Guide Posts Book of Proverbs (8ashir Ahmad Orchard) Proverbs is the name of one of the books belonging to the Old Testament in the Bible. It’s authorship has been ascribed to Solomon but this is not the consensus of most Biblical scholars. No doubt some of it’s contents may have originated from the wisdom of Solomon but it is generally agreed that the book was composed by a number of authors who added their contributions during successive generations. A proverb is a meaningful maxim or short sentence which embodies a moral lesson covering many qualities such as patience, humility, honesty, truthfulness, charity, character in general. The Book of Proverbs abounds with them and they are of inspiring value to all lovers of spiritual truths. The following selection has been taken from today’s English Version of the Bible. “Do good to those who need it, whenever you possibly can. Never tell your neighbour to wait until tomorrow if you can help him now. Don’t plan anything that will hurt your neighbour; he lives beside you, trusting you” (3:27-29). “The Lord . . . blesses the homes of the righteous . . . shows favour to those who are humble” (3:33, 34). “The road the righteous travel is like the sunrise, getting brighter and brighter until daylight has come” (4:18). “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (4:23). “Be faithful to your own wife, and give your love to her alone” (5:15). “The Lord sees everything you do. Wherever you go, he is watching” (5:21). “Son, do what your father tells you and never forget what your mother taught you. Keep their words with you always, locked in your heart” (60:20, 21). “What you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life” (10:2). GUIDE POSTS 3 “Being lazy will make you poor, but hard work will make you rich” (10:4). “A good man will be remembered as a blessing, but wicked men will soon be forgotten” (10:8). “Sensible people follow good advice. People who talk foolishly will come to ruin” (10:8). “A man who listens when he is corrected will live, but a man who will not admit that he is wrong is in danger” (10:17). “Never get a lazy man to do something for you; he will be as irritating as vinegar on your teeth or smoke in your eyes” (10:26). “Righteous men know the kind thing to say, but the wicked are always saying things that hurt” (10.32). “The Lord hates people who use dishonest scales. He is happy with honest weights” (11:1). “Proud men will soon be disgraced. It is wiser to be modest” (11:2). “Good men are guided by honesty. Those who can’t be trusted, are destroyed by their own dishonesty” (11:3). “Riches will do you no good on the day you face death, but honesty can save your life” (11:4). “People are ruined by the talk of godless men, but saved by the wisdom of the righteous” (11:9). “It is foolish to speak scornfully to others. A smart man will keep quiet” (11:12). “No one who gossips can be trusted with a secret” (11:13). “A gracious lady is respected, but a woman without virtue is a disgrace” (11:16). “You do yourself a favour when you are kind. If you are cruel you only hurt yourself” (11:17). “Be generous and you will be prosperous. Help others and they will help you” (11:25). “If your goals are good, you will be respected, but if you are looking for trouble, that is what you will get” (11:27). “Those who depend on their wealth will fail like the leaves of autumn, but the righteous will prosper like the leaves of summer” (11:28). “Righteousness gives life, but violence takes it away” (11:30). 4 REVIEW OF RELIGIONS “A man who loves knowledge wants to be told when he is wrong. It is stupid to hate being corrected” (12:1). “A good wife is her husband’s pride and joy. But if she brings shame, she is like a cancer in his bones” (12:4). “A man’s reward depends on what he says and what he does; he will get what he deserves” (12:14). “A stupid man thinks he is always right. Wise men listen to advice” (12:15). “When a fool is annoyed, he quickly lets it be known. A smart man will ignore an insult” (12:16). “Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but the words of a wise man can heal” (12:18). “The Lord hates liars, but is pleased with those who keep their word” (12:22). “Worry can rob a man of happiness, but kind words will cheer him up” (12:25). “A righteous man always examines his conduct” (12:26). “Righteousness is the road to life” (12:28). “A wise son pays attention when his father corrects him, but an arrogant person never admits he is wrong” (13:1). “The righteous are like a light shining brightly; the wicked are like a lamp flickering out” (13:9). “Refuse good advice and you are asking for trouble; follow it and you are safe” (13:13). “A sensible man always thinks before he acts” (13:16). “Stay away from foolish people; they have nothing to teach you” (14:7). “If you want to be happy, be kind to the poor; it is a sin to despise anyone” (14:21). “You will earn the trust and respect of others if you work for good” (14:22). “Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but jealousy is like a cancer” (14:30). “Righteousness makes a nation great” (14:34). “A gentle answer quiets anger, but a harsh one stirs it up” (15:1). “Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace” (15:18). GUIDE POSTS 5 “Get all the advice you can and you will succeed; without it you will fail” (15:22). “Smiling faces make you happy, and good news makes you feel better” (15:30). “If you pay attention when you are corrected, you are a wise man” (15:31). “You must be humble before you can ever receive honours” (15:33). “You may think everything you do is right, but the Lord judges your motives” (16:2). “Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out” (16:3). “It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to have a large income, gained dishonestly” (16:8). “Kind words are like honey – sweet to the taste and good for your health” (16:20). “It is better to be patient than powerful. It is better to win control over yourself than over whole cities” (16:32). “Gold and silver are tested by fire, and a person’s heart is tested by the Lord” (17:3). “A respected man does not tell a lie, any more than a fool says something worthwhile” (17:7). “If you want people to like you, forgive them when they wrong you. Rembering wrongs can break up a friendship” (17:9). “Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time” (17:22). “A man who stays calm has real insight” (17:27). “Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!” (20:6). “Children are fortunate if they have a father who is honest and does what is right” (20:7). “Refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, and your own cry for help will not be heard” (21:13). “If you want to stay out of trouble, be careful what you say” (21:23). “If you want to choose between a good reputation and great wealth, choose a good reputation” (22:1). 6 REVIEW OF RELIGIONS “Teach a child how he should live and he will remember it all his life” (22:6). “Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich. Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle” (23:4, 5). “Let your mother and father be proud of you; give your mother that happiness” (24:25). “Don’t be glad when your enemy meets disaster. Your Lord will know if you are, and will not like it” (24:17). “If you cannot control your anger, you are as helpless as a city without walls, open to attack” (25:28). “People who set traps for others get caught themselves” (26:27). “Let other people praise you – even strangers; never do it yourself’ (27 :2). “Anger is cruel and destructive, but it is nothing compared to jealousy” (27:4). Care of the Soul Let your own soul be the object of your daily care and attendance. Be sorry for its impurities, its spots, and imperfections, and study all the holy arts of restoring it to primitive and natural purity. Delight in its service, and beg of God to adorn it with every grace and perfection. Nourish it with good works, give it place in solitude, give it strength in prayer, make it wise with reading, enlighten it with meditation, make it tender with love, sweeten it with humility, humble it with penance. Keep it in the presence of God. (William Law)
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