Proverbs chapter 12 (part 3) - Diligent hands will rule #Wise sayings of Solomon

Proverbs chapter 12.

Summary:  God delights in the righteous who are truthful and trustworthy, and will live for eternity, with peace and joy. God hates the liars and deceivers, who bring upon themselves many troubles and tribulations as a result of their lies and deceit. Worries and anxiety will cause a person to be depressed. Good word, such as encouragement, exhortation, praise, meditation on God's promises, could being joy and cheerfulness. Choose our friends and companions carefully. The diligent will earn much income but the lazy is too lazy even to collect his due earnings. The righteous will have eternal life.


19 19 Truthful lips endure for ever,
    but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
    but those who plan good have joy.
21 21 No ill befalls the righteous,
    but the wicked are filled with trouble.
22 22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
    but those who act faithfully are his delight.  (RSV)

19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but those who promote peace have joy.

21 No harm overtakes the righteous,
    but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

22 The Lord detests lying lips,
    but he delights in people who are trustworthy. (NIV)

19 19 The truthful lip shall be established forever,
But a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.
21 21 No grave trouble will overtake the righteous,
But the wicked shall be filled with evil.
22 22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,But those who deal truthfully are His delight.  (NKJV)

Comparison between Righteous and the Wicked:
Righteous: The words of the righteous are lasting, will be remembered forever. The good deeds and good sayings of the righteous are remembered in this world and will be acknowledged in the heaven. The righteous say things and do things that promote peace and unity, and brings joy to himself and other people. The righteous will be save from trouble, with the good speech and good interrelationship with other people. God delights in the righteous who are trustworthy in their dealing with other people.
Wicked: The lies, the false accusation, the deceitful talk, the slander will be finally exposed. Those who deceive and lie will not have eternal life. The life of the wicked is only for a short moment, i.e. in this world only. The wicked has deceitfulness in their hearts, with various kinds of deceitful plots and schemes. Because of the untruthful sayings and doings of the wicked, they will cause many troubles and tribulations to themselves. God hates those who lie and deceive others. Lying and deception are abomination to our Lord God.

Righteousness is a sure protection. If men be sincerely righteous, the righteous God has engaged that no evil shall happen to them. He will, by the power of his grace in them, that principle of justice, keep them from the evil of sin; so that, though they be tempted, yet they shall not be overcome by the temptation.

23 23 A prudent man conceals his knowledge,
    but fools[b] proclaim their folly.  (RSV)

23 23 The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,
    but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.  (NIV)

23 23 A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.  (NKJV)

A wise and prudent person is not proud, and does brag or "show off" their knowledge. The prudent person is humble with knowledge, does not boast that he knows a lot but ever willing to learn and gain more knowledge. The prudent person is eager to learn, unlearn and relearn. The prudent and wise person is earnest about continual learning and lifelong learning.

On the contrary, the foolish person is proud and brags about his knowledge which is rather limited. He thinks that he knows a lot, and is too proud to want to learn more and additional knowledge. He is resistant to new knowledge. From his bragging of his knowledge, other people could see the "lack of knowledge" or "limited knowledge" that he has, hence his "folly."

24 24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
    while the slothful will be put to forced labor.  (RSV)

24 24 Diligent hands will rule,
    but laziness ends in forced labor.  (NIV)

24 24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.  (NKJV)

Those who are diligent, hardworking and work smart will be the leaders, and be promoted to higher positions. Success belongs to the the diligent and hardworking people. Although God promise to bless his faithful and obedient believers, they must also play their part: by being diligent and hardworking.

On the contrary, those who are lazy and slothful will end up being mediocre. Lazy and slothful persons will be fated to work like slaves, manual labour and forced labour. They will find it difficult to rise to higher position, to get higher income, to have a more luxurious life. For those who have the habit of procrastination, they should also beware, lest they fall into the similar trap of laziness.

25 25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
    but a good word makes him glad.  (RSV)

25 25 Anxiety weighs down the heart,
    but a kind word cheers it up.  (NIV)

25 25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
But a good word makes it glad.  (NKJV)

Good words, such as encouragement, exhortation, praise, motivating statements, will cheer up our hearts and make us happy and joyous. Positive thinking, pep talks (self-talk on positive and encouraging matters) will make us happier and more motivated in our life. Peace and joy will fill our hearts.

On the contrary, worry and anxiety over various matters may cause us to feel depressed. Negative thinking and pessimism will also cause us to be depressed. Hence, when a person is troubled with many problems, such as financial problems, relationship problems, death or sickness of loved ones, separation, divorce, retrenchment, jobless situation, he should raise the problem to God, pray to God, giving thanks to God with faith and assurance that God will deliver him from his problems. Trust God always!

It is heaviness in the heart; it is a load of care, and fear, and sorrow, upon the spirits, depressing them, and disabling them to exert themselves with any vigour on what is to be done or fortitude in what is to borne; it makes them stoop, prostrates and sinks them. The cure of it: A good word from God, applied by faith, makes it glad; such a word is that (says one of the rabbin), Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; the good word of God, particularly the gospel, is designed to make the hearts glad that are weary and heavy-laden.

26 26 A righteous man turns away from evil,[c]
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.  (RSV)

26 26 The righteous choose their friends carefully,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.  (NIV)

26 26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.  (NKJV)

The righteous person should choose his friends and companions carefully. Because friends and companions can influence. If in constant circle of the godly people, there will be positive influence to walk in the path of righteousness. If in constant circle of diligent and hardworking friends, there will positive influence to work hard and work smart, toward bigger success. If in constant circle of positive thinking friends, there will be tendency toward optimistic and positive thinking, hence a satisfying life with much joy and peace.

On the contrary, if in the constant circle of greedy persons always looking at extra income using deceitful or corrupt ways, there will be negative influence towards greed of money using whatever manner (by good or by crook). If in constant circle of gamblers and those who always fantasize about sudden windfall (winning lottery, big gain at speculative stocks, big gain playing commodities, a lucky hand at poker), there will be negative tendency toward thinking of easy money and slothfulness. If in constant circle of the pub goers and womanisers, there will be negative tendency toward drunkenness and sexual immorality.

27 27 A slothful man will not catch his prey,[d]
    but the diligent man will get precious wealth.[e]  (RSV)

27 27 The lazy do not roast[a] any game,
    but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.  (NIV)

27 27 The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.  (NKJV)

The lazy person is so lazy that after he successful hunts his animal, he does not bother to cook it for food. The lazy person is so lazy that after he had done his service to the customer, or sell his products to the customer, he does not bother to invoice the customer or neglects the collection of payment from the customer. The lazy person is so lazy that he does not bother to collect rental from the tenant.

For the diligent and hardworking person, his greatest asset is his spirit of Diligence. Because with diligence, he is able to earn much income, and gain riches and wealth. Because of his diligence, he is able to provide his family with enough money,  enough food, comfortable house, fulfilling all the needs, and extra money for some wants and wishes. Because of his diligence, he can afford good and rather expensive education for his children.

28 28 In the path of righteousness is life,
    but the way of error leads to death.[f]   (RSV)

28 28 In the way of righteousness there is life;
    along that path is immortality.  (NIV)

28 28 In the way of righteousness is life,
And in its pathway there is no death.  (NKJV)

In conclusion of this Proverbs chapter 12,
The righteous person who lives a godly life will have eternal life.

Monday, Jan 27, 2014.
Michael Yeap.

NIV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+12&version=NIV

RSV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+12&version=RSV

NKJV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+12&version=NKJV

Commentaries:
19)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.19
20)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.20
21)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.21
22)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.22
23)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.23
24)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.24
25)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.25
26)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.26
27)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.27
28)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.28

Proverbs chapter 12 (part 2) The way of a fool is right in his own eyes #Wise sayings of Solomon

Proverbs chapter 12.

Summary:  Righteous treat their animals kinder than the wicked treat their friends. Work hard and work smart and be rewarded with abundance of money. The wicked covets the ill-gotten wealth of another wicked person. The righteous will earn income with stability. Careless talk gets the wicked into trouble. Do not over-react when angry. Honest witness vs false witness. Tongue can be hurtful like sword, or healing.

10 10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.  (NIV)

10 10 A righteous man regards the life of his animal,
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.  (NKJV)

Kindest action of the wicked are cruel in comparison to the least kind action of the righteous.  The righteous treat their animals more kindly than the wicked treat their friends. This is a matter of heart. For the wicked tends to have a wicked heart, having ill intentions. Example: desire to backstab and slander someone in order to "kill" off that someone. Example: to lie and discredit someone in order to climb the corporate ladder and get promoted. Example: desire to deceive and cheat in order to gain extra profit and much money.

A righteous man is not only merciful for his neighbours (friends and relatives), but also to his pet animals and farm animals. This tells the degree of kindness in the heart of a righteous person.

11 11 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
    but he who follows worthless pursuits has no sense.  (RSV)

11 11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies have no sense.  (NIV)

11 11 He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread,
But he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding.[b]  (NKJV)

The person who is diligent in his work and business will be rewarded with much money. Work hard and work smart are important principle of wise living. We must be reminded not to do worthless work/activities which is unwise. Examples: trying to get rich by unsuitable manners, such as lottery, gambling, share speculation. Other examples are wasting of time and energy in sinful interests, for instance, extra-marital affairs, drinking in pubs for hours, karaoke for hours at night.

Those who are devoid of understanding waste time by fooling around with friends, drinking, gambling, playing women, partying, clubbing, etc. Excessive "wine, women and song" is not beneficial. It is noted that we should strike a balance: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

Despite the fact that we need to work diligently, we also need spare some time for relaxing activities (which are healthy and not sinful). Balance is crucial.

12 12 The strong tower of the wicked comes to ruin,
    but the root of the righteous stands firm.[a]
13 13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
    but the righteous escapes from trouble.  (RSV)

12 The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous endures.

13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,
    and so the innocent escape trouble.  (NIV)

12 12 The wicked covet the catch of evil men,
But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
13 13 The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
But the righteous will come through trouble.  (NKJV)

The wicked person desires the wealth and power of another wicked person. We must not be like that. We must not covet the wealth and riches gained through improper means (e.g. deceitful schemes, lies, cheating, unfair business practice). We must not covet the power and honour of the wicked person (e.g. triad chief, gangster, loan shark, brothel boss).

By being righteous in our work, we will be rewarded monetarily. We can be earning stable income doing righteous work.

The bad guys get into trouble with their careless talk, e.g. slanders and gossips. Avoid slandering and gossiping. Avoid chatter that stir up conflicts, arguments and quarrels. Avoid talk that sow discord and disunity.  The righteous through their good speech will be at peace with other people. Even when he is in trouble with his angry customer, for instance, the righteous will be smart with his lips to mitigate the situation and calm the customer.

14 14 From the fruit of his words a man is satisfied with good,
    and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.  (RSV)

14 14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.  (NIV)

Our speech and work produce us rewards - money and riches. Good speech will bring us many good things: friendship, respect, honour, favour. Encourage others is a fine example of good speech. Praising others for work well done is another example of good speech.

15 15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
    but a wise man listens to advice.  (RSV)

15 15 The way of fools seems right to them,
    but the wise listen to advice.  (NIV)

15 15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds counsel is wise.  (NKJV)

The foolish person looks at things from his own viewpoint only. The foolish person thinks that he is always right. But the wise person is one who listens to counsel and advice of other people. The wise person looks at things from multiple points of view.

16 16 The vexation of a fool is known at once,
    but the prudent man ignores an insult.  (RSV)

16 16 Fools show their annoyance at once,
    but the prudent overlook an insult.  (NIV)

16 16 A fool’s wrath is known at once,
But a prudent man covers shame.  (NKJV)

When a foolish person becomes angry, he allows his anger to take control of himself. The foolish person overreacts when angry. Do some foolish action which he would later regret.

The wise person may also angry, but is more prudent and able to control his anger. He will try to keep calm when angry, avoiding hasty reactions. He will decide on the action after he has calmed down from anger. Because actions/decisions during anger may later be regretted.

17 17 He who speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
    but a false witness utters deceit.  (RSV)

17 17 An honest witness tells the truth,
    but a false witness tells lies.  (NIV)

We should speak truth. We should not be false witness, lying with deceitful intent. Related to false witness, is slandering and backstabbing. All these are output from lips of the wicked. We must be careful so NOT to become a false witness.

18 18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.  (RSV)

18 18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.  (NIV)

Tongue is very powerful. A slandering tongue can hurt other people like a sword. A tongue sowing discord and disunity can severe the bonds of friendship like a sword. On the contrary, a tongue of encouragement/exhortation can heal a depressed person and make him more optimistic. A tongue of apology can heal many hurts and painful memories.

As righteous believers, we must be careful with our speech. Let our speech be of the beneficial type, one that builds and not destroys, one that encourages and not despises.

Thursday, Jan 23, 2014.
Michael Yeap.

NIV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2012&version=NIV

RSV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2012&version=RSV

NKJV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2012&version=NKJV

Commentaries:
10)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.10
11)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.11
12)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.12
13)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.13
14)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.14
15)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.15
16)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.16
17)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.17
18)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.12.18
19)

Proverbs chapter 10 (part 1) - Wise Sayings of Solomon

Proverbs chapter 10.

Summary:  This chapter contained many individual proverbs of wisdom.  Wise son vs foolish son. Wealth gained through evil means. Lazy son vs diligent son. Blessings and remembrance for the righteous. Mouth of the righteous vs the wicked. Lips of the person with and without understanding. Hatred vs LOVE. Punishment for the person without understanding.

Proverbs of Solomon  (NIV).

Wise Sayings of Solomon  (RSV) (NKJV).

1 The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father,
    but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. (RSV)

1 The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son brings joy to his father,
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.  (NIV)

1 The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes a glad father,
But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.  (NKJV)

This proverbs seems to rather chauvinistic in nature. This is not surprising based on the era this was written. If the son is wise and doing well, this is the pride of the father. On the contrary, if the son is foolish and acts foolishly, his mother should be sorrowful. The credit goes to the father, the blame goes to the mother.

Wisdom and living wisely will bring joy and gladness to the parents. All parents will be happy to see their children successful, living happily and righteously. Hence, as parents, we must play our part in educating our children in wisdom: various aspects of wisdom including spiritual wisdom and worldly/secular wisdom.

On the contrary, if the children turn out to be living foolishly, living in bad/wicked ways (laziness, theft, gambling, getting drunk, drug abuse), the parents will be grieving and sorrowful. Parents need to pay attention to educate their children correctly so that they follow the part of wisdom, path of righteousness. Parents should also contribute positively toward their children's faith in God, and knowledge of Christ.

2 2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
    but righteousness delivers from death.
3 3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.  (RSV)

2 Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,
    but righteousness delivers from death.

3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.  (NIV)

Wealth and riches which are earned through wicked ways (through cheating, gambling, stealing, robbing) will not last forever. The most is for them to last during the life on earth. In the afterlife, none of the worldly wealth and riches can be transferred to the next world.

Wealth obtained through fraud or oppression will somehow be lost. Easy come, easy go. What's the point of gaining wealth through unjust ways? Material wealth is worth much less than eternal life. Can the person earning money through unjust ways have the happiness and peace in life?

Our Lord God will provide for all His righteous believers. He will bless the righteous with life eternity as well as material things. God will bless the righteous with more than enough, with abundance. Those who follow God's righteous path will not go "hungry", will not be needy. All their needs shall be fulfilled.

4 4 A slack hand causes poverty,
    but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 5 A son who gathers in summer is prudent,    but a son who sleeps in harvest brings shame.  (RSV)

4 Lazy hands make for poverty,
    but diligent hands bring wealth.

5 He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son,    but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.  (NIV)

4 4 He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 5 He who gathers in summeris a wise son;He who sleeps in harvestis a son who causes shame.  (NKJV)

Earlier on in the book of Proverbs, we know that laziness, sluggishness, slothfulness is a sin. Here, we are reminded again about laziness.

A lazy person will bring shame/dishonor/disgrace and poverty to himself and his family.  On the the contrary, the diligent, hardworking person is regarded as a wise person, and will be rewarded with riches and wealth. So, here we see that one of the principles of wisdom is Diligence and Hardwork.

A diligent, hardworking man is a wise man. A lazy man is a an wise man, a fool or a foolish man. Many people often think of sins as offences against God (worshipping other gods, idolatry, blasphemy) and offences against other people (stealing, robbing, adultery, slandering, false accusation, false witness, lying, assault, murder). Many forget or are unaware that there also sins against self, such as laziness, greed, overeating, overdrinking & getting drunk, drug abuse).

To be good believers who obey God's commands, we need to be diligent and hardworking, not only in our personal devotion to God, but also in our career and business. Believers cannot be good testimony for Christ if the believers are lazy and slothful at work, and become poor and needy as a result. Believers should be exemplary in order to be effective testimony for the Lord.

6 6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7 7 The memory of the righteous is a blessing,
    but the name of the wicked will rot.
8 8 The wise of heart will heed commandments,
    but a prating fool will come to ruin.  (RSV)

6 Blessings crown the head of the righteous,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.[a]

7 The name of the righteousis used in blessings,[b]
    but the name of the wicked will rot.

8 The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a chattering fool comes to ruin.  (NIV)

Blessing shall rain down from God above to the heads of the righteous and just people.  The wise will follow the path of the righteous, will do the right things, will say the right things, will see and perceive things in the correct point of view, listen to the the right/wise teachings and instructions, and be blessed bountifully by God. and will gain much money, riches and wealth. The wise being diligent and hardworking will have abundance, more than enough, and will not lack money and wealth. The wise will alse be blessed, honoured and respected by other people.

On the contrary, the wicked and the bad people are filled with violence in their speech. The speech of the wicked contains fraud, lies, slander, false accusation (bad stabbing). character assassination.  In this digital era, violent speech could also be in the form of Facebook status update, tweets, blogs,  photos, which could be used for assault of other people.

Eveyone, good or bad, righteous or wicked, will eventually die. For the good and righteous people, they will be well remembered by friends, relatives, community and/or society for their goodness, kind acts, their wisdom, their good deeds, their wise sayings, their wise thoughts, and their positive contribution. Bad or wicked people will be quickly forgotten. Normally, nobody wants to remember the bad guys because of their insignificance to other people.

The good and righteous will be honoured and respected when living. The good and righteous will continue to be remembered and honoured after death.

The wise people will take heed of commands, and obey the commands. Wise people will walk the way of righteousness, and live well in joy and peace.

9 9 He who walks in integrity walks securely,
    but he who perverts his ways will be found out.
10 10 He who winks the eye causes trouble,
    but he who boldly reproves makes peace.[a]
11 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12 12 Hatred stirs up strife,
    but love covers all offenses.
13 13 On the lips of him who has understanding wisdom is found,
    but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.  (RSV)

9 9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
    but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.  (NIV)

Wise men will walk in righteousness and integrity. Those who walk righteously with integrity are walking in safety and security. Safety and security is very important for us to be able to live peacefully.

Those who take crooked paths, for example, cheats, thieves, robbers, fraudsters, conduct their wicked acts in secrecy, but will one day be exposed. When exposed, they may be subject to punishment and imprisonment. Those who do bad things will one day be "rewarded" with punishment and curse.

10 10 Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,
    and a chattering fool comes to ruin.  (NIV)

10 10 He who winks with the eye causes trouble,
But a prating fool will fall.  (NKJV)

Those with crafty and malicious plan/plot will bring trouble and grief to himself and others. Fools who talks nonsense will eventually ruin himself.

11 11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.  (NKJV)

Mouth is the outlet for our mind. If our thoughts are virtuous, from our mouth/lips will be words of goodness, words that build and not destroy, words of love and not hatred, good plans and not evil plots, speech that encourage and not destruct, speech that cultivate bonding and not stirring conflicts.

Output/speech of the righteous is a fountain/well/source of life. Words of the wise/righteous are like continuing supply of water which is needed for life and living healthily. From the mouth of wise, comes out beneficial knowledge, fruitful words, constructive ideas, and all the good things.

On the contrary, the mouth of the wicked/fools has many "violence" inside, such as slander, lies, character assassination, fraudulent words, seductive words, crafty speech, foul language, false accusation, false witness, false prophecy, speech that sows discord, conversation that cause disunity, and all the bad things.

Evil intentions and crafty plots are hidden behind lies, slanders, false accusation, back stabbing. For example, lies and slanders are told to discredit certain people, to commit character assassination. Purpose of character assassination is to "kill off" somebody by damaging his reputation, destroying his credibility. Character assassination will focus on the target person's weaknesses such as his habits (he is always late, he never gives anybody a treat), his character (hot temper, indecisive, too authoritative, too democratic, too soft, too harsh), his errors (wrong decision, mismanagement. wrong committee selection).

12 12 Hatred stirs up conflict,
    but love covers over all wrongs.  (NIV)

12 12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all sins.  (NKJV)

Hatred, jealousy and envy could cause someone to lie and slander, to stir up conflicts, to create discord and disunity. Hatred may result in many forms of evil.

On the contrary, love can make a person forgive and forget the offences committed by other people. When a person is filled with LOVE, he wants to the good things, and avoid doing the bad things to others.

With someone loves the target person, he definitely will not slander that target person. He will falsely accuse the target person.

13 13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.  (NIV)

13 13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.  (NKJV)

How to know the person who has understanding? We know by the words and speech. Because for the person with wisdom and understanding, his words and speech are those of wisdom, the righteous and just words, the speech that is beneficial.

But those who have no understanding (devoid of understanding, no sense) deserve only to punished...eventually.  Punishment is in store for those who live foolishly, for those who refuse to learn the wisdom,  for those who do not walk in the path of the righteous.
To be continued the next day....

Wednesday, Jan 15, 2014.
Michael Yeap.

NIV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+10&version=NIV

RSV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+10&version=RSV

NKJV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+10&version=NKJV

Commentaries:
1)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.1
2)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.2-Prov.10.3
3)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.4
4)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.5
5)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.6
6)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.7
7)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.8
8)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.9
9)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.10
10)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.11
11)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.12
12)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.10.13
13)