clear, America has stopped the teaching of the word of God in schools. The only way to learn about God and how you can have a relationship with God is by someone else sharing that with you. Then you can look for a church to attend and learn more about your relationship and walk with God. Again, the constitution of church and state has NOTHING to do with whether we should be able to teach the bible in schools or not.
So I am going to practice my right to share with you. Remember earlier I mentioned, to be well balanced you would need the spiritual well being in your life? That I would talk about that later and if you wanted to read about that it was up to you? Your personal relationship with God and His son Jesus Christ? Well, here it is! This is going to be the first and most important part of the four steps of being well balanced. If you want all four, then you can start here! Again, I believe that all four work hand in hand. By just having three out of the four will have you out of balance. Lets start with a word of prayer!
God my heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I want to thank you dear God, for this book and this opportunity to share with this reader. Please give me the right words to use. That the reader may hear what you would have me to say. That they will hear what you would have them to hear. That they may come to know you personally. That they may come to know what I am speaking about when it comes to having balance in their life. I ask this in Jesus name, amen!
Being wise, using wisdom!
39) The secret of being wise and having wisdom is really no secret at all! Secret is just a word used when someone knows about something or is keeping information that another person may not have or know. They may be unwilling to give it up and tell others. It is a secret! A secret may be something that is good or bad. It may help you or harm you. Be careful about how you use and apply a secret in your life. Knowing and not knowing about something can be a good thing. Learning to become wise, plus using wisdon will help you in developing discernment in your life! Knowing when someone is being completely truthful with you in matters in your life is vital! Knowing the people you associate with and the real motives that they have will help you in your quest of your dreams, visions, and goals in life! Being wise,using wisdom, and having discernment in matters of your life is one vital key to your succeeding in your dream,vision, and goals! I feel this is such a vital part of your succeeding that I am going to supply you with the knowledge and words of what history looks at as the wises man who ever lived! He also is looked upon as the riches man who ever lived! His name is Solomon, the son of King David. Even in todays society the worth that he had then, far goes above any person still who ever lived today! He wrote the book of Proverbs in the word of God, (The Bible) I am giving you this information as a tool to use in your life. You may not have the writen word of God, so I wanted my readers to have the book of Proverbs here in this book so you will have no excuse to not read, learn and apply it to your life! Fair enough? For those of you who do read, learn and apply the knowledge and wisdom of the book of Proverbs will gain more in your life then you could ever dream a person could have. Remember, having wisdom is sometimes doing things we don't want to because it is right. By not always going by our feelings, however by the word of God which is truth! I am going to give you this truth in two translations. From the bible in the Contemporary English Version, and the Authorized King James Version! The contemporary may be of easyer reading. I want you to have both. As so you can get the fullness of information that you can get from both. There are 31 chapters in the book of proverbs. If you was to read one chapter a day for 31 days, you can learn about living and having a better way of life. You will learn about integrity and how to prevent creating problems that could delay you from your dreams,visions and goals! Welcome to the book of proverbs, By applying all of the knowledge and wisdom from this book (Proverbs) into your life, you will become a happier, healthyer, wiser person. Should I say more?
Welcome To Proverbs!
How Proverbs Can Be Used!
1) 1) These are the proverbs of King Solomon of Israel,the son of David. 2) Proverbs will teach you wisdom and self-control and how to understand sayings with deep meanings. 3) You will learn what is right and honest and fair. 4) From these, an ordinary person can learn to be smart,and young people can gain knowledge and good sense. 5) If you are already wise, you will become even wiser. And if you are smart, you will learn to understand 6) proverbs and sayings, as well as words of wisdom and all kinds of riddles. 7) Respect and obay the Lord! This is the beginning of knowledge. Only a fool rejects wisdom and good advice.
Warnings against Bad Friends
8) My child, obay the teachings of your parents, 9) and wear their teachings as you would a lovely hat or a pretty necklace. 10) Don't be tempted by sinners or listen 11) when they say, "Come on! Let's gang up and kill someone, just for the fun of it! 12) They're well and healthy now,but we'll finish them off once and for all. 13) We'll take their valuables and fill our homes withstolen goods. 14) If you join our gang, you'll get your share." 15) Don't follow anyone like that or do what they do. 16) They are in a big hurry to commit some crime, perhaps even murder. 17) They are like a bird that sees the bait, but ignores the trap. 18) They gang up to murder someone,but they are the victims. 19) The wealth you get from crime robs you of life.
Wisdom Speaks
20) Wisdom shouts in the streets wherever crowds gather. 21) She shouts in the marketplaces and near the city gates as she says to the people, 22) How much longer will you enjoy being stupid fools? Won't you ever stop sneering and laughing at knowledge? 23) Listen as I correct you and tell you what I think. 24) you completely ignored me and refusedto listen; 25) you rejected my advice and paid no attention when I warned you. 26) "So when you are struck by some terrible disaster, 27) or when trouble and distress surround you like a whirlwind, I will laugh and make fun. 28) You will ask for help, but I won't listen; you will search,but you won't find me. 29) No, you would not learn,and you refused to respect the Lord. 30) You rejected my adice and paid no attention when I warned you. 31) " Now you will eat the fruit of what you have done,untill you are stuffed full with your own schemes. 32) Sin and self-satisfaction bring destruction and death to stupid fools. 33) But if you listen to me, you will be safe and secure without fear of disaster."
Wisdom and bad friends
2) 1) My child, you must follow and treasure my teachings and my instructions. 2) Keep in tume with wisdom and think what it means to have common sense. 3) Beg as loud as you can for good common sense. 4) Search for wisdom as you would search for silver or hidden treasure. 5) Then you will understand what it means to respect and know the Lord God. 6) All wisdom comes from the Lord,and so do common sense and understanding. 7) God gives helpful advice to everyone who obeys him and protects all of those who live as they should. 8) God sees that justice is done, and he watches over everyone who is faithful to him. 9) With wisdom you will learn what is right and honest and fair. 10) Wisdom will control your mind, and you will be pleased with knowledge. 11) Sound judgment and good sense will watch over you. 12) Wisdom will protect you from evil schemes and from those liars 13) who turned from doing good to live in the darkness. 14) Most of all they enjoy being mean and deceitful. 15) They are dishonest themselves,and all they do is crooked.
Wisdom and Sexual Purity
16) Wisdom will protect you from from the smooth talk of a sinful woman, 17) who breaks her wedding vows and leaves the man she married when she was young. 18) The road to her house leadsdown to the dark world of the dead. 19) Visit her, and you will never find the road to life again. 20) Follow the example of good people and live an honest life. 21) If you are honest and innocent, you will keep your land; 22) If you do wrong and can never be trusted, you will be rooted out.
Trust God
3) 1) My child, remember my teachings and instructions and obay them completely. 2) They will help you live a long and prosperous life. 3) Let love and loyalty always show like a necklace,and write them in your mind. 4) God and people will like you and consider you a success. 5) With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. 6) Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow. 7) Don't ever think you are wise enough, but respect the Lord and stay away from evil. 8) This will make you healthy, and you will feel strong. 9) Honor the Lord by giving him your money and the first part of all your crops. 10) Then you will have more grain and grapes than you will ever need. 11) My child, don't turn away or become bitter when the Lord corrects you. 12) The Lord corrects everyone he loves, just as the parents correct their favorite child.
The Value Of Wisdom
13) God blesses everyone who has wisdom and common sense. 14) Wisdom is worth more than silver; it makes you much richer than gold. 15) Wisdom is more valuable than precious jewels; nothing you want compares with her. 16) In her right hand wisdom holds a long life,and in her left hand are wealth and honor. 17) Wisdom makes life pleasant and leads us safely along. 18) Wisdom is a life-giving tree, the source of happiness for all who hold on to her. 19) By his wisdom and knowledge the Lord created heaven and earth. 20) By his understanding he let the ocean break loose and clouds release the rain. 21) My child, use common sense and sound judgment! Always keep them in mind. 22) They will help you to live a long and beautiful life. 23) You will walk safely and never stumble; 24) you will rest without a worry and sleep soundly. 25) So don't be afraid os sudden disasters or storms that strike those who are evil. 26) You can be sure that the Lord will protect from harm. 27) Do all you can for everyone who deserves your help. 28) Don't tell your naighbor to come back tomorrow, if you can help today. 29) Don't try to be mean to neighbors who trust you. 30) Don't argue just to be arguing, when you haven't been hurt. 31) Don't be jealous of cruel people or follow their examples. 32) The Lord doesn't like anyone who is dishonest, but he lets good people be his friends. 33) He places a curse on the home of everyone who is evil, but he blesses the home of every good person. 34) The Lord sneers at the those who sneers at him, but he is kind to everyone who is humble. 35) You will be praised if you are wise, but you will be disgraced if you are a stubborn fool.
Advice to Young People
4 1) My child, listen closely to my teachings and learn common sence. 2) My advice is useful, so don't turn away. 3) When I was still very young and my mother's favorite child, my father 4) said to me; If you follow my teachings and keep them in mind, you will live. 5) Be wise and learn good sence; remember my teachings and do what I say. 6) If you love Wisdom and don't reject her, she will watch over you. 7) The best thing about Wisdom is Wisdom herself; good sence is more importent then anything else. 8) If you value Wisdom and hold tightly to her, great honors will be yours, 9) It will be like wearing a glorious crown of beautiful flowers.
The Right Way and the Wrong Way
10) My child, if you listen and obay my teachings you will live a long time. 11) I have shown you the way that makes sense; I have guided you along the right path. 12) Your road won't be blocked, and you won't stumble when you run. 13) Hold firmly to my teaching and never let go. 14) Don't follow the bad example of cruel and evil people. 15) Turn aside and keep going. Stay away from them. 16) They can't sleep or rest until they do wrong or harm some innocent victim. 17) Their food and drink are violence and cruelty. 18) The lifestyle of good people is like sunlight at dawn that keeps getting brighter until broad daylight. 19) The lifestyle of the wicked is like total darkness, and they will never know what makes them stumble. 20) My child, listen carefully to everything I say. 21) Don't forget a single word, but think about all. 22) knowing these teachings will mean true life and good health for you. 23) Carefully guard your thoughts because they sre the source of true life. 24) Never tell lies or be deceitful in what you say. 25) Keep looking straight ahead, without turning aside.26) Know where you are headed, and you will stay on solid ground. 27) Don't make a mistake by turning to the right or the left.
Be Faithful To Your Wife
5 1) My son, if you listen closely to my wisdom and good sense, 2) you will have sound judgment, and you will always know the right thing to say. 3) The words or an immoral woman may be as sweet as honey and as smooth as olive oil. 4) But all that you really get from being with her is bitter poison and pain. 5) If you follow her,she will lead you down to the world of the dead. 6) She has missed the path that leads to life and doesn't even know it. 7) My son, listen to me and do everything I say, 8) Stay away from bad woman! Don't even go near the door of her house. 9) You will lose your self-respect and end up in debt to some curl person for the rest of your life. 10) Strangers will get your money and everything else you have worked for. 11) When it's all over,your body will waste away, as you groan 12) and shout, "I hate advice and correction! 13) I paid no attention to my teacher, 14) and now I am disgraced in frount of everyone." 15) You should be faithful to your wife, just as you take water from your own a well. 16) And don't be like a stream from which just any womwn may take a drink. 17) Save yourself for your wife and don't have sex with other women. 18) Be happy with the wife you married when you was young. 19) She is beautiful and graceful, just like a deer; you should be attracted to and stay deeply in love. 20) Don't go crazy over a womwn who is unfaithful to her own husband! 21) The Lord sees everything, and he watches us closely. 22) Sinners are trapped and caught by their own evil deeds. 23) They get lost and die because of their foolisgness and lackof self-control.
Don't Be Foolish
6 1) My child, suppose you agree to pay a debt of someone, who can not repay a loan. 2) Then you are trapped by your own words, 3) and you are now in power of someone else. Here is what you should do: Go and beg for permission to call off the agreement. 4) Do this before you fall asleep or even get sleepy. 5) Save yourself, just as a deer or a bird tries to escape from a hunter. 6) You lazy people can learn by watching an anthill. 7) Ants don't have leaders, 8) but they store up food during harvest season. 9) How long will you lie there doing nothing at all? When are you going to get up and stop sleeping? 10) Sleep a little. Doze a little. Fold your hands and twiddle your thumbs. 11) Suddenly, everything is gone, as though it had been taken by an armed robber. 12) Worthless liers go around 13) winking and giving signals to deceive others. 14) They are always thinking up something cruel and evil, and they stir up trouble. 15) But they will be struck by sudden disaster and left without a hope. 16) There are six or seven kinds of people the Lord doesn't like: 17) Those who are too proud or tell lies or murder, 18) those who make evil plans or are quick to do wrong, 19) those who tell lies in court or stir up trouble in a family. 20) Obey the teaching of your parents - 21) always keep in mind and never forget it. 22) Their teachings will guide you when you walk, protect you when you sleep, and talk to you when you are awake. 23) The Law of the Lord is a lamp, and its teachings shine brightly. Correction and self-control will lead you through life. 24) They will protect you from the flattering words of someone else's wife. 25) Don't let yourself be attracted by the charm and lovely eyes of someone like that/ 26) A woman who sells her love can be bought for as little as the price of a meal. But making love to another man's wife will ost you everything. 27) If you carry burning coals, you burn your clothes; 28) if you step on hot coals, you burn your feet. 29) And if you go to bed with another man's wife, you pay the price. 30) We don't put up with thieves, not even with one who steals for someone to eat. 31) And thieves who get caught must pay back seven times what was stolen and lose everything. 32) But if you go to bed with another man's wife, you will destroy yourself by your own stupidity. 33) You will be beaten and forever disgraced, 34) because a jealous husband can be furious and mersciless when he takes revenge. 35) He won't let you pay him off, nomatter what the offer.
The Foolishness Of Unfaithfulness
7 1) My son, pay close attention and don't forget what I tell you to do. 2) Obay me, and you will live! Let my instructions be your greatest treasure. 3) Keep them at your fingertips and write them in your mind. 4) Let wisdom be your sister and make common sense your closest friend. 5) They will protect you from the flattering words of someone else's wife. 6) From the window of my house, Ionce happened to see 7) some foolish young men. 8) It was late in the evening, somewhat after dark. 9) One of these young men turned the corner and was walking by the house of an unfaithful wife. 10) She was dressed fancy like a woman of the street with only one thing on her mind. 11) She was one of those women who are loud and restless and never stay at home, 12) who walk street after street, waiting to trap a man. 13) She grabbed him and kissed him, and with no sense of shame, she said: 14) " I had to offer a sacrifice, and there is enough meat left over for a feast. 15) So I came looking for you, and here you are! 16) The sheets on my bed are bright -colored cloth from Egypt. 17) And I have covered it with perfume made of myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18) "Let's go there and make love all night. 19) My husband is traveling, and he's far away. 20) He took a lot of money along, and won't be back home before the middle of the month." 21) And so, she tricked him with all of her sweet talk and her flattery. 22) Right away he followed her like an ox on the way to be slaughtered, or like a fool on the way to be punished 23) and killed with arrows. He was no more than a bird rushing into a trap, without knowing it would cost him his life. 24) My son, pay close attention to what I have said. 25) Don't even think about that kind of woman or let yourself be misled by someone like her. 26) Such a woman has caused the downfall and destruction of a lot of men. 27) Her house is a one-way street leading striaght down to the world of the dead.
In Praise Of Wisdom
8 1) With great understanding, Wisdom is calling out 2) as she stands at the crossroads and on every hill. 3) She stands by the city gate where everyone enters the city, and she shouts: 4) "I am calling out to each one of you! 5) Good sense and sound judgment can be yours. 6) Listen, because what I say is worthwhile and right. 7) I always speak the truth and refuse to tell alie. 8) Every word I speak is honest, not one is misleading or deceptive. 9) "If you have understanding, you will see that my words are just what you need. 10) Let instruction and knowledge mean more to you then silver or the finest gold. 11) Wisdom is worth much more then precious jewels or anything else you desire."
Wisdom Speaks
8:12) I am Wisdom- Common Sense is my closest friend; I possess knowledge and sound judgment. 13) If you respect the Lord, you will hate eveil. I hate pride and conceit and deceitful lies. 14) I am strong, and I offer sensible advice and sound judgment. 15) By my power kings govern, and rulers make laws that are fair. 16) Every honest leader rules with help from me. 17) I love everyone who loves me, and I will be found by all who honestly search. 18) I can make you rich and famous,important and successful. 19) What you receive from me is more valuable than even the finest gold or the purest silver. 20) I always do what is right, 21) and I give great riches to everyone who loves me. 22) From the beginning, I was with the Lord. I was there before he began 23) to create the earth. At the very first, the Lord gave life to me. 24) When I was born, there were no oceans or springs of water. 25) My birth was before mountains were formed or hills were put in place. 26) It happened long beforw God had made the earth or any of its filds or even the dust. 27) I was there when the Lord put the heavens in place and stretched the sky over the surface of the sea. 28) I was with him when he placed the clouds in the sky and created the springs that filled the ocean. 29) I was there when he set boundaries for the sea to make it obay him, and when he laid foundations to support the earth. 30) I was right beside the Lord, helping him plan and build. I made him happy each day, and I was happy at his side. 31) I was pleased with his world and pleased with its people. 32) Pay attention, my children! Follow my advice, and you will be happy. 33) Listen carefukky to my instructions, and you will be wise. 34) Come to my home each day and listen to me. You will find happiness. 35) By finding me, you find life, and the Lord will be pleaced withyou. 36) But if you don't find me, you hurt only yourself, and if you hate me, you are in love with death.
Wisdom Gives A Feast
9 1) Wisdom has built her house with its seven columns. 2) She has prepared the meat and set out wine. Her feast is ready. 3) She has her servant women to announce her invitation from the highest hills: 4)'Everyone who is ignorant or foolish is invited! 5) All of you are welcome to my meat and wine. 6) If you want to live, give up your foolishness and let inderstanding guide your steps."
True Wisdom
9:7) Correct a worthless bragger, and all you will get are insults and enjuries. 8) Any bragger you correct will only hate you. But if you correct someone who has common sence, you will be loved. 9) If you have good sense, instruction will help you to have even better sense. And if you live right, education will help you to know even more. 10) Respect and obay the Lord! This is the beginning of wisdom. To have understanding, you must know the Holy God. 11) I am Wisdom. If you follow me, you will live a long time. 12) Good sense is good for you, but if you brag, you hurt yourself.
A Foolish Invitation
9:13) Stupidity is reckless, senseless, and foolish. 14) She sits in frount of her house and on the highest hills in the town. 15) She shouts to everyone who passes by, 16)" If you are stupid, come on inside!" And to every fool she says, 17) " Stolen water taste best, and the food you eat in secret taste best of all." 18) None who listen to Stupidity understand that her guest are as good as dead.
Solomon's Wise Sayings
10 1) Here are some proverbs of Solomon: Childeren with good sense make their parents happy, but foolish childeren make them sad. 2) What you gain by doing evil won't help you at all, but being good can save you from death. 3) If you obay the Lord, you won't go hungry; if you are wicked, God won't let you have what you want. 4) Laziness leads to poverty; hard work makes you rich. 5) At harvest season it's smart to work hard, but stuid to sleep. 6) Everyone praises good people, but evil hides behind the words of the wicked. 7) Good people are remembered long after they are gone, but the wicked are soon forgotten. 8) If you have good sense, you will listen and obay; If all you do is talk, you will distroy yourself. 9) You will be safe, if you always do right, but you will get cought, if you are dishonest. 10) Deceit causes trouble, and foolish talk will bring you ruin. 11) The words of good people are a source of life, but evil hides behind the words of the wicked. 12) Hatred stirs up trouble; love overlooks the wrongs that others do. 13) If you have good sense, it will show when you speak. But if you are stupid, you will be beaten with a stick. 14) If you have good sense, you will learn all you can, but foolish talk will soon destroy you. 15) Great wealth can be a fortress, but poverty is no protection at all. 16) If you live right, The rewards is a good life; If you are evil, all you have is sin. 17) Accecpt correction, and you will find life; reject correction, and you will miss the road. 18) You can hide your hatred by telling lies, but you are a fool to spead lies. 19) You will say the wrong thing if you talk to much- so be sensible and watch what you say. 20) The words of a good person are like pure silver, but the thoughts of an evil person are almost worthless. 21) Many are helped by useful instruction, but fools sre killed by their own stupidity. 22) When the Lord blessws you with riches, you have nothing to regret. 23) Fools enjoy doing things wrong, but anyone with good sense enjoys acting wisely. 24) What evil people dread most will happen to them, but good people will get what they want most. 25) Those crooks will disappear when a storm stikes, but God will keep safe all who obay him. 26) Having a lazy person on the job is like a mouth full of vinegar or smoke in your eyes. 27) If you respect the Lord, you will live longer; If you keep doing wrong, your life willl be cut short. 28) If you obay the Lord, you will be happy, but there is no future for the wicked. 29) The Lord protects everyone who lives right, But he destrys anyone who does wrong. 30) Good people will stand firm, but the wicked will lose their land. 31) Honest people speak sensibly, but deceitful liars will be silenced.32) If you obay the Lord, you will always know the right thing to say. But no one will trust you if you tell lies.
Watch What You Say And Do
11 1)The Lord hates anyone who cheats, but he likes everyone who is honest. 2) Too much pride can put you to shame. It's wiser to be humble. 3) If you do the right thing, honesty will be your guide. But if you are crooked, you will be trapped by your own dishonesty. 4) When God is angry, money won't help you. Obeying God is the only way to be saved from death. 5) If you are truly good, you will do right; if you are wicked, you will be distryed by your own sin. 6) Honesty can keep you safe, but if you can't be trusted, you trap yourself. 7) When the wicked die, their hopes die with them. 8) Trouble goes right past the Lords people and stikes the wicked. 9) Dishonest people sue gossip to destroy their neighbors; good people are protected by their own good sense. 10) When honest people prosper and the wicked disappear, the whole city celebrates. 11) When God blesses his people, their city prospers, but deceitful liars can destroy a city. 12) It's stupid to say bad things about your neighbors. If you are sensible, you will keep quiet. 13) A gossip tells everything, but a good friend will keep a secret. 14) A city without wise leaders will end up in ruin; a city with many wise leaders will be kept safe. 15) It's a dangerous thing to guarantee payment for someone's debts. Don't do it! 16) A gracious woman will be respected, but a man must work hard to get rich. 17) Kindness is rewarded-but if you are cruel, you hurt yourself. 18) Meanness gets you nowhere, but goodness is rewarded. 19) Always do the right thing, and you will live; Keep on doing wrong and you will die. 20) The Lord hates sneaky people, but he likes everyone who lives right. 21) You can be sure of this: All crooks will be punished, but God's people won't. 22) A beautiful woman who acts foolishly is like a gold ring on the snout of a pig. 23) Good people want what is best, but troublemakers hope to stir up trouble. 24) Sometimes you can become rich by being generous or poor by being greedy. 25) Generosity will be rewarded: Give a cup of water, and you will recive a cup of water in return. 26) Charge too much for grain, and you will be cursed; sell it at a fair price, and you will be praised. 27) Try hard to do right,and you will win friends; go looking for trouble, and you will find it. 28) Trust in your wealth, and you will be a failure, but God's people will prosper like healthy plants. 29) Fools who cause trouble in the family won't inherit a thing. They will end up as slaves of someone with good sense. 30) Live right, and you will eat from the life-giving tree. And if you act wisely, others will follow. 31) If good people are rewarded here on earth, all who sre cruel and mean will surely be punished.
You Can't Hide behind Evil
12 1) To accept correction is wise, to reject it is stupid. 2) The Lord likes everyone who lives right, But he punishes everyone who makes evil plans. 3) Sin cannot offer security! But if you live right, you will be secure as a tree with deep roots. 4) A helping wife is a jewel for her husband, But a shameless wife will make his bones rot. 5) Good people have kind thoughts, but you should never trust the advice of someone evil. 6) Bad advice is a deadly trap, but good advice is like a shield. 7) Once the wicked is defeated, They are gone forever, but no one who obeys God will ever be thrown down. 8) Good sense is worthy of praise, but stupidity is a curse. 9) It's better to be ordinary and have only one servent than to think you are somebody and starve to death. 10) Good people are kind to their animals, but a mean person is curl. 11) Hard working farmers have more than enough food; daydreamers are nothing more than stupid fools.12) An evil person tries to hide behind evil; good people are like trees with deep roots. 13) We trap ourselves by telling lies, but we stay out of trouble by living right. 14) We are rewarded or punished for what we say and do. 15) Fools think they know what is best, but a sensible person listens to advice. 16) Losing your temper is foolish; ignoring an insult is smart. 17) An honest person tells the truth in court, but a dishonest person tells nothing but lies. 18) Sharp words cut like a sword, but words of wisdom heal. 19) Truth will last forever; lies are soon found out. 20) An evil mind is deceitful, but gentle thoughts bring happyness. 21) Good people never have trouble, but troublemakers have more than enough. 22) The Lord hates every lier, but he is the friend to all who can be trusted. 23) Be sensible and don't tell everything you know-only fools spread foolishness everywhere. 24) Work hard and you will be a leader; be lazy, and you will end up a slave. 25) Worry is a heavy burden, but a kind word always brings cheer. 26) You are better off to do right, Than to lose your way by doing wrong. 27) Anyone too lazy to cook will starve, but a hard worker is a valuable treasure. 28) Follow the road to life, and you won't be bothered by death.
Wise Friends Make You Wise
13 1) Children with good sense accept correction from their parents, but stubborn children ignore it completely. 2) You will be well rewarded for saying something kind, but all some people think about is how to be cruel and mean. 3) Keep what you know to yourself, and you will be safe; talk to much, and you will be done for. 4) No matter how much you want, laziness won't help a bit, but hard work will reward you with more than enough. 5) A good person hates deceit, but those who are evil cause shame and desgrace. 6) Live right, and you are safe! But sin will destroy you. 7) Some who have nothing may pretend to be rich, and some who have everything may pretend to be poor. 8) The rich may have to pay a ransom, but the poor don't have that problem. 9) The lamp of a good person keeps on shining; the lamp of an evil person soon goes out. 10) Too much pridw causes trouble. Be sensible and take advice. 11) Money wrongly gotten will disappear bit by bit; money eared little by little will grow and grow. 12) Not getting what you want can make you feel sick, but a wish that comes true is a life-giving tree. 13) If you reject God's teaching, you will pay a price; if you obey his commands, you will be rewarded. 14) Sensible instruction is a life-giving fountain that helps you escape all deadly traps. 15) Sound judgment is prased, but people without good sense are on the way to disaster. 16) If you have good sense, you will act sensible, but fools act like fools. 17) Whosoever delivers your message can make things better or worse for you. 18) All who refuse correction will be poor and disgraced; all who accept correction will be praised. 19) It's a good feeling to get what you want, but only a stupid fool hates to turn from evil. 20) Wise friends make you wise, but you hurt yourself by going around with fools. 21) You are in for trouble if you sin, but you will be rewarded if you live right. 22) If you obey God, you will have something to leave your grandchildren. If you don't obey God, those who live right will get what you leave. 23) Even when the land of the poor produces good crops, they get cheated out of what they grow. 24) If you love your children,you will correct them; if you don't love them, you won't correct them. 25) If you live right, you will have planty to eat; if you don't live right, you will go away empty.
Wisdom Makes Good Sense
14 1) A wpman's family is held together by her wisdom, But it can be distroyed by her foolisness. 2) By living right, you show that you respect the Lord; by being deceitful, you show that you desise him. 3) Proud fools are punishedfor their stupid talk, but sensible talk can save your life. 4) Without the helpof an ox there can be no crop, but with a strong ox, a big crop is possible. 5) An honest witness tells the truth; a dishonest witness tells nothing but lies. 6) Make fun of wisdom, and you will never find it. But if you have understanding, knowledge comes easily. 7) Stay away from fools,or you won't learn a thing. 8) Wise people have enough sense to find their way, but stupid fools get lost. 9) Fools don't care if they are wrong, but God is pleased when people do right. 10) No one else can really know how sad or happy you are. 11) The tent of a good person stands longer than the house of someone evil. 12) You may think you are on the right road and still end up dead. 13) Sorrow may hide behind laughter, and happiness may end in sorrow. 14) You harvest what you plant, whether good or bad. 15) Don't be stupid and believe all you hear; be smart and know where you are headed. 16) Only a stupid fool is never cautious-so be extra careful and stay out of trouble. 17) Fools have quick tempers, and no one likes you if you can't be trusted. 18) Stupidity leads to foolishness; be smart and learn. 19) The wicked will came crawling to those who obey God. 20) You have no friends if you are poor, but you have lots of friends if you are rich. 21) It's wrong to hate others, but God blesses everyone who is kind to the poor. 22) It's a mistake to make evil plans, bit you will have loyal friends if you want to do right. 23) Hard work is worthwhile, but empty talk will make you poor. 24) Wisdom can make you rich, but foolishness leads to more foolishness. 25) An honest witness can save your life, but liers can't be trusted. 26) If you respect the Lord, you and your children have a strong fortress 27) and a life-giving fountain that keeps you safe from deadly traps. 28) Rulers of powerful nations are held in honor; rulers of weak nations are nothing at all. 29) It's smart to be patient, but it is stupid to lose your temper. 30) It's healthy to be content, but envy can eat you up. 31) If you mistreat the poor, you insult your Creator; if you are kind to them, you show him respect. 32) In times of trouble the wicked are distroyed, but even at death the innocent have faith. 33) Wisdom is found in the minds of people with good sense, but fools don't kno it. 34) Doing right brings honor to a nation, but sin bring disgrace. 35) Kings reward servents who act wisely, but they punish those who act foolishly.
The Lord Sees Everything
15 1) A kind answer soothes angry feelings, but harsh words stir them up. 2) Words of wisdom come from the wise, but fools speak foolishness. 3) The Lord sees everything, whether good or bad. 4) Kind words sre good medicine, but deceitful words can really hurt. 5) Don't be a fool and disobey your parents. Be smart! Accept correction, 6) Good people become wealthy, but those who are evil will lose what they have. 7) Words of wisdom make good sense; the thought of a fool make no sense at all. 8) The Lord is disgusted by gifts from the wicked, but it makes him happy when his people pray. 9) The Lord is disgusted with all who do wrong, but he loves everyone who does right. 10) If you turn from the right way, you will be punished; if you refuse correction, you will die. 11) If the Lord can see everything in the world of the dead, he can see in our hearts. 12) Those who sneer at others don't like to be corrected, and they won't ask help from someone with sense. 13) Happiness makes you smile; sorrow can crush you. 14) Anyone with good sense is eager to learn more, but fools are hungry for foolishness. 15) The poor have a hard life, but being content is as good as an endless feast. 16) It's better to obey the Lord and have little,than to be very rich and terribly confused. 17) A simple meal with love is better than a feast where there is hatred. 18) Losing your temper causes a lot of trouble, but staying calm settles arguments. 19) Being lazy is like walking in a thorn patch, but everyone who does right walks on a smooth road. 20) Children with good sense make their parents happy, but foolish children are hateful to them. 21) Stupidity brings happiness to senseless fools, but everyone with good sense follows the straight path. 22) Without good advice everything goes wrong-it takes careful planning for things to go right. 23) Giving the right answer at the right time makes everyone happy. 24) All who are wise follow a road that leads upward to life and away from death. 25) The Lord destroys the homes of those who are proud, but he protects the property of widows. 26) The Lord hates evil thoughts, but kind words please him. 27) Being greedy causes trouble for your family, but you protect yourself by refusing a bribes. 28) Good people think before they answer, but the wicked speak evil without ever thinking. 29) The Lord never ever hears the prayers of the wicked, but he answers the praters of all who obey him. 30) A friendly smile makes you happy, and good news makes you feel strong. 31) Healthy correction is good, and if you accept it, you will be wise. 32) You hurt only yourself by rejecting instruction, but it makes good sense to accept it. 33) Showing respect to the Lord will make you wise, and being humble will bring honor to you.
The Lord Has The Final Word
16 1) We humans make plans, but the Lord has the final word. 2) We may think we now what is right, but the Lord is the judge of our motives. 3) Share your plans with the Lord, and you will succeed. 4) The Lord has a reason for everything he does, and he lets evil people live only to be punished. 5) The Loed doesn't like anyone who is conceited-you can be sure they will be punished. 6) If we truly love God, our sins will be forgiven; if you show him respect, we will keep away from sin. 7) When we please the Lord, even our enemies make friends withus. 8) It's better to be honest and poor than to be dishonest and rich. 9) We make our plans, but the Lord decides where we will go. 10) Rulers speak with authority and are never wrong. 11) The Lord doesn't like it when we cheat in business. 12) Justice makes rulers powerful. They should hate evil 13) and like honesty and truth. 14) An angry ruler can put you to death. So be wise! Don't make one angry. 15) When a ruler is happy and pleased with you, it's like refreshing rain, and you will live. 16) God's people avoid evil ways,and they protect themselves by watching where they go. 18) Too much pride will destroy you. 19) You are better off to be humble and poor then to get rich from what you take by force. 20) If you know what you are doing,you will prosper. God blesses everyone who trust him. 21) Good judgment proves that you are wise, and if you speak kindly, you can teach others. 22) Good sense is a fountain that gives life, but fools are punished by their foolishness. 23) You can persuade others if you are wise and speak sensibly. 24) Kind words are like honey-they cheer you up and make you feel strong. 25) Sometimes what seems right is really a road to death. 26) The hungrier you are,the harder you work. 27) Worthless people plan trouble. Even their words burn like a flamming fire. 28) Gossip is no good! It causes hard feelings and comes between friends. 29) Don't trust violent people. They will mislead you to do the wrong thing. 30) When someone winks or grins behind your back, trouble is on the way. 31) Gray hair is a glorious crown worn by those who have lived right. 32) Controlling your temper is better then being a hero who captures a city. 33) Wemake our own decisions, but the Lord alone determines what happens.
Our Thoughts Are Tested by the Lord
17 1) A dry crust of bread eaten in peace and quiet is better then a feast eaten where everyone argues. 2) A hard-working slave will be placed in charge of a no-good child,and that slave will be given the same inheritance that the child receives. 3) Silver and gold are tested by flames of fire; our thoughts are tested by the Lord. 4) Troublemakers listen to troublemakers, and liars listen to liars. 5) By insulting the poor,you insult your Creator. You will be punished if you make fun of someone in trouble. 6) Grandparents are proud of their grandchildren,and childeren should be proud of their parents. 7) It is strange for a fool to talk sensibly,but it is even worse for a ruler to tell lies. 8) A bribe works miracles like a magic charm that brings good luck. 9) You will keep you friends if you forgive them, but you will lose your friends if you keep talking about what they did wrong. 10) A sensible person accepts correction, but you can't beat sense into a fool. 11) Cruel people want to rebel,and so vicios attackers will be sent against them. 12) A bear robbed of her cubs is far less dangerous than a stubburn fool. 13) You will always have trouble if you are mean to those who are good to you. 14) The start of an argument is like a water leak-so stop it before real trouble breaks out. 15) The Lord doesn't like those who defend the guilty or condemn the innocent. 16) Why should fools have money for education when they refuse to learn? 17) A friend is aways a friend, and relatives are born to share our troubles. 18) It's stupid to guarantee someone elses loan. 19) The wicked and the proud love trouble and keep begging to be hurt. 20) Dishonesty does you no good, and telling lies will get you in trouble. 21) It's never pleasant to be the parent of a fool and have nothing but pain. 22) If you are cheerful, you feel good; if you are sad, you hurt all over. 23) Crooks accept secret bribes to keep justice frombeing done. 24) Anyone with wisdom knows what makes good sense, but fools can never make up their minds. 25) Foolish childeren bring sorrow to their father and pain to their mother. 26) It isn't fair to punish the innocent and those who do right. 27) It makes a lot of sense to be a person of few words and to stay calm. 28) Even fools seem smart when they are quiet.
It's Wrong to Favor the Guilty
18 1) It's selfish and stupid to think only of yourself and to sneer at people who have sense. 2) Fools have no desire to learn; they would much rather give their own opinion. 3) Wrongdoing leads to shame and disgrace. 4) Words of wisdom are a stream that flows from a deep fountain. 5) It's wrong to favor the guilty and keep the innocent from getting justice. 6) Foolish talk will get you into a lot of trouble. 7) Saying foolish things is like setting a trap to destroy yourself. 8) There's nothing so deliciuos as the taste of gossip! It melts in your mouth. 9) Being lazy is no different from being a troublemaker. 10) The Lord is a mighty tower where his people can run for safty-11) the rich think their money is a wall of protection. 12) Pride leads to destrustion; humility leads to honor. 13) It's stupid and embarrassing to give an answer before you listen. 14) Being cheerful helps when you are sick, but nothing helps when you give up. 15) Everone with good sense wants to learn. 16) A gift will get you in to see anyone. 17) You may think you have won your case in court, until your opponet speaks. 18) Drawing straws is one way to settle a difficult case. 19) Making up with a friend you have affended is harded than breaking through a city wall. 20) Make your words good-you will be glad you did. 21) Words can bring death or life! Talk too much, and you will eat everything you say. 22) A man's greatest treasure is his wife-she is a gift from the Lord. 23) The poor must beg for help, but the rich can give a harsh reply. 24) Some friends don't help, but a true friend is closer than your own family.
It's Wise To Be Patient
19 1) It's better to be poor and live right than to be a stupid liar. 2) Willingness and stupidity don't go well together. If you are too eager, you will miss the road. 3) We are ruined by our own stupidity, though we blame the Lord. 4) The rich have many friends; the poor have none. 5) Dishonest witnesses and liar won't escape punishment. 6) Everyone tries to be friends of those who can help them. 7) If you are poor,your own relatives reject you,and your friends are worse. When you really need them, they are not there. 8) Do yourself a favor by having good sense-you will be glad you did. 9) Dishonest witnesses and liers will be distroyed. 10) It isn't right for a fool to live in luxury or for a slave to rule in place of a king. 11) It's wise to be patient and show what you are like by forgiving others. 12) An angry king roars like a lion,but when a king is pleased, it's like dew on the crops. 13) A foolish son brings disgrace to his father. A nagging wife goes on and on like a drip,drip, drip of the rain. 14) You may inherit all you own from your parents, but a sensible wife is a gift from Lord. 15) If you are lazy and sleep your time away, you will starve. 16) Obey the Lord's teachings and you will live-disobey and you will die. 17) Caring for the poor is lending to the Lord, and you will be repaid. 18) Corret your children before it's to late; if you don't punish them,you are destroying them. 19) People with bad tempers are always in trouble, and they need help over and over again. 20) Pay attention to advice and accept correction, so you can live sensiblly. 21) We may make lots of plans, but the Lord will do what he has decided. 22) What matters most is loyalty. It's better to be poorthan to be a lier. 23) Showing respect to the Lord brings true life-if you do it,yu can relax without fear of danger. 24) Some people are too lazy to lift a hand to feed themselves. 25) Stupid fools learn good sense by seeing others punished; a sensible person learns by being corrected. 26) Children who bring disgrace rob their father and chase their mother away. 27) If you stop learning you will forget what you already know. 28) A lying witness makes fun of the court system,and criminals think crime is really delicious. 29) Every stupid fool is just waiting to be punished.
Words of Wisdom Are Better than Gold
20 1) It isn't smart to get drunk! Drinking makes a fool of you and leads tp fights. 2) An angery ruler is like a roaring lion-make eather one angery,and you are dead. 3) It makes you look good when you avoid a fight-only fools love to quarrel. 4) If you are to lazy to plow, don't expect a harvest. 5) Someone's thoughts may be as deep as the ocen, but if you are smart, you will discover them. 6) There are many who say," You can trust me!" But can they be trusted? 7) Good people live right, and God blesses the children who follow their example. 8) When rulers decide cases, they weigh the evidebce. 9) Can any of us really say, "My thoughts are pure,and my sins are gone"? 10) Two things the Lord hatesare dishonest scales and dishonest measures. 11) The good or bad that children do shows what they are like. 12) Hearing and seeing are gifts from the Lord, 13) If you sleep all the time, you will starve; if you get up and work, you will have enough food. 14) Everyone likes to brag about getting a bargain. 15) Sensible words are better than gold or jewels. 16) You deserve to lose your coat if you if you loan it to someone to guarantee payment for the debt of a stranger. 17) The food you get from cheating may taste delicious,but it turns to gravel. 18) Be sure you have sound advice before making plans or starting a war. 19) Stay away from gossips-they tell everything. 20) Children who curse their parents will go to the land of drunkness long before their time. 21) Getting rich quick may turn out to be a curse. 22) Don't try to get even. Trust the Lord and he will help you. 23) THe Lord hates dishonest scales and dishonest weights.So don't cheat! 24) How can we know what will happen to us when the Lord alone decides? 25) Don't fall into a trap of making promises to God before you think! 26) A wise ruler severely punishes every criminal. 27) Our inner thoughts are a lamp from the Loed, and they search our harts. 28) Rulers are protected by God's mercy and loyalty,but they must be merciful for their kingdom to last. 29) Young people take pride in their strength, but the gray hairs of wisdom are even more beautiful. 30) A severe beating can knock all of the evil out of you!
The Lord Is In Charge
21 1) The Lord controls rulers, just as he determines the course of rivers. 2) We may think we are doing the right thing, but the Lord always knows what is in our hearts. 3) Doing what is right and fair pleases the Lord more then an offering. 4) Evil people are proud and arrogant,but sin is the only crop they produce. 5) If you plan and work hard you will have plenty; if you get into a hurry, you will end up poor. 6) Cheating to get rich is a foolish dream and no less than suicide. 7) You destroy yourself by being cruel and violent and refusing to live right. 9) It's better to stay outside on the roof of your house than live inside with a nagging wife. 10) Evil people want to do wrong, even to friends. 11) An ignorant fool learns by seeing others punished; a sensible person learns by being instructed. 12) God is always fair! He knows what the wicked do and will punish them. 13) If you want help the poor,don't expect to be heard when you cry out for help. 14) A secret bribe will save you from someone's fierce anger. 15) When justice is done, good citizens are glad and crooks are terrified. 16) If you stop using good sense, you will find yourslef in the grave. 17) Heavy drinkers and others who live only for pleasure will lose all they have. 18) God's people will escape, but all who are wicked will pay the price. 19) It's better out in the desert that at home with a nagging,complaining wife. 20) Be sensible and store up precious treasures-don't waste them like a fool. 21) If you try to be kind and good,you will be blessed with life and goodness and honor. 22) One wise person can defeat a city full of soldiers and capture their fortess. 23) Watching what you say can save you a lot of trouble. 24) If you are proud and conceited,everyone will say, "You're a snob!" 25) If you want too much and are too lazy towork,it could be fatal. 26) But people who obey God are always generous. 27) The Lord despises the offerings of wicked people with evil motives. 28) If you tell lies in court, you are done for; only a reliable witness can do the job. 29) Wicked people bluff their way, but God's people think before they take a step. 30) No matter how much you know or what plans you make,you can't defeat the Lord. 31) Even if your army has horese ready for battle, the Lord will always win.
The Value of a Good Reputation
22 1) A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold. 2) The rich and the poor are all created by the Lord. 3) When you see trouble coming ,don't be stupid and walk right into it-be smart and hide. 4) Respect and serve the Lord! Youe reward will be wealth,along life, and honor. 5) Crooks walk down a road full of thorny traps. Stay away from there! 6) Teach your children right from wrong, and when they grown they will still do right. 7) The poor are ruled by the rich,and those who borrow are slaves of the moneyleanders. 8) Troublemakers get into trouble, and their terrible andger will get them nowhere, 9) The Lord blesses everyone who freely gives food to the poor. 10) Arguments and fights will come to an end,if you chase away those insult others. 11) The king is the friend of all who are sincere and speak with kindness. 12) The Lord watches over everyone who shows good sense, but he frustrates the plans of deceitful liars. 13) Don't be so lazy that you say,"if I go to work, a lion will eat me!" 14) The words of a bad woman are like a deep pit; if you make the Lord angry, you will fall right in. 15) All children are foolish,but firm correction will make them change. 16) Cheat the poor to make a profit or give gifts to the rich-either way you lose. (Thirty Wise Sayings) 17) Here are some sayings of people with wisdom, so listen carefully as I teach. 18) You will be glad that you know these sayings and can recite them. 19) I am teaching them today, so that you may trust the Lord. 20) I have written thirty sayings filled with sound advice. 21) You can trust them completely to give you the right words for those in charge of you. -1- 22) Don't take advantage of the poor or cheat them in court. 23) The Lord is their defender,and what you do to them, he will do to you. -2- 24) Don't make friends with anyone who has a temper. 25) You might turm out like them and get caught in a trap. -3- 26) Don't guarentee to pay someone else's debt. 27) If you don't have the money, you might lose your bed. -4- 28) Don't move a boundary marker set up by your ancestors. -5- 29) If you do your job well, you will work with for a ruler and never be a slave.
23 -6- 1) When you are invited to eat with a king,use your best manners. 2) Don't go and stuff yourself! That would be just the same as cutting your throat. 3) Don't be greedy for all of that fancy food! It may not be so tasty. -7- 4) Give up trying so hard to get rich. 5) Your money flies away before you know it, just like an eagle suddenly taking off. -8- 6) Don't accept an invitation to eat a selfish person's food, no matter how good it is. 7) People like that take note of how much you eat. They say, "Take all you want!" But they don't mean it. 8) Each bite will come back up, and all your kind words will be wasted. -9- 9) Don't talk to fools-they will just make fun. -10- 10) Don't move a boundary marker or take the land that belongs to orphans. 11) God All-Powerful is there to defend them against you. -11- 12) Listen to instruction and do your best to learn. -12- 13) Don't fail to correct your children. You won't kill them by being firm, 14) and it may even save their lives. -13- 15) My childern, if you show good sense, I will be happy, and if you are truthful, I will really be glad. -14- 17) Don't be jealous of sinners, but always honor the Lord. 18) Then you will truly have hope for the future. -15- 19) Listen to me, my children! Be wise and have enough sense to follow the right path. 20) Don't be a heavy drinker or stuff yourself with food. 21) It will make you feel drowsy, and you will end up poor with only rags to wear. -16- 22) Pay attention to your father, and don't neglect your mother when she grows old. 23) Invest in truth and wisdom, discipline and good sense, and don't part with them. 24) Make your father truly happy by living right and showing sound judgment. 25) Make your parents proud,especially your mother. 26) My son, pay close attention and gladly follow my example. 27) Bad women and unfaithful wives are like a deep pit-28) they are waitting to attack you like a gang of robbers with victim after victim. -18- 29) Who is always in trouble? Who argues and fights? Who has cuts and bruises? Whose eyes are red? 30) Everyone who stays up late, having just one more drink. 31) Don't evem look at that colorful stuff bubbling up in the glass! It goes down so easily, 32) but later it bites like a poisonous snake. 33) You willsee weird things, and your mind will play tricks on you. 34) You will feel torred about like someone trying to sleep on a ship in a storm. 35) You will be bruised all over, without even remembering how it all happened. And you will lie awake asking,"when will morning come. so I can drink some more?"
24 -19- 1) Don't be jealous of crooks or want to be their friends. 2) All they think about and talk about is violence and cruelty. -20- 3) Use wisdom and understanding to establish your home; 4) let good sense fill the rooms with priceless treasures. -21- 5) Wisdom brings strength, and knowledge gives power. 6) Battles are won by listening to advice and making a lot of plans. -22- 7) Wisdom is too much for fools! Their advice is no good. -23- 8) No one but troublemakers think up trouble. 9) Everyone hates senseless fools who think up ways to sin. -24- 10) Don't give up and be helpless in times of trouble. -25- 11) Don't fail to rescue those who are doomed to die. 12) Don't say, "I didn't know it!" God can read your mind. He watches each of us and knows our thoughts. And God will pay us back for what we do. -26- 13) Honey is good for you,my children, and it tastes sweet. 14) Wisdom is like honey for your life-if you find it, your future is bright. -27- 15) Don't be a cruel person who attacks good people and hurt their families. 16) Even if good people fall seven time, they will get back up. But when trouble strikes the wicked, thats the end of them. -28- 17) Don't be happy to see your enemies trip and fall down. 18) The Lord will find out and be unhappy. Then he will stop being angery with them. -29- 19) Don't let evil people worry you or make you jealous. 20) They will soon be gone like the flame of a lamp that burns out. -30- 21) My children, you must respect the Lord and the king, and you must not make friends with anyone who rebels against either of them. 22) Who knows what sudden disaster the Lord or a ruler might bring? 23) Here are some more sayings that make good sense: When you judge, you must be fair. 24) If you let the guilty go free, people of all nations will hate and curse you. 25) But if you punish the guilty, things will go well for you,and you will prosper. 26) Giving an honest answer is a sign of true friendship. 27) Get your fields ready and plant your crops before starting a home. 28) Don't accuse antone who isn't guilty. Don't ever tell a lie 29) or say to someone, "I'll get even with you!" 30) I once walked by the field and the vineyard of a lazy fool. 31) Thorns and weeds were everywhere, and the stone wall had fallen down. 32) When I saw this, it taught me a lesson: 33) Sleep a little. Doze a little. Fold your hands and twiddle your thumbs. 34) Suddenly poverty hits you and everything id gone!
More of Solomon's Wise Sayings
25 1) Here are more of Solomon's proverbs. They were copied by the officials of King Hezekiah of Judah. 2) God is praised for being mysterious. 3) Who can fully understand the thoughts of a ruler? They reach beyond the sky and go deep in the earth. 4) Silver must be purified before it can be used to make something of value. 5) Evil people must be removed before anyone can rule with justice. 6) Don't try to seem importent in the court of a ruler. 7) It's better for the ruler to give you a high position than for you to be embarrassed in front of royal officials. Be sure you are right 8) before you sue someone,or you might lose your case and be embarrassed. 9) When you and someone else can't get along,don't gossip about it. 10) Others will find out, and your reputation will then be ruined. 11) The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver. 12) Listening to good advice is worth much more than jewelry made of gold. 13) A messenger you can trust is just as refreshing as cool water in summer. 14) Broken promises are worse than rain clouds that don't bring rain. 15) Patience and gentle talk can convince a ruler and overcome any problem. 16) Eating to much honey can get you sick. 17) Don't visit friends too often,or they will get tired of it and start hating you. 18) Telling lies about friends is like attacking them with clubs and swords and sharp arrows. 19) A friend you can't trust in time of trouble is like having a toothache or a sore foot. 20) Singing to someone in deep sorrow is like pouring vinegar in an open cut. 21) If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat. And if they are thirsty, give them something to drink. 22) This will be the same as piling burning coals an their heads. And the Lord will reward you. 23) As surely as rain blows in from the north, anger is caused by cruel words. 24) It's better to stay outside on the roof of your house than to live inside with a nagging wife. 25) Good news from far away refreshes like cold water when you are thirsty. 26) When a good person gives in to the wicked, it's like dumping garbage in a stream of clean water. 27) Don't eat too much honey or always want praise. 28) Losing self-control leaves you as helpless as a city without a wall.
Don't Be A Fool
26 1) Expecting snow in summer and rain in the dry season makes more sense than honoring a fool. 2) A curse you don't deserve will take wings and fly away like a sparrow or a swallow. 3) Horses and donkeys must be beaten and bridled-and so must fools. 4) Don't make a fool of yourslef by answering a fool. 5) But if you answer any fools, show how foolish they are,so they won't feel smart. 6) Sending a messager by a fool is like chopping off your foot and drinking poison. 7) A fool with words of wisdom is like an athlete with legs that can't move. 8) Are you going to honor a fool? Why not shoot a slingshot with the rock tied tight? 9) A thornbush waved around in the hand of a drunkard is no worse than a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 10) It's no smarter to shoot arrows at every passerby than it is to hire a bunch of worthless nobobies. 11) Dogs return to eat their vomit,just as fool repeat their foolishness. 12) There is more hope for a fool than someone who says,"I'm really smart!" 13) Don't be lazy and keep saying,"there's a lion outside!" 14) A door turns on it's hinges, but a lazy person just turns over in bed. 15) Some of us are so lazy that we won't lift a hand to feed ourselves. 16) A lazy person says," I am smarter than everyone else." 17) It's better to take hold of a mad dog by the ears than to take part in someone else's arguments. 18) It's no crazier to shoot sharp and flaming arrows 19) than to cheat someone and say, "I was only fooling!" 20) Where there is no fuel a fire goes out; Where there is no gossip arguments come to an end. 21) Troublemakers atart trouble, just as a spark and fuel start a fire. 22) There is nothing so delicious as the taste of gossip! It melts in your mouth. 23) Hiding hateful thoughts behide smooth talk is like coating a clay pot with a cheap glaze. 24) The pleasant talk of an enemy hides more evil plans 25) than can be counted-so don't believe a word! 26) Everyone will see through those evil plans. 27) If you dig a pit,you will fall in; if you start a stone rolling, it will roll back on you. 28) Watch out for anyone who tells lies and flatters- they are out to get you.
Don't Brag about Tomorrow
27 1) Don't brag about tomorrow! Each day brings its own surprises. 2) Don't brag about yourself-let others praise you. 3) Stones and sand are heavy, but trouble caused by a fool is a much heavier load. 4) An angry person is dangerous, but a jealous person is even worse. 5) A true friend will openly correct you. 6) You can trust a friend who corrects you, but kisses from an enemy are nothing but lies. 7) If you have had enough to eat, honey doesn't taste good, but if you are really hungry, you will eat anything. 8) When you are far from home, you feel like a bird without a nest. 9) The sweet smell of incense can make you feel good, but true friendship is better still. 10) Don't desert an old friend of the family or visit your relatives when you are in trouble. A friend nearby is better than relatives far away. 11) My child, show good sense! Than I will be happy and able to answer anyone who criticizes me. 12) Be cautious and hide when you see danger-don't be stupid and walk right into trouble. 13) Don't loan money to a stranger unless you are given something to guarantee payment. 14) A load greeting early in the morning is the same as a curse. 15) The steady dripping of rain and the nagging of a wife are one and the same. 16) It's easier to catch the wind or hold olive oil in your hand than to stop a nagging wife. 17) Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other. 18) Take care of a tree, and you will eat it's fruit; look after your master, and you will be praised. 19) You see your face in a mirror and your thoughts in the minds of others. 20) Death and the grave are never satisfied, and neither are we. 21) Gold and silver are tsted in a red-hot furnance,but we are tested by praise. 22) No matter how hard you beat a fool, you can't pound out the foolishness. 23) You should take good care of your sheep and goats, 24) because wealth and honor don't last for ever. 25) After the hay is cut and the new growth appears and the harvest is over, 26) you can sell lambs and goats to buy clothes and land. 27) From the milk of the goats,you can make enough cheese to feed your family and all your servants.
The Law Of God Makes Sense
28 1) Wicked people run away when no one chases them,but those who live right are as brave as lions. 2) In time of civil war there are many leaders, but a sensible leader restores law and order. 3) When someone poor takes over and mistreats the poor, it's like a heavy rain destroying the crops. 4) Lawbreakers praise criminals, but law-abiding citizens always oppose them. 5) Criminals don't know what justice means, but all who respect the Lord understand it complerely. 6) It's better to be poor and live right, than to be rich and dishonest. 7) It makes good sense to obey the Law of God, but you disgrace your parents if you make friends with worthless nobodies. 8) If you make money by charging high interest rates, you will lose it all to someone who cares for the poor. 9) God cannot stand the prayers of anyone who disobeys his Law. 10) By leading good people to sin, you dig a pit for yourslef, but all who live right will have a bright future. 11) The rich think highly of themselves, but anyone poor and sensible sees right through them. 12) When an honest person wins, it's time to celebrate; when crooks are in control, it's best to hide. 13) If you don't confess your sins, you will be a failure. But God will be merciful if you confess your sins and give them up. 14) The Lord blesses everone who is afraid to do evil, but if you are cruel, you will end up in trouble. 15) A ruler who mistreats the pooris like a roaring lion or a bear hunting for food. 16) A heartless leader is a fool, but anyone who refuses to get rich by cheating others will live a long time. 17) Don't give help to murderers! Make them stay on the run for as long as they live. 18) Honesty will keep you safe, but everyone who is crooked will suddenly fall. 19) Work hard, and you will have a lot of food; waste time, and you will have a lot of trouble. 20) God blesses his loyal people,but punishes all who want to get rich quick. 21) It isn't right to be unfair, but some people can be bribed with only a piece of bread. 22) Don't be selfish and eager to get rich-you will end up worse off than you can imagine. 23) Honest correction is appreciated more than flattery. 24) If you cheat your parents and don't think it's wrong, you are a common thief. 25) Selfish people cause trouble, but you will live a full life if you trust the Lord. 26) Only fools would trust what they alone think, but if you live by wisdom, you will do all right. 27) Giving to the poor will keep you from poverty, but if you close your eyes to their needs, everyone will curse you. 28) When crooks are in control, everyone tries to hide, but when they lose power, good people are everywhere.
Use Good Sense
29 1) If you keep being stubborn after many warningds, you will suddenly discover you have gone too far. 2) When justice rules a nation,everyone is glad; when injustice rules,everyone groans. 3) If you love wisdom your parents will be glad, but chasing after bad women will cost you everything. 4) An honest ruler makes the nation strong; a ruler who takes bribes will bring it to ruin. 5) Flattery is nothing less than setting a trap. 6) Your sins will catch you, but everyone who lives right will sing and celebrate. 7) The wicked don't care about the rights of the poor, but good people do. 8) Sneering at others is a spark that sets a city on fire; using good sense can put out the flames of anger. 9) Be wise and don't sue a fool. You won't get satisfaction, because all the fool will do is sneer and shoot. 10) A murderer hates everyone who is honest and lives right. 11) Don't be a fool and quickly lose your temper-be sensible and patient. 12) A ruler who litens to lies will have corrupt officials. 13) The poor and all who abuse them must each depend on God for light. 14) Kings who are fair to the poor will rule forever. 15) Correct your children, and they will be wise; children out of contol disgrace their mothers. 16) Crime increases when crooks are in power, but law -abiding citizens will see them fall. 17) If you correct your children, they will bring you pease and happiness. 18) Without guidance from God law and order disappear, but God blesses everyone who obeys his Law. 19) Even when servants are smart, it takes more than words to make them obey. 20) There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking. 21) Slaves that you treat kindly from their childhood will cause you sorrow. 22) A person with a quick temper stirs up arguments and commits a lot of sins. 23) Too much pride brings disgrace; humility leads to honor. 24) If you take part in a crime you are your worst enemy, because even under oath you can't tell the truth. 25) Don't fall into the trap of being a coward-trust the Lord, and you will be safe. 26) Many try to make friends with a ruler, but justice comes from the Lord. 27) Good people and criminals can't stand each other.
The Sayings Of Agur
30 1) These are the sayings and the message of Agur son of Jakeh. Someone cries out to God, "I am completely worn out! How can I last? 2) I am far too stupid to be considered human. 3) I never was wise, and I don't understand what God is like." 4) Has anyone gone up to heaven and come back down? Has anyone grabbed hold of the wind? Has anyone wrapped up the sea or marked out boundaries for the earth? If you know of any who have done such things, then tell me their names and their children's names. 5) Everything God says is true-and it's a shield for all who come to him for safty. 6) Don't change what God has said! He will correct you and show that you are a liar. 7) There are two things, Lord, I want you to do for me before I die: 8) Make me absolutely homest and don't let me be too poor or too rich. Give me just what I need. 9) If I have too much to eat, I might forget about you; if I don't have enough,I might steal and disgrace your name. 10) Don't tell a slave owner something bad about one of the slaves. That slave will curse you, and you will be in trouble. 11) Some people curse their father and even their mother; 12) others think they are perfect, but they are stained by sin. 13) Some people are stuck -up and act like snobs; 14) others are so greedy that they gobble down the poor and homeless. 15) Greed has twins, each named "Give me!" There are three or four things that are never satisfied: 16) The words of the dead and a childless wife, the thirsty earth and a flaming fire. 17) Don't make fun of your father or disobey your mother- crows will peck out your eyes, and buzzards will eat the rest of you. 18) There are three or four things that I cannot understand: 19) How eagles fly so high or snakes crawl on rocks, how ships sail the ocean or people fall in love. 20) An unfaithful wife says,"Sleeping with another man ia as natural as eating." 21) There are three or four things that make the earth tremble and are unbearable: 22) A slave who becomes king, a fool who eats too much, 23) a hateful woman who finds a husband, and a slave who takes the place of the woman who owns her. 24) On this earth four things are small but very wise: 25) Ants, who seem to be feeble, but store up food all summer long; 26) badgers, who seem to be weak, but live among the rocks; 27) locusts, who have no king, but march like an army; 28) lizards, which can be cought in your hand, but sneaks into palaces. 29) Three or four creatures really strut around: 30) Those fearless lions who rule the jungle, 31) those proud roosters, those mountain goats, and those rulers who have no enemies. 32) If you are foolishly bragging or planning something evil, then stop it now! 33) If you churn milk you get butter; if you pound on your nose, you get blood-and if you stay angry, you get in trouble.
What King Lemuel's Mother Taught Him
31 1) These are the sayings that King Lemuel of Massa was taught by his mother. 2) My son Lemuel, you were born in answer to my prayers, so listen carefully. 3) Don't waste your life chasing after women! This has ruined many kings. 4) Kings and leaders should not get drunk or even want to drink. 5) Drinking makes you forget your responsibities, and you mistreat the poor. 6) Beer and wine are only for the dying or for those who have lost all hope. 7) Let them drink and forget how poor and miserable they feel. 8) But you must defend those who are helpless and have no hope. 9) Be fair and give justice to the poor and homeless. (In Praise of a Good Wife) 10) A truly good wife is the most precious treasure a man can find! 11) Her husband depends on her, and she never lets him down. 12) She is good to him every day of her life, 13) and with her own hands she gladly makes clothes. 14) She is like a sailing ship that brings food from across the sea. 15) She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and for her servants. 16) She knows how to buy land and how to plant a vineyard, 17) and she always works hard. 18) She knows when to buy or sell, and she stays busy until late at night. 19) She spins her own cloth, 20) and she helps the poor and the needy. 21) Her family has warm clothing, and so she doesn't worry when it snows. 22) She does her own sewing, and everything she wears is beautiful. 23) Her husband is a well-known and respected leader in the city. 24) She makes clothes to sell to the shops owners. 25) She is strong and graceful, as well as cheerful about the future. 26) Her words are sensible, and her advice is thoughtful. 27) She takes good care of her family and is never lazy. 28) Her children praise her, and with great pride her husband says, 29) "There are many good women, but you are the best!" 30) Charm can be deceiving, and beaty fades away, but a woman who honors the Lord deserves to be praised. 31) Show her repect-praise her in public for what she has done.
(To be continued) Updated on 3/27/09
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