My Old Friend Proverbs

[hillsbororiver]

I have read through Proverbs countless times and they seem to get better each time, especially of late. Many workweek mornings when I am there (at the office) alone I will peruse the Chapters and prepare myself for the insanity that is to certainly come that day.

Here is Chapter 27, there is so much wisdom here (as with all scripture) anyone see anything particularly relevent to you?

  Proverbs 27 (Amplified Bible)
   

   
    1DO NOT boast of [yourself and] tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring forth.

    2Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.

    3Stone is heavy and sand weighty, but a fool's [unreasoning] wrath is heavier and more intolerable than both of them.

    4Wrath is cruel and anger is an overwhelming flood, but who is able to stand before jealousy?

    5Open rebuke is better than love that is hidden.

    6Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are lavish and deceitful.

    7He who is satiated [with sensual pleasures] loathes and treads underfoot a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

    8Like a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who strays from his home.

    9Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; so does the sweetness of a friend's counsel that comes from the heart.

    10Your own friend and your father's friend, forsake them not; neither go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near [in spirit] than a brother who is far off [in heart].

    11My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me [as having failed in my parental duty].

    12A prudent man sees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished [with suffering].

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

    14The flatterer who loudly praises and glorifies his neighbor, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted as cursing him [for he will be suspected of sinister purposes].

    15A continual dripping on a day of violent showers and a contentious woman are alike;

    16Whoever attempts to restrain [a contentious woman] might as well try to stop the wind--his right hand encounters oil [and she slips through his fingers].

    17Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose].

    18Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit; so he who patiently and faithfully guards and heeds his master shall be honored.

    19As in water face answers to and reflects face, so the heart of man to man.

    20Sheol (the place of the dead) and Abaddon (the place of destruction) are never satisfied; so [the lust of] the eyes of man is never satisfied.

    21As the refining pot for silver and the furnace for gold [bring forth all the impurities of the metal], so let a man be in his trial of praise [ridding himself of all that is base or insincere; for a man is judged by what he praises and of what he boasts].

    22Even though like grain you should pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

    23Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds;

    24For riches are not forever; does a crown endure to all generations?

    25When the hay is gone, the tender grass shows itself, and herbs of the mountain are gathered in,

    26The lambs will be for your clothing, and the goats [will furnish you] the price of a field.

    27And there will be goats' milk enough for your food, for the food of your household, and for the maintenance of your maids.



    His Peace and Wisdom to you,

    Joe

[DaleRay]

Good words!  Thanks for posting.

[Prosizz]

Hi Joe,
Could you tell me a bit more about this verse: "20Sheol (the place of the dead) and Abaddon (the place of destruction) are never satisfied; so [the lust of] the eyes of man is never satisfied."?

Abaddon was mentioned in Revelation as well as here, now what does that really stand for. has Ray addressed it anywhere in his writings?

Thanks.

Prosizz.

[Deborah-Leigh]

Yes....I see much that is relevant and too deep to bring to light at the moment so I looked at the Message translation and here it is.....

Don't brashly announce what you're going to do tomorrow, you don't know the first thing about tomorrow (For me this ties in with Kat's signature Scripture from James...Jam 4:14 " whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

Don't call attention to yourself, let others do that for you.
Carring a log across your shoulders
while you're hefting a boulder with you arms
Is nothing comapred to the burden
of putting up with a fool.


We're blasted by anger ans wamped by rage,
but who can survive jealousy?

A spoken reprimand is better
than approval that's never expressed.

The wounds from a lover are worth it;
kisses from an enemy do you in.

When you've stuffed yourself, you refuse dessert;
when you're starved, you could eat a horse.

People who won't settle down, wandering hither and yon,
are like restless birds, flitting to and fro.

Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight,
a sweet friendship refreshes the soul. (good question to ask self here...do I refresh souls or do I not )

Don't leave your friends or your parents' friends
and run home to your family when things get rough (Ohhhhh....this is a good one for some newly weds! )
Better a near by friend
than a distant family. (That's if you have married your best friend )

Become wise, dear child, and make me happy;
then nothing the world throws my way will upset me.

A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; (I like that one! )
a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered.

Hold tight to collateral on any loan to a stranger;
be wary of accepting what a transient has pawned.

If you wake your friend in the early morning
by shouting "Rise and shine!"
It will sound to him
more like a curse than a blessing. ...(.have any of you had your parents do this when you were a kid )

A nagging spouse is like
the drip, drip, drip of a leaky faucet;
You can't turn it off
and you can't get away from it. ...(A good thing to find out before you get married! )

Your Face Mirrors Your Heart
You use steel to sharpen steel,
and one friend sharpens another.

If you care for your orchard, you'll enjoy its fruit;
if your honor your boss, you'll be honored.... (good advice for both in the work place and in the spirit towards Christ.)

Just as water mirrors you face
so your face mirrors your heart ...and "from the abundance of the heart the mouth (face) speaks.....Matt 12 : 34

hell has a voracious appetite,
and lust just never quits....(it requires the presence of Christ to extinguish the beast.)

The purity of silver and gold is tested
by putting them in the fire;
The purity of human hearts is tested
by giving them a little fame   ...(or money or power, or status or authority to Lord over..... )

Pound on a fool all you like-
you can't pound out foolishness....( very wise words....very wise This also relates me back to Ray's : Winning Souls for Jesus?  Home page !)

Know your sheep by name;
carefully attend to your flocks; 
Don't take them for granted;
possessions don't last forever, you know.
And then, when the crops are in
and the harvest is sorted in the barns,
You can knit sweaters from lambs wool
and sell your goats for a profit;
There will be plenty of milk and meat
to last your family through the winter.......

Beautiful meditaion this Proverb 27....beautiful, healing and deep counceling truths here....

Arcturus  with thanks....

[hillsbororiver]

Hi Joe,
Could you tell me a bit more about this verse: "20Sheol (the place of the dead) and Abaddon (the place of destruction) are never satisfied; so [the lust of] the eyes of man is never satisfied."?

Abaddon was mentioned in Revelation as well as here, now what does that really stand for. has Ray addressed it anywhere in his writings?

Thanks.

Prosizz.

Hello Prosizz,

I believe this is one of those times I can answer your question with more questions. 

Is the grave ever satisfied with the number of dead? Is Satan ever satisfied with the number of carnal minds he is consuming, or has consumed or souls he has destroyed? 

Is a womanizer ever satisfied with the number of his conquests? Has a drunk ever had his fill of wine? A drug addict had enough drugs? A serial killer or a psychopath enough victims? A greedy man enough money?

Is there ever a time when the lusts of a carnal mind are filled or satisfied? Or is it only again and again, more and more, to what end?

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

[hillsbororiver]

Arcturus,

You are welcome, thank you for expounding.

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

[Prosizz]

Joe, perhaps I should clarify my question but first let me say that the questions you threw my way helped explain the proverb.
What I wanted to know is whether Abaddon and Sheol are synonimous or not. I just look at both words in the same phrase and just wondered if they are completely different from each other.

[hillsbororiver]

Hello again Prosizz,

I apologize for not getting back to you sooner, actually the 2 words are not synonimous.

Here are the definitions.

Abaddon: a destroying angel

Sheol: lowest pit, grave

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

[Prosizz]

Thanks! The reason why I asked was how it was presented in the proverd " a place of destruction" and Sheol as a place of the dead. I was correlating  destruction and death. It is clear now.