“And more than that, the preacher was wise; he still taught the
people knowledge. Yes, he listened, and looked, and set in order many
proverbs. The preacher sought to find out pleasing words; and words of
truth written by the upright. The words of the wise are like goads; yes,
their collected words are like nails driven home; they are given from
one Shepherd” (Ecclesiastes 12:9-11 MKJV).
In the middle of the night of April 15-16 of 2007, I was given
proverbs. Like a tap of water turned on, they came, one after
the
other, 78 in all. Then, as
fast as they began, they ended, like a tap turned off. There was
no premeditation, no expectation and when the end came, there was
nothing I could do to continue. They were just there.
Since then the Lord has given me more, when I am quiet, in His
way, and when He wills.
The principles of life have many manifestations, each of which
can be expressed as a proverb. A proverb can appear simple on the
surface, stating the obvious, as even to give the impression that
a simpleton speaks. However,
as one contemplates the words and seeks a deeper meaning, he or
she can be rewarded with counsel and an understanding that serves
well in many applications of life.
Victor Hafichuk
PROVERBS
1. Give a man bread to eat and he will be hungry again.
2. The sun rises and the sun sets, yet things are not finished.
3. A man will please himself, he may please his neighbor, but
will he please God?
4. The ability to see is good if it be used well.
5. So you say you see. Do you know what you see and what to do
with what you see?
6. Wisdom is to do well with what you have.
7. Faith is to know it can and will be done.
8. Love can never fail; though it bears no fruit at first, it
will.
9. The one that rejects good counsel is no better than a dog on
a stranger’s lawn.
10. A good son is a blessing, but a wayward son does not bring
peace.
11. To do well rejoices the heart, and a temperate meal gives
hope.
12. A bird sings with hope and joy.
13. A bird singing, a baby crying, and a man laboring – these
all proclaim hope.
14. Does a hammer drive a nail with gentleness? Does an axe cut
down a tree with love?
15. Labor in hope only with the right hand; otherwise hope is
deferred.
16. Do you know? Will you remember what you know?
17. A good neighbor does not meddle, and shows himself when he
is needed.
18. As a dog defecates and urinates where it will, so sinners
do as they please.
19. All seasons come and go, and come again.
20. A fool will not listen to good counsel or he would not be
a fool.
21. A horse is strong and so is an ant.
22. Hurry if you will, but why go in the wrong direction?
23. Necessities met are good, if they lead to good.
24. Who can tell what is good and evil but the One Who makes both?
25. There are things purposed and things that are by chance; both
are in God’s hands, the one in His right, the other in His
left.
26. Godly power is perfected when it empowers those on whom it
is exercised.
27. Justice and right doing prolong the life, but evil dissipates
the soul.
28. To have a child and not teach it is to sail a ship and not
steer it.
29. Treasures are to be had in abundance, but where are they to
be found?
30. The learned man finds treasure because his heart craves it.
31. A window lets in the light to see, and it lets one be seen.
32. A child falls and hurts himself, but a good parent picks him
up and tends to his hurts.
33. Blessings and curses – both return on the head of the
one that speaks them.
34. Confusion comes from these three, and four: prematurity, ill
will, self-serving, and lack of knowledge.
35. Wisdom works and it teaches; foolishness does not work but
it teaches the wise.
36. A broom for dust, a cloth for spills, and good counsel for
lack of understanding.
37. Sweetness is good if there isn’t too much.
38. Pretended virtue and sincere vice are one.
39. Flattery is desirable to one seeking, but unworthy of, praise.
40. As God makes the clouds and rain come and go, provides materials
for birds to build their nests, and places for animals to make
their dens, so He rules chance.
41. Chance is accidental if God is not God.
42. Who will look to pleasure for good when having good is pleasure
in itself?
43. Sleep is tempting and seeks to rob one of opportunity.
44. Sleep comes again; opportunity not as frequently.
45. As many as they may be, words will cease, but reality remains
forever.
46. Much talk has an agenda that is not good.
47. A man purposes to take smoke into his lungs because he does
not have life to breathe out.
48. Food for the body is taken in, but food for the soul is also
given out.
49. A wise man will speak, but not for himself.
50. As light dispels darkness, so good words bring knowledge and
understanding.
51. What is love but to serve the ultimate good?
52. Time comes to an end, but good works continue.
53. A good and faithful wife is from the Lord; let the husband
rejoice in her.
54. He that serves his Maker will have many friends; he that serves
himself is an enemy to many.
55. As branches on a tree, twigs on a branch, and leaves on a
twig, so is a good word spoken multiplied.
56. When evil comes, a righteous one will not fret: the Equalizer
is diligent to do a perfect work.
57. Signs are everywhere to point the way, but a blind man does
not see them.
58. Thirst that is quenched by water that enters the mouth will
return, but he that is a fountain of living water will never thirst.
59. As leaves are gathered with a rake or scattered by the wind,
so are the wicked before the Lord.
60. A thief acts as though no one sees, yet feels that all see.
61. Though the outer man perishes, his perishing renews the inner
man.
62. Those that strive for glory are remembered, but not for good,
and those who strive for good are glorified.
63. Waters may rage or be still; they may bring peace or they
may kill; so it is with knowledge.
64. Words can be like a stagnant pool or a lively brook.
65. Test the waters before you drink from them.
66. The air tells them that are in it.
67. Perspective may rule as a tyrant or soothe as a loving parent;
the subject must choose.
68. Frequency and abundance tend to less pleasure, but rarity
and want of good things to appreciation.
69. Walking and creeping beasts leave traces, but the paths of
birds leave no mark.
70. Creatures of earth have obstacles, but those of the air fly
freely.
71. There is no want of things to know and to do, only what and
how.
72. A baby cries because it is helpless, but is heard for its
crying.
73. A good carpenter measures twice and three times before he
cuts.
74. Peace is to him who brings war for good, but woe to the one
who speaks peace to hide war.
75. A robin makes its home with man; so God comforts all His creatures.
76. There are no two things naturally alike, so why should you
try to be otherwise?
77. How is it that those who need wisdom most despise it?
78. Screams come of fear and pain; so it is with those that protest
and argue loudly.
79. Who speaks words loosely? Destroyer is his name.
80. All things are written in the countenance of a man.
81. Words in haste and anger are as one upsetting a table of breakables.
82. As the unskilled cannot tell precious gems from cheap costume
jewelry, so fools cannot discern truth from falsehood.
83. Foolish words spoken are as passing gas.
84. As the mule stops and refuses to budge for all the beating,
so the fool says, "I would rather destroy myself and be my
own than profitably serve another and live."
85. Do what is right no matter what the cost and it will pay.
86. He walks in constant embarrassment who conceals evil, but
one with a clear conscience exudes a quiet confidence.
87. Emotion rules as a tyrant, but one who rules his own spirit
is benevolent.
88. The wicked conceal themselves in darkness, but the righteous
glory in the light.
89. If one will have no ceiling to prevent him, he must live in
the open air.
90. Beware of those who want what you have; beware of yourself
when you want what others have.
91. One who trusts a double-minded person trusts a dog with a
steak.
92. A glancing eye and a searching look for opportunity are an
abomination to the upright.
93. One who sits at table as a guest and does not rule his appetite
will not be a guest for long.
94. To respect the gift more than the giver is folly and treachery.
95. As a river finds its way, so a just desire will find its way.
96. Symmetry declares understanding.
97. Understanding finds a right conclusion, but foolishness leads
to a dead end.
98. A full man has no regard for the poor, but the empty is tolerant
of the full.
99. Emptiness has room for filling but the full must be poured
out to make room.
100. Marriage is not for happiness, but godly sorrow leads to
fulfillment.
101. There is no end to gathering, yet men gather to their end
as though it never comes.
102. Birds of the air recognize the difference between those that
walk upright and those that walk on all fours.
103. How quickly the countenance of a merchant changes when he
acquires what he desires.
104. Only God knows what will be, and He tells it to those that
are His.
105. Joy is as a fountain bursting high into the air; so with
the one that believes.
106. There is no end of words; to live the Life is the substance
of all.
107. What was, was; what is, is; and what will be, will be. Man
is as mercury in a thermometer.
108. Winter is cold but it brings rest.
109. Spring may be silent, but it teems with new life.
110. Labor while you are able; the time comes when you are prevented.
111. Who says, “We have a lot of time?” But time has
all of you.
112. If you work for that which perishes, you perish with it;
labor for that which is everlasting.
113. A little poison does much harm; so with an unkind word.
114. The power of forgiveness overcomes all evil.
115. As a foot brushes away words written in sand, so forgiveness
erases old offense.
116. God makes all things new and none can prevent it, not even
those who bemoan the loss of the old.
117. A serpent sheds its skin but only after it has formed another
to replace it.
118. As an addict craves his drugs, so an evil man seeks his way.
119. There is only one that overcomes; death has no power over
him.
120. Many are those who demand justice, equity and peace, but
for whom?
121. What is man that he should be so highly regarded? He has
made himself so low, yet God has made him to be so high.
122. A pure heart already sees God.
123. There is nothing that cannot be seen by the one who has the
eye to see. To him, all things are naked, though clothed and concealed.
124. Who dares tell God what to do? Yet man does it all the time.
125. Precious ointment is a delight to the heart, and he that
loves the Lord a precious substance for all.
126. Bring the wine and song. This is a day of rejoicing, which
the Lord has made. Let those who have labored for Him receive their
reward.
127. Much good overcomes much evil; so does a little good.
128. There is great power in the small detail; great things are
achieved and great destruction is caused thereby.
129. Spill the water to the ground. God will open the windows
of Heaven and pour out more than you can hold.
130. There comes an end to the desert because there is the One
Who made it.
131. Do you have pain? It works its way so that you can be free.
132. Be honest in all your dealings; you deal with yourself, and
your Maker rewards you accordingly.
133. The young take the place of the old, and each begets after
its kind.
134. The world demands all attention, and the servant of God can
give it none.
135. I cry, and the tears wash away the reason for my crying.
136. He feeds on wind who serves himself, but he that serves the
Lord inherits the earth.
137. Let evil come against the righteous man. It will hurt only
the one who brings it.
138. Heaven and earth are at the service of the one who knows
the One Who made both.
139. The one that chooses unrighteousness is hard pressed to admit
it.
140. A double minded woman eats her own flesh, despising the bread
her Maker would provide.
141. As the weasel chews its leg to escape the trap, so the wicked
with the yoke of the Lord.
142. A fortress in an alien land is needful, and armaments for
peace. Blessed is the honest one.
143. Peace comes to those that receive it, and who desire it for
others.
144. You are the prince of princes, and I have chosen you for,
and given you, all things.
145. Nothing can deter an iron will, his spirit carved in ageless
stone to defeat all evil.
146. A virtuous woman is faithful in her weakness, and she shall
be called strong and the beloved of the Lord.
147. An evil woman possessing great skill will find it turned
on her.
148. A discerning man has wisdom and foresight. Before it happens,
he knows it.
149. She that is faithful in great things is also faithful in
the little.
150. With joy and skill does the little one serve, and she shall
be great among the small.
151. A warrior in faith must first have the arrows, spear and
sword turned on him.
152. A righteous heart quietly seeks to do that which is acceptable
to the Lord.
153. The Lord highly honors a faithful servant because he is a
man after His own heart.
154. A man prospers in the treasuries of the Lord because he has
asked for it.
155. A beautiful woman seeks to do good to her neighbor.
156. Out of the ocean, an island arises by fire, washes off, and
produces abundant new life.
157. A fool rages with much knowledge, but the wise tell the substance.
158. Religion is a refuge to those who flee the truth.
159. Unity is strong, and unity in perfection indomitable.
160. Barking dogs may not bite but they express a willingness
to do so.
161. As an unbelieving man sells his birthright for a bowl of
soup, so an adulterer trades long life for brief pleasure.
162. As continually scratching a scab delays healing, so the telling
again and again of an offense.
163. Before a man conceives his plans, the Lord has purposed it.
164. As pure gold and silver only by fire, so the faith of the
chosen.
165. The simple learn little, but by them the Lord teaches much.
166. A faithful brother is a precious gift of God, but one in
unbelief trouble and sorrow.
167. As dung is passed, so one ought to dispose of memories that
bring bitterness.
168. All things pass, whether good or evil, and others come to
replace them, according to the will of the One Who creates all.
169. Love is the ripe fruit of the tree of wisdom. Without the
fruit, the tree grows in vain.
170. Good words are life-giving food to both speaker and hearer.
171. There is danger in a place of safety, and safety in a place
of danger.
172. A meal is delicious and a bed pleasant to the one that earns
them.
173. A bird can be told by its nest.
174. Birds of the air lay eggs but so do serpents.
175. The careless one is not satisfied, but there is joy in a
job well done.
176. As a harvest at its appointed time, so the Lord rewards both
good and evil.
177. The understanding of heart discerns the silent speech.
178. Dessert is enjoyed if it is occasional.
179. The wicked resent consideration, seeing they are in need
of it.
180. How do you know that one unfaithful to another will be faithful
to you? Can a leopard change its spots?
181. As the sun by seeing, and the cold by feeling, so one is
able to taste the substance of truth, and not by the way it is
arranged on the plate.
182. I tell you your sins, whereby if you were to believe instead
of being offended, you would be made free.
183. Wisdom cries out by every creature of God, but a fool denies
the nose of his face.
184. Fools gather knowledge, not to understand but to destroy.
185. Silence is golden, and so the proclamation of truth, but
the unbeliever cannot comprehend either.
186. “I believe in life,” says the fool, and puts
a knife to his throat.
187. A fool looks in a mirror held to his face, and scorns what
he sees as another.
188. As a coyote loves a rabbit and a rabbit loves clover, so
men of darkness love one another.
189. As a prisoner in darkness for a time closes his eyes and
shields them with his hands when light appears, so unbelievers
respond to truth spoken.
190. Though offered freedom, some prisoners, having served a lengthy
time, prefer to remain where they are; so too, many who hear the
news of redemption.
191. For two or more to love one another and dwell in harmony
is a miracle and a gift of God.
192. A traitor gouges out his own eyes and cuts out his own tongue,
but a faithful friend enjoys continual health.
193. Who can be fearful when he knows his Maker?
194. As one who cuts off his limbs and slays his own children,
so it is with those who sacrifice themselves for their god.
195. Faith in men is destruction; faith in God, instruction.
196. Gathering enough maintains life and gathering too much takes
it away.
197. A wolf may come in sheep’s clothing, and, to the wicked,
a true shepherd comes as a wolf. “I want freedom,” the
wicked cries, “to suffer want and to perish.”
198. Youth seeks its own pleasures, not considering the price
is exorbitant.
199. As one winnows the grain to keep the chaff, so man labors
to gather in this world, and the wind takes it away.
200. He that serves himself is a cruel taskmaster and a hard bargainer.
Run from him as soon and as fast as you can.
201. He who claims his own virtue is void of it; the more he proclaims,
the less of it he has.
203. Strength of the flesh to strength of the spirit is as a spade
to an excavator.
204. A wild dog is free to roam, caring
for itself, but a pet has a caring keeper.
205. Excess adds to death, but to suffer want can restore the
life.
206. Man may not have wings but he can find a way to fly; so the
impossible can become possible to one that believes. (One cannot
fly but he can make wings and bring many with him.)
207. Harlots stand with religious attire on every street corner,
enticing fools to spend their substance.
208. As creatures of the forest fleeing a raging fire close behind
them, so men busy themselves in the affairs of this life.
209. The wicked kill themselves to avoid the truth, so much do
they perceive it to be their enemy; they feed on poison as their
necessary food.
210. Faith is the knowledge of God and His ways.
211. Pride is the staircase leading one upwards to destruction.
212. Man, in all his knowledge, is unable to duplicate anything
of God’s works, neither can he make anything new; he can
only destroy that which God has made, including himself.
213. All the ways of man, filled with sophistication, knowledge
and great works, are corrupt; he builds brick
towers to reach the stars.
214. As dogs on a leash and as castrated calves, so husbands love
and serve their wives; if they should fail, woe to them.
215. Much inconvenience for a just cause is a worthy price.
216. Faith is the willing consent to dwell in an invisible world.
217. The greater the diligence, the greater the reward, yet God
gives grace to the humble of heart, and exalts whom He wills, even
the base.
218. There are works of God and works of men, and all are determined
from above.
219. Those who suffer injustice are not innocent, and those who
wield the sword are not without cause.
220. All sentences of the courts on earth are perfect, determined
by the highest court of all.
221. There are those who gather much and have nothing, and those
who gather little and have all.
223. Many proclaim knowledge and wisdom, but where are these to
be found?
224. As a key breaks in a lock and prevents another key from entering,
so a half-hearted seeker listens to the preacher and walks away.
225. A thief recognizes the treasure of a rich man, and risks
his life to take it, but fools contemn true riches, avoiding
them at all costs.
226. As swine pay no mind to jewels, so the dead despise the Law
of God.
227. The wicked seeks knowledge for himself, but the righteous
for another.
228. There is much appearance of virtue, but God knows the hearts.
229. A man can receive nothing, great or small, except it be granted
him from above.
230. God hides Himself; only the eye of faith can perceive Him
in chance and circumstance.
231. Wholesome food is scorned by the masses, and junk food prized;
so truth is despised, and lies embraced.
232. As light dispels darkness, so truth dispels error, and who
can prevent the sun and the day?
233. The knife of a loving physician first brings pain, then healing.
234. Friends are not told by friendliness; so enemies are not
told by enmity.
235. The fool is known by his foolishness, and he can do nothing
right; but the wise manifests his wisdom though he does nothing.
236. When faith, patience and persistence lock their arms together,
little can prevent them.
237. Appreciation is a gift and great blessing to those who have
it, but worthless to those who are void of it.
238. A man of faith hopes and bears all things, but a worthless
man fears and despairs of very life.
239. The unworthy one appears before God and receives a reward,
while the worthy one goes away disillusioned.
240. Profitable are the words of the wise, but fools have no money
to buy them.
241. Rain interrupts the sun, only to help it produce more abundantly.
242. It is God Who sends both the rain and the sun.
243. Solitude is the way of a great company.
244. To reach the heights, one must climb upward.
245. The thinner and more invisible the element, the greater and
more urgent the need of it.
246. If ignorance is bliss, why, when tragedy strikes, do they
cry, “Why did they not tell us?”
247. If greed is good, why give anything to the children?
248. If happiness is the principle thing, why does death come
to all, and why do all people mourn when it comes?
249. If fat is beautiful, then what are running, agility, energy,
depth of breath, moderate meals, normal-sized chairs and doorways,
and longer life?
250. The fearful laugh and the faithful cry; the day comes when
the tears are wiped from the face of the righteous and smiles from
the face of the fearful.
251. Those who glorify the Lord are glorified, and those who contemn
Him are despised.
252. There are those who get to give and those who give to get;
so are the works of God and of men.
253. Are you pious and devout? Then why do you tell both men and
God?
254. There are both bright and dim stars, visible and invisible,
and there are those which,
though they appear smaller, are much greater in size and power,
but none has God made without purpose.
255. If a star hits the earth, life will cease to exist as it
has, and nothing can resist the impact of truth on the earth.
256. Why do men cling to death as very life and resist life as
though it were very death? Contradiction reigns supreme in the
heart of the dead.
257. The rich are confident, little knowing they jump on thin
ice unable to bear them.
258. Two-legged beasts run to and fro everywhere in the earth,
destroying.
259. Infidels both slay and are slain, but the righteous give
life and are slain.
260. The Lord uses men to bring the sword and men use His Name
to do the same.
261. If a man speaks about himself, shall he have anything to
say?
262. He that would busy himself in the affairs of this life shuns
the affairs of the next.
263. As the root gains moisture for itself and the leaves, and
the leaves gather sunshine for themselves and the root, so God
has made both Heaven and earth for each other.
264. Self pity demands justice and consideration without mercy.
265. A fool despises authority, not considering it is provided
for his safety.
266. Rebellion is bound in the heart of a fool, but the good taken
away from him will be his remedy.
267. The destroyer comes disguised as a savior, and the savior
comes as a destroyer, but who can tell?
268. Even a small skill brings recognition and honor.
269. In testing the limits, one learns more by what he cannot
do than by what he can.
270. Accepting criticism, whether it be for good or evil, one
gains power with the critics.
271. Humility is a precious ointment, which fragrance treats all
those who stand by.
272. One has gained mastery when truth and righteousness are more
important than himself.
273. The highest authority does not come by age, size, strength,
force, beauty, skill, sex, race, pedigree, color, wealth, education,
training, status, fame, or experience, but by truth and righteousness;
a young child may possess it.
274. The one that honors God rules over all.
275. Words hastily spoken are like lettuce on the teeth of one
smiling.
276. The fearful one fears all things but the one that fears God
shall fear nothing.
277. The tongue is stronger than all the limbs combined, and so
much easier to use.
278. One who speaks against his neighbor must be the first partaker
of dishonor.
279. Correction is readily available for the one God favors.
280. Those that frame laws to escape Divine Law do not consider
that they take the bait of their own traps.
281. Does one demand discipline for others or for himself? Does
he bring down the rod that others may benefit, or that he may rule?
282. If virtue can be judged by appearance, then one can see in
the dark.
283. The rich man is not rich without the poor, nor is the wise
without the foolish, nor the brave without the fearful, nor the
strong without the weak, nor the swift without the slower; God
has made all these.
284. As a flag in the wind, so the sinner flows with breezes
in any direction, but the righteous are unmoved.
285. Man would arrange the clouds in formation and frequency,
and the rains in schedule; God’s order is chaos to him.
286. The hyena laughs because it would tear the flesh and devour.
287. The sinner’s great contradiction is that she sees only
the sins of others.
288. Where shall the wise be found except that God provides?
How does one recognize the wise and for what would one ask?
289. Only by wisdom can wisdom be known; to the simple, wisdom
is foolishness, but to the wise, it is simple.
290. What do you want? A man shall be known by his desire.
291. Though he spends his life in labor, man cannot satisfy himself.
293. To what purpose is vanity, if it is the end of men?
294. The rabbit repeats the same path again, and is snared.
295. Take the weeds when they are small and prevent much toil
and trouble.
296. The wicked, in his conceit, feigns agreement with truth,
and goes his way, destroying.
297. Weeds conceal themselves until they are many and strong to
overcome those among which they thrive.
298. Unless one destroys the root, a weed will return.
299. Though they are not desirable, weeds have their purpose and
value.
300. A covetous and ungrateful man frets over his losses and forgets
that his gains are greater.
301. A small offense looms large over a great favor, and an indiscretion
over a great work.
302. Man glorifies himself, but God comes as nothing of value;
man exalts himself to Heaven, but God lowers Himself to earth.
303. Man presumes Godhood for his own sake and reaches for God
in vain, but God takes on manhood for man’s sake and successfully
transforms him into Godhood.
304. Can the lesser consume and become the greater? If so, grass
can become a cow, and a cow, man, and a man, God. But if the greater
consumes the lesser, then the lesser is transformed. Therefore,
let the lesser humble himself, that he may know not to refuse consumption
by the greater.
305. Can a fool tell the difference between love and hate, good
and evil, truth and falsehood? How many are the wise, and how many
the fools?
306. The sluggard dreams to rest six days and do his pleasure,
and labor but one.
307. Cursed be the one that takes a man’s daughter without
consent, and defiles her; blessed is the one that honors the daughter’s
mother and father; he will not be without honor.
308. The religious love the form without the substance, and hate
the substance without the form.
309. Is not the counterfeit but the form, and the deception an
impression? So dogs come from behind to bite the heel.
310. As the wind rustles every leaf on every tree, so the truth
will not be spoken without effect.
311. As a painful leg cramp, so is a disobedient one in an assembly
of those that seek to do right.
312. Like putting salt in the sugar bowl and sugar in the saltshaker,
so is the unreliable servant that performs his duties without due
attention.
314. As refined foods lead their consumers to illness, so sweet
and smooth words bring destruction to those taken by them.
315. Wisdom is as water, finding the lowest place and filling
all available space, that none but the high and full are excluded.
316. Those who trade long-term value for short-term gain will
suffer long term, but those who bear present difficulty with patience
will be satisfied in the end.
317. Fear of man is often mistaken for discretion and keeping
one’s counsel.
318. Feelings and opinions change, but the Word of the Lord is
constant.
319. Imaginations and fears present themselves as reality, but
truth and love expose them for the imposters they are.
320. As children using play money, and as thieves using counterfeit
currency, so men opine about the things of God.
321. Truth redeems but opinions confound and destroy.
322. As salt and pepper on a table, so God has set forth good
and evil before men.
323. Those who would correct the past and control the future would
do both if they but tended faithfully to the present.
323. As a hammer drives a nail into place, so an infirmity of
one serves as a useful tool to deal with the infirmities of others;
when the work is done, the tool will be put away.
324. Fruit cannot be brought forth before its time.
325. At the time of harvest, fruit is available; laborers gather
it in season and make it available to those in need.
326. The man of God is a polished surface, by which others may
see their true reflections.
327. Sinners blame the mirror for their reflections, and oft seek
to break it.
328. The more rare is the more appreciated; it will not be called
common.
329. As children playing with fire, so fools are careless and
playful concerning matters of life and death.
330. As an oil light indicates engine trouble, so the Law of God
makes known the need of the soul.
330. As a flag in the wind, so the sinner flows with breezes in
any direction, but the righteous are unmoved.
331. As a ship without a rudder, never arriving at a sure destination,
so are those ever learning without regard to God.
332. As a rudder on a ship, so the Law of God guides the soul.
333. Lies are believed by liars and those who seek their own profit,
but those seeking good are not deceived.
334. Indulging the flesh is as painting over rotten
wood.
335. As those sweeping food under the rug, so are those who ignore
that which is right; in due time, the rot and the smell will come.
336. The faithless beat fools, and are corrected in their futility.
337. Hand cleaner takes away grease, and soap takes away the hand
cleaner; so the Law is applied, and grace follows to complete the
work.
338. To attain righteousness by the Law is like washing a pig
to make it a sheep.
339. There are those that serve as the rectum of the Body, but
by it are wastes expelled; who can live without one?
340. The same blood and accompanying Life flows in the rectum,
as in the heart and tongue.
341. For opinions, men will respect one another, but if one speaks
truth with authority, they call it arrogance.
342. Men will honor one another’s religions, provided
truth is not required of them.
343. God is not hasty to bring judgment; therefore sinners grow
confident in their ways.
344. Fear has power to conjure evil that is not there.
345. People make a show of worship because they love themselves
more than the One they profess to love.
346. How strange it is that the world persecutes a tiny people,
yet fears it as its worst nightmare; therefore destiny promises
good for them and will keep the promise!
347. The fool has said in his heart, “The creature has created
the Creator.”
348. The waters are dark and deep, the earth thick and heavy,
each hiding much, but all things surface in their time.
349. Friendliness breeds goodwill and ignorance forestalls it.
350. A favor in goodwill is a seed sown for much return.
351. The tree has the insect, the insect has the bird, the bird
has the cat, the cat has the dog, the dog has the man, and the
man has himself with which to contend.
352. There is no creature of which the other side of the balance
is not required.
353. A leopard is beautiful, and one who trusts appearances will
smart for it by and by.
354. Beware of the one trumpeting God and His goodness; he dresses
in white to conceal his darkness.
355. Those who ask for your money to serve God ask for your blood
to serve them.
356. Calluses protect while soft hands blister and bleed; so hardship
endured will deliver.
357. Bodily exercise perchance saves this life, but godly exercise
surely saves the next.
358. Women scorn men publicly, but men complain of women among
themselves.
359. As branches grow on a tree, and leaves on a branch, so all
things are ordered with equal sides.
360. Trial and compensation are equals.
361. A little quality is better than much quantity.
362. As moths are attracted to artificial light and are hurt,
so men are attracted to other gods.
363. Shall a watchman go to sleep saying, “The Lord will
watch for me”? Shall a farmer forego sowing saying, “The
Lord will feed me”?
364. One overcoming a vice in his own strength soon has another
to overcome.
365. Everywhere, in all its glory and comeliness, is the worship
of other gods.
366. A man who commits adultery stones himself to death and leaves
many wounded.
367. Many proclaim themselves to be sons of God, but God knows
His sons, and will reveal them in due time.
368. As there is no secret commandment, so there is no secret
sin.
369. To enjoy a moment of pleasure, man will throw away his soul
for eternity; blessed is the one who loves God more than pleasure.
370. One who chases mammon chases himself, but mammon chases him
that worships God.
371. Fools will not speak the truth, but an honest man will not
preserve himself.
372. First comes ignorance, then knowledge; weakness, then strength;
loss, then gain; defeat, then victory; failure, then success; turmoil,
then peace; and death, then life.
373. A righteous man holds his tongue for good, but a fool for
evil.
374. Having been delivered of the pit of sorrow and regret, beware
that you do not return.
375. If God brings sorrow to you for a time, it is because He
wants happy sons and daughters.
376.For the righteous, losses flourish and flaunt themselves on
every side, but where these abound, gains abound even more; God
is greater than all.
377. As surely as dung must pass, so those who do evil must perish,
but the righteous are assimilated unto everlasting life.
378. To those who fear God and keep His commandments, battles
are lost, but the war is won.
379. Though a rich man bankrupts himself and his debt is forgiven,
yet his wealth is gone, never to return; but the righteous lays
up treasure added to treasure.
380. There are those who speak truth for evil’s sake because
there is no truth in them.
381. As a plant comes forth from a seed hidden in the ground and
bears after its kind, so secret sins will sprout forth and bear
fruit.
382. The sword is appointed for the wicked, but the righteous
will be spared.
383. As an insurance policy replaces that which is lost, so God
restores that which a righteous man has lost.
384. All of creation proclaims God’s glory, but a fool screams
in bitterness because he cannot see or hear.
385. As a fine mist, sexual temptation presents itself, mysterious
and idyllic, then grows thicker and envelops the wayward one in
darkness.
386. Lord, You have opened our eyes that we may see, our ears
that we may hear, and granted us new hearts to understand. You
have caused us to walk on water and granted us wings to fly. Time,
space and matter cannot prevent us because You are our Father,
You love us, and have made us for Yourself.
387. Though our tears have been shed, we have joy, and though
our blood has been spilt, we have life. You have done these things
for Your unworthy servants, whereof we are glad, yea, overjoyed,
and we proclaim to the world that You are God, Lord of all, and
that there is none like You.
388. Who can hurt us, and we feel it? Who can hurt, and we do
not feel? We are Your sons and Your daughters, and in You, we live,
breathe, move, and have our being.
389. Though a bacterium cannot be seen by the naked eye, it spoils
the jam, so works a little unseen evil.
390. The true seeker after God will not be dissuaded from the
path of Truth, but triflers will fall away.
391. For everything there is a place, a place for a garden and
a place for a road; a place for a home and a place for sand; a
place for a rock and a place for a tree; a place for water and
a place for dryness; a place for light and a place for darkness;
a place for a worm and a place for a butterfly; a place for a sword
and a place for a scabbard; a place for a dish and a place for
a broom; a place for an animal and a place for a person; a place
for the wicked and a place for the righteous; a place for sellers
and a place for buyers; a place for rulers and a place for servants;
a place for adults and a place for children; a place for women
and a place for men; everything has its place.
392. There is no fool like an expert, and no expert like a fool,
and there is the simple that understands.
393. One who appears foolish, asking questions, will afterward
be able to give answers.
394. Like an aberrant limb sprouting on a mature tree, so is a
useless complaint after the fact.
395. If I have learned anything in this life, it is that I would
never live it again for itself.
396. One who says, “If I were to live my life again, I would
not change a thing,” has spent a whole life learning nothing.
397. With pride comes strife, but humility brings peace.
398. When the wicked cries “Wolf!” the world believes
him again and again, but when the righteous sounds the warning,
the world will not believe him once.
399. Even magicians and children pretend to make something of
nothing, not knowing they imitate a creator.
400. By sleight of hand, magicians entertain, pretending to bring
into existence by secret knowledge; others of higher learning
teach, presuming that which is came from nothing.
401. The understanding honor intelligence, but a fool refuses to
believe in it, lest he should answer for his thoughts.
402. When the destroyer comes, the world receives him as a savior;
when the Savior comes, He is recognized as the enemy.
403. Victory comes by failure, and the way to the heights passes
through valleys, wherein patience and humility are precious companions.
404. One grows more by learning what he cannot do than by what
he can.
405. Fear is a compulsive liar, a merciless tyrant, and the instigator
of many evils.
406. When put to use, a loose axe head and a fearful person cannot
be trusted.
407. As fire, so is the flesh never satisfied, but the more it
indulges, the greater its capacity and craving.
408. Before redemption comes guilt; before guilt comes offence;
before offence comes innocence, with which there is no redemption.
409. Joy only comes with victory, and victory comes only when
one dies.
410. We know so much, and we know so little. The more we know,
the less we know, until, one day, we know it all, and we know nothing.
411. Except God controls the atoms, the weak and the poor are
without hope.
412. Only by knowing failure can one know success.
413. A soft master prepares a road to defeat, but a demanding
one leads to success.
414. All creatures of earth but for man do not determine exercise;
yet they are strong and able.
415. If one, by revelation, leaves the company of those walking
in error, he is free, but if he is cast out against his will, his
bondage is doubled.
416. When one lays down to rest, if it is cool, he covers himself
with a blanket, if it is available. When one decides to eat, he
prepares the food, cooking and flavoring it. Whenever one does
anything, he tries to accommodate. Do these things not speak of
hope?
417. The second generation will enter in where the first will
not, and children will hear where parents will not.
418. He who has time for good at his cost, good will have time,
and time will have good, for him.
419. He who regards necessity
over righteousness robs himself of necessities.
420. A neighbor says to me, “I have no time to weed my lawn
by hand, without poisons, as you.” I say, “I have time
to weed my lawn by hand because I do it without poisons.”
421. He who tends to God’s
concerns, God shall tend to his.
422. Someone says to me, “I will not talk to you because
you are too persuasive.” I say, “If I speak falsehood,
you do well, but if the truth, you do well to be persuaded.”
423. One knows more of this world for the worse but the more of
Heaven, the better.
424. A false witness destroys herself with her hate, but a true
and faithful one brings life to herself and those around her.
425. True love is manifest, and without need to be labeled or
proclaimed.
426. Making enemies in the world is as easy as falling off a log,
but making friends and keeping them is as walking a tightrope.
427. In God’s wisdom, the cat does not differentiate between
a pest and a precious songbird; only God can save any creature
from His own creation. Therefore, it is folly to put hope in man.
428. The earth hangs by nothing, and we all live in perfect delicacy,
a moment away from potential destruction.
429. Fools proudly abhor the very thought of counsel from others,
thinking to have their own wisdom, but wise men humble themselves
and covet knowledge of counselors.
430. The Word of God is the food of angels, but swine trample
it in the mire, preferring the fare of dead things.
431. When the works of darkness are reproved, a storm ensues,
and the evil is taken away.
432. The true and faithful heart will take the bad with the good,
willing to suffer as well as to enjoy.
433. As with beasts, man has no wisdom in himself to tell right
from wrong, or good from evil unless the Spirit of God shows mercy.
434. The wicked, raging against the justice of God, plot their
own destruction.
435. The fool with his lips may say, “I believe in God,” but,
in life, denies his profession of faith.
436. Great is the mystery of foolishness, so that even wise men
fail to comprehend it.
437. Life without losing is as a harvest without sowing.
438. Evil must come, that the good might be appreciated.
439. Comparison to those of inferior performance is a trap that
robs one of excellence.
440. Church is an interference with God.
441. One must sacrifice that which is in his hand if he hopes
to prosper.
442. To the wicked, might is right; to the godly, right is might.
443. The liberal soul shall be made fat but the chintzy one shall
suffer want.
444. The victim suffers the temporary wound but the perpetrator
the lasting pain.
445. The perfectionist must be the sorriest person on earth.
446. Birds come when they are fed and leave when they are not.
447. A little foolishness will prevent much good, but keeping
the Law of God will ensure success.
448. A labyrinth of selfishness and deception may have only one
right choice to make, but life is full of opportunity at every
turn to speak the truth.
449. Perpetrators enable their victims to receive authority to
speak truth.
450. Plants arise everywhere in due season; so the resurrection
power of the saints is ever at work, performing the impossible.
451. The thought of danger is the substance of fear. In the Lord,
there is no danger but to give it undue attention.
452. There are those that appear noble, proclaiming the need to
seek after God, yet they propose to do so in their own power.
453. As the time for eating is not determined by a clock but by
hunger, so right and wrong are not determined by a code of laws
but by the will of God.
454. Evil comes to destroy the wicked and to chasten the righteous.
For the righteous, evil comes to present opportunity for good.
455. Why shall a man and woman sleep together to the detriment
of their children?
456. More often than physical adultery, the marriage bed is defiled
by undue reverence, which is adultery against God.
457. As perishing creatures diligently search out a place to expire,
so mankind eagerly receives the essence of lies.
458. As common as grass is found on the ground, so is unforgiveness
found with bitterness.
459. Truth is simple to a child, but sinners in the hardness of
their hearts cannot perceive it.
460. The sinner looks but he cannot see, listens but he cannot
hear, lest he should comprehend with the heart and be compelled
to surrender his will.
461. So he spoke to them as he handed them their tools, saying: “These
are the latest in technology - cordless – nor are they powered
by batteries. There is a mystical power that governs them, as needed,
energized by the will power of the user.” And he took them
to the garden and handed them their shovels.
462. The wicked proudly think to serve God with their righteousness,
gazing expectantly for reward, finding they must pay instead.
463. The idolater is indignant when his god is not acknowledged.
In his contradiction, he identifies his god with the Most High
in hopes His wrath will consume those who deny him his god.
464. First does the deceiver deceive himself, and then he proceeds
to work his evil upon others.
465. Iniquity refuses to believe that the sun shines by day or
that rain falls from clouds. It chooses rather to believe that
the rain falls from the sun and clouds bring light at night.
466. The sinner does much harm but he is his own first and greatest
victim.
467. As a caterpillar spins its cocoon, so, by their evil deeds,
men call themselves to task, form their own correction, and enter
into their reward.
468. Silent and invisible, the fruits of darkness form until,
in due season, the tree is full. The gardener does not expect such
abundance.
469. There is no reasoning with a fool; he is his own authority.
He eats his fingers because he is hungry, and who shall deny him
his food?
470. Many are the fools, and the wise men greatly outnumbered,
yet wisdom is not extinguished.
471. Who can deny the reality of resurrection power when seeing
a fool turn from his foolishness? A fool.
472. As clouds hide the sun and prevent the light from shining
upon the earth, so fools obscure the truth. They justify themselves,
saying, “We provide shade for comfort.”
473. When light breaks through the impenetrable hardness of a
sinner’s heart, we witness a miracle.
474. We will clap our hands and sing with loud voices and thrilled
hearts because the Righteous King reigns and our enemies are put
away.
475. The relief of the burden lifted surpasses the heavy burden
of the relief refused.
476. As a robin cannot withhold its song in the showers when abundance
of food is announced, so the saints will be unable to withhold
their praises when their sustenance comes with the latter rain.
477. Truth, in silent confidence and quiet power, expresses itself
on stage at all times, in all places, and before all men. It has
a captive audience.
478. Truth is like the air we breathe and the sun that shines
upon us on a clear day. Those who refuse it do so to their hurt.
479. Only punishment will bring a fool to his knees to worship
God; kindness fails to accomplish in a fool what the rod will perform
in due course.
480. Bless the Lord that the waters wash away the filth and unquenchable
fires come to take away the deadly plague, even death itself.
481. While men sleep, God works; while men work, God sleeps.
482. Slumber on, men of the earth, and dream; but know that you
will awake to evil.
483. “I must feed my mouth,” says the fool, not considering
the One Who provides the food.
484. To everything there is a value and a cost, and the two are
perfectly balanced.
485. Men strive for the heights until they learn that their abundant
life is in the valleys, where only they can live.
486. So hard it is to restore a lost soul a second time, as hard
as sowing into frozen ground.
487. Ocean depths hide many secrets, as does every soul, but God
knows them all.
488. Despair is a word only in the dictionary of the dead; with
the living, there is only hope.
489. Work will end, and when it is completed faithfully, the pay
will be according to the work.
490. A time to work and a time to rest; God appoints each of them.
491. We think we know what we need, but the Lord knows what He
wants.
492. The road of selfish desire leads to destruction, but the
road of
righteousness and truth to all prosperity.
493. Power comes to those who forsake it, and peace to those who
suffer
evil without resistance.
494. The wicked seeks power and uses truth to get it; the righteous
seeks
truth and uses power to get it.
495. The secret to keeping a secret is something not to be told.
496. One either comes out of the fires as pure gold or as ashes.
497. What a blessing to a father to have a son that loves him;
what a curse to a father is a wayward son!
498. Conquer yourself and all is conquered; nothing can defeat
you.
499. Conformity is the kiss of death, but laying down the life
brings
resurrection.
500. Why do men wear suits and ties? Because.
501. Gallows of good represent the gate to greatness and glory.
502. Weariness of spirit taxes the body and mind more than all
the labor they perform.
503. The simple mind complicates but the wise one simplifies.
504. If one will be God’s friend, he must not only prepare
to be his enemy’s friend, but also his friend’s enemy.
505. Death is the bondage of trying to be something you are not;
life is the freedom to be what you are.
506. Better one should have his burden removed than to run away
with it.
507. With problems and trials, the Lord destroys the wicked, but
strengthens the righteous.
508. Those who stumble and grope in darkness consider themselves
beacons, but beacons banish darkness.
509. Doing the right is as an investment, sometimes short term,
more often long, but it is sure.
510. One must first hear the negative side of truth before receiving
the positive.
511. Truth and error both disturb the wicked but the righteous
is unmoved.
512. He who lives by the Law dies by the Law, but the merciful
man will receive grace from God.
513. Trees grow large and healthy, but what kind of fruit do they
produce? If strength, wealth, influence and intelligence are virtues,
then Satan is a saint.
514. Any cool, grey day is overcome and brightened by the sun
that shines within, but when it is cool and grey inside, the brightest
of days outside are of little comfort.
515. Where there is division, all things
are divided, but when there is unity, all goodness is shared
equally.
516. Man is born once from beneath to err, and again from above
to be perfected.
517. We spend our days and years in labor
until the house is built, not realizing that we are the house
being built.
518. One can live expensively at the bottom or inexpensively at
the top.
519. Willingness provides the energies to accomplish all things,
but the stubborn and willful spend their substance resisting.
520. Servants look to their human masters with reserve, not knowing
that if true servants, they have free access, with justifiable
freedom and boldness, to the Most High.
521. Well made artificial plants can easily be mistaken for real,
and well-crafted friendliness for friendship.
522. One cannot tell by looking whether murky waters are shallow
or deep; so it is with those educated in this world’s knowledge
and wisdom.
523. Man can do nothing perfectly, and God can never fail.
524. One of the most effective ways I have found of receiving
an answer from God for a problem is to publicly, honestly announce
that I do not know the answer.
525. Rulership is established by what one gives and not by what
one takes; he who freely gives, gives to himself.
526. As dogs urinate on hydrants, so the wicked despise the water
of life proffered on every street corner.
527. When the foundation is established, the cribbing is removed;
when the building is complete, the scaffolding is taken away.
528. The things of this world do not perish because we set our
hearts on them. Rather, we ought not to set our hearts on them
because by very nature and purpose, they perish.
529. Heaven beckons for us, not to go there, but that it come
here; not in time to come, but now.
530. They enquire so that they might hear what they want to hear,
but few will bear to hear the Truth.
531. I know of no better way to deal with the demon of darkness
than to dynamically deliver him to the dazzling dimension of delightful
disclosure.
532. Being confederate with the religious in their works is like
setting up a fruit stand with the beast at the Tree of Knowledge,
which brings torment to those who eat of it, but those who partake
of the Tree of Life eat freely and are satisfied.
533. Of the abundance of the heart a man speaks. If good words,
he is fed and satisfied; if vain, he will vomit what he has eaten.
534. Shall one reject lemons because they are bitter? Or shall
he take butter and honey and make lemon butter?
535. As the soothing effect of a healing ointment, and as the
refreshing drink of cool water on a hot day, so the decision
to do what is required removes the burden of guilt and shame of
what
is yet lacking.
536. Men choose the comfort of the shade to avoid the sun, only
to find themselves deeper in their jungles.
537. He who loves himself despises all others.
538. One that usurps authority will have like subjects.
539. Those who despise dominion seek to rule.
540. The one with few praises and compliments may be more of a
friend than it seems.
541. One must receive the opposite of what one wants in order
to receive what is desirable.
542. He that criticizes the loudest deems himself to be most incapable.
543. What will a man pay for the truth? Will he know it cannot
be sold but that it will cost him his life?
544. The heart is revealed in the fires and exposed in temptation.
545. One’s purpose is not to avoid or to fear, but to overcome
challenges.
546. The more knowledge we have, the less do we tend to look to the
Lord.
547. Money answers all things on earth, but its answers are drowned
out by the voice of the Truth.
548. Truth is so loud as to both create ears to hear and cause
some to stop their ears from hearing.
549. Men assume rights and insist they have a right to rights,
not considering that the Righteous One alone decides what is right.
550. The body builder lifts weights not for the weights’ sakes
but for what the lifting does for his body; so man must consider
that all the works of this world are vanity, but for how he is
furthered within.
551. The ant prefers the upper smooth surfaces to run from danger
but constricting crevices are safer.
552. Where there is hunger, there is life and health.
553. Many desire sunny days but the rain gives the wherewith to
enjoy the sun.
554. Early budding brings danger of frostkill, but patience
brings a fruitful reward.
555. The rich man is rich in troubles, owns much and yet has so
little.
556. The rich man and the poor man enjoy men’s praise but
the rich man must strive to retain it while the poor man has nothing
to lose.
557. To envy the rich is to look at the outward appearance. To
look at the outward appearance is to deceive oneself.
558. The fool looks for immediate rewards but the wise see the
rewards that are there.
559. Happy and safe from envious men is the man who has the true
riches.
560. As the strength of sin is the Law, so the strength of the
man of sin is the Law.
561. Death seals the power, and prepares the way to life.
562. Beware when one says, “I am a reasonable person.” It
is a very unwarranted and unreasonable claim.
563. If one has love, he need not be concerned about having wisdom.
564. Bitterness is so established in the heart that only the death
of the host will eradicate it.
565. Unbelief requires and gives explanation; faith needs and
gives none.
566. As jackals and hyenas linger in the background for a safe
time to attack and feed, so false accusers keep hidden their faces
for fear of exposure and defeat.
567. When content to be what it is, a blade of grass is as the
tallest tree, but the tallest tree, when discontented with its
lot, is less than a blade of grass.
568. All good hopes will be fulfilled for the faithful, but vain
hopes are not worth keeping.
569. It is not wrong to be wrong if the Lord so wills, but it
is wrong to regret being wrong if being wrong was the will of God.
570. "How does one without wisdom know to recognize one with
wisdom? Are these things not in the hand of God?"
571. In vain does a man labor to be right, for there is only one
right, even God.
572. Sinners are contradictions of light, being children of darkness.
573. Though surrounded by darkness, the light penetrates it and
cannot be stopped, but darkness can never penetrate the light and
must give place without fail.
574. A son of the flesh is a gift but a son of the Spirit is a
miracle.
575. Both destroyer and destroyed are God’s, as are those
spared.
576. Many profess righteousness, but the righteous shall seek
them out and prove them.
577. God’s wrath is against all pretenders, more so than
against the ungodly that do not pretend.
578. To them, the wicked speak for God, and the righteous
speak against Him.
579. Fruit tells the kind of tree, and speech is the fruit of
the heart, but, in speaking, the wicked and unbelieving say, “You
cannot know our hearts.”
580. Day after day, the Lord is merciful and longsuffering; thus
the wicked press on, thinking to be immune to judgment.
581. Why men eat themselves is a mystery, yet the greater mystery
is why God has mercy on them.
582. The blind man insists that things cannot be seen, not considering
that some have eyes to see.
583. Both music and clatter are one to the deaf man.
584. A debate among the wicked tends to error and war, but among
the righteous to truth and peace.
585. Goodness and unity are the state of the believing, but the
wicked are subject to pride, strife and sorrow.
586. There is no life in the mouth of the wicked, but a river
of health flows from the heart of the righteous.
587. A fool is confident in himself until a wise man comes to
prove him.
588. A wise man thinks to have all answers until a fool comes
to improve him.
589. The soul that lives right is not afraid to die; to him death
is the eve of honor and glory.
590. As overworked dough yields a tough bread, so striving about
good matters makes them less palatable.
591. The righteous are granted to rest on their couches, but sinners
that scorn must be left to toss and turn in their deathbeds.
592. Sinners love their sin, so they fight to keep it.
593. There are two news – those things new in themselves,
and those new to the partaking of them.
594. A new thing, even if it does not change, ceases to be new.
595. How the fool craves destruction, as though it were very life,
and despises good, as though it were evil.
596. The fool despises that which he lacks, and the wise man craves
more of what he has.
597. Ten thousand disagree with one another, yet think they are
all right because there are many of them. Then comes the one telling
them they are all wrong, and they condemn him because he stands
alone.
598. Snow and cold can come unseasonably and so can troubles and
unpleasantries.
599. As a beast finds its way by instinct, so creation knows the
end of its groaning approaches.
600. The One alone Who can do the impossible conceals Himself
behind possibilities.
601. The righteous hold up a mirror to the wicked, who are certain
it is clear glass.
602. A fool dares not look in a mirror, lest he should recognize
himself.
603. As a blind man who says, “I do not see it, therefore
it does not exist,” or a deaf man who says, “I do not
hear it, therefore there is no sound,” so the fool scorns
what is right and true.
604. The fool stands on a straight path leading directly to the
destination and says, “Surely, there must be another way.
I shall find it.”
605. Those who cease or refuse to submit to their true authority
forfeit their right of authority to those entrusted to them.
605. Those that cease or refuse to submit to their true authority
forfeit their right of authority to those entrusted to them.
606. It is not so much what one does but how one does it.
607. Peace with all of creation comes when we cease worship of
any creature and begin to worship the Maker of all things.
608. Man, in the harness of his heart, pities the flesh and the
sinner, but God, in His tender mercies, does not spare.
609. The time of the end is now here. A new day dawns, and who
will be here to greet it?
610. There are those who ask themselves what Jesus would do, but
I have learned that men can make Jesus do anything.
611. As one needs the negative and the positive to create electricity,
so we need both the infirmities of the first Adam and the virtue
of the Last Adam to
have power with God.
612. If we so honor the One Who is All Wise and forsake one wise
only in his own eyes, we shall do well.
613. Proud pretenders of piety presume to please God, thinking
their words are of acceptable service to him.
614. There is a hate that loves and a love that hates; both are concealed from
the wicked.
615. This is a day in which men go to great pains to save a beached
whale or oil-soaked bird but do not think twice to kill a helpless
fellow human.
616. Many are they that take God’s Name and promote It to
lift themselves up, but who will lift them when they fall?
617. The earth is full of people with needs of every kind; the
only need of the sons of God is to meet those needs in due time.
618. The wise and understanding know that all things belong to
God.
619. How good it is to have faithful friends that care for one
another as themselves.
620. Though he is affable, the covetous man disregards his neighbor.
621. The more choices one has, the less he is disposed
to make the better one. Does this not tell that faith in God is
the answer?
623. Denying the need for his participation, the evolutionist
presumes to let time take the kitchen ingredients and form his
meal.
624. We have heard the news that evil comes and are not afraid,
if we regard the One Who rules all things.
625. Silently, men work their works and gather their harvests,
hoping to keep and enjoy them, not knowing they gather for others.
626. Sound the trumpet and the alarm; prepare and brace yourselves,
inhabitants of the land, but if you do not have your Maker’s
favor, the warning is in vain.
627. Do you desire your Maker’s favor? Keep His commandments
and look to Him for counsel and direction; He will honor those
who honor Him.
628. There are those who measure the righteousness of others by
their own, not considering that their judgment is corrupt.
629. The more one hears, the more one has to say, not in quantity
but in quality.
630. Many desire the goods, but few are willing to pay the price.
631. Those who live in fear suffer and die continuously, but
those who trust the Lord never die.
632. Whether one gives carrion or caviar to the swine, it is all
the same to them.
633. The wicked choose to reject the good and therefore cannot
be persuaded to it.
634. Can you drag clouds down from the sky with your hands? So
it is with speaking truth to a fool; a wise man’s counsel
is wasted on him.
635. There is a great and difficult time when hopes are deferred,
losses and failures are suffered, and fears are continually realized,
but then come goodness and peace for those who, in faith, endure
to the end.
636. There is no man who can say, “I have done great things
by my own power, wisdom and virtue.” He who praises himself
has deceived himself and will soon be enlightened.
637. A self-made man is a cheap imitation and a poor excuse
for a God-made man.
638. With brazen temper, the enemy approaches, confident of vanquishing
his quarry, little knowing there is One mightier than he.
639. They err that judge after the appearance, but those who trust
in the Living, yet Unseen, One flourish and prosper.
640. What a privilege and thrill it is to serve the Almighty,
Living God, Whose are all authority and power!
641. The closer one walks with God, the farther he will be from
man.
642. One should look to where he came from, and not to what has
come from him.
643. If a brother offended is harder to win than a walled city,
how much more the hypocrite and the fool!
644. Let the docile and friendly fool rule and there will be no
peace or mercy.
645. The righteous strive to speak the truth, but only God can
make it known.
646. Look for the little boy or girl in a man or woman, and if
you can’t find it, be careful; pretension is not there for
good.
647. When Christ comes, the world abhors Him as antiChrist; when
antiChrist comes, it adores him and receives him as Christ.
648. The righteous are established and nothing will prevail over
them though they be moved, but the wicked will be taken away in
their confidence.
649. The wicked are bold and brash in their greatness, not considering
there is One greater.
650. He who trusts in his own strength is weak indeed.
651. Display your righteousness before the deceived, wicked fool,
but know that as the sun rises in the morning, so the light comes
to dispel the cover of darkness.
652. Those that choose to lie continue in lies, having deceived
themselves.
653. One who does not care for his neighbor does not care for
himself, and those who do not feed will go hungry.
654. The wicked will not investigate a matter for fear of his
heart being exposed, but the righteous are eager to bring all things
to light.
655. Blasphemy beats in the heart of a fool and courses through
his veins; he treasures it as his lifeblood.
656. To do good is sufficient reward for the righteous; his pay
comes as he works and he need not wait for it.
657. Though an evil eye be plucked out, it continues to see good
as evil and evil as good.
658. An ungodly witness prevails for a little while, then is gone
and forgotten, but a true and faithful witness will preside over
the outcome.
659. Abiding peace and joy are to the faithful, but to the indoctrinated
are superficial hope and a fearful expectation.
660. Spare the rod and spoil the child; spare the spoil and increase
the need for the rod. Does not God use both good and evil for His
purposes?
661. A quiet rebuke is louder than railing, satisfying the need
of the one rebuked, and not of the one rebuking.
662. With faith, all things are possible; without it, much is
of little worth.
663. Commend a good man for good deeds and he will be encouraged
to more. Encourage a wicked doer to a good deed and he will despise
both the encouragement and you.
664. Sorrow for unrighteousness corrects the soul, but sorrow
for consequence tends to more unrighteousness.
665. If man’s words can so move men as to kill their fellows
and conquer empires, how much more can God’s Words overcome
the world and give life to all?
666. Murder and violence rule in men’s hearts; in vain do
they attempt to be good in their own strength.
667. Man’s goodness is abomination in God’s sight
and God’s goodness is abomination to man.
668. The world is upside down and inside out, but messengers of
God come to make all things right.
669. With wanton eyes and arrogant mouths, they all cry, “Peace,
peace,” thinking to receive it by flatteries; suddenly their
lips are torn from their faces, their tongues drop in their mouths,
their eyes rot in their sockets, and their necks are broken.
670. How long will God restrain Himself? No longer; it is time.
671. As the fear of God increases, the fear of man decreases.
672. To see the glory of God is in itself the glory of God.
673. Cursed is the one who reneges on an agreement on the basis
of a technicality.
674. Cursed is the one who absolves a proven criminal on the basis
of a technicality.
675. Cursed is he who deceives his neighbor that he may enrich
himself.
676. Cursed is the one who justifies the wicked and vilifies the
innocent.
677. The liar and the false witness are sisters to the murderer.
678. As vinegar to a plant, so is false doctrine in the Name of
God to simple ears.
679. As a little vinegar to milk, so is a little error to truth.
680. Without rain in season in our hearts, the seed of the Word
of God will not germinate, sprout and grow. Without dryness, it
will not bear fruit and be harvested.
681. Lies, in any circumstances, are as a malfunction in the operation
of a motor, and must be identified and addressed to continue on
in efficiency and peace.
682. Lies are as thistles in a garden and must be removed for
beauty and fruitfulness to prevail.
683. Vain are the imaginations of fools who proclaim God for their
purposes. The more they use His Name, the greater will be their
fall.
684. The louder men proclaim the Name of God for themselves, the
more people will see their humiliation in the end.
685. Fear of man brings a snare, but fear of God delivers a soul.
686. Many hear but do not do. They gather knowledge as grain and
keep it in granaries to display their possessions. So it remains
useless if not consumed, distributed, or planted.
687. One who thinks he is wise is a fool, and one who knows he
is a fool has entered the gate to wisdom.
688. I would not have seen a certain weed had I not seen another
near it. Then I saw it and dug it up by the roots. Whether other
weeds
are similar or dissimilar, it does not matter; one will be discovered
near the company he keeps.
689. Some weeds will return if not completely rooted out.
690. A weed may hide in a lawn until it flowers; it is most conspicuous
and endangered when its glory appears.
691. Weeds may escape the gaze of the weeder today or tomorrow,
but there is always another day for the weeder to do his job.
692. Small weeds are much easier to deal with; though seemingly
insignificant, they soon grow to be difficult.
693. He who believes and obeys God shall in due time eat honey
from the carcasses of his enemies.
694. Temperance is the key to prevention of many ills. Many perish
by too much as by too little. Surely greed, fear and lust are powerful
in their work of destruction.
695. Who is hasty in word at the cost of another? He is no better
than a thief, liar or murderer.
696. Will God excuse all sin because He has forgiven? Unless the
forgiven walks in faithfulness thereafter, he will be turned back
to his vomit and wallowing in the mire.
697. He who expects a harvest at time of sowing will fail in his
endeavors.
698. Which is better – to err and correct, if possible to
correct, or to do right in the beginning?
699. If one cannot find the time to do a thing properly, how will
he find time to do it otherwise?
700. Many are those who love deceitful mammon above God and do
not know it, but those who love the God of Truth rejoice in knowledge.
701. The environment witnesses and records all things for the
discerning and thoughtful investigator to discover.
702. Error to correction to perfection: that is the sum of the
purpose of the vanity of this world for man.
703. The foolishness and ignorance of the wicked is manifest to
all when they scoff and mock what is holy and true.
704. I am not afraid of vicious, barking dogs; I shoot them with
the gun of the Lord, which is my pen, and with bullets of truth
that no armor can withstand. They may drop dead immediately, or
scream and howl in anger and pain, even for a long time, or they
may quietly crawl away, but they die all the same. I seize the
property of their master, Beelzebub, who trains and sends them
against me. His time is up.
705. Each creature has its appointed station and time, whether
for good or for evil; God appoints all.
706. To confess Jesus Christ as Lord is to acknowledge Him as
supremely sovereign at all times over all things, both good and
evil.
707. A little wisdom does much good, and a little folly much harm.
708. As the mutants in I Am Legend, so the world is crazed
in the disease of religion, and cannot but despise the Antidote.
709. An evil man with much knowledge is as a hurricane of destruction,
but a little knowledge from a good man is as a breath of fresh
air.
710. Fools eat their fingers while they feed.
711. “I am unrighteous! I am unrighteous!” declares
the unbeliever, deeming himself justified by the confession, but
he will not obey.
712. Without a single eye, how great is the darkness, and the
less one sees, the more he presumes to see.
713. Righteousness will prevail so as to move the enemy to awe.
714. The simple will believe right words of a liar before believing
his fruits.
715. True words carry great force but how many live up to them?
716. The one thing man needs most he also hates most, and that
is to hear the truth about himself.
717. A close friend has the potential of being a most formidable
enemy and vice versa.
718. The more patient one is, the sooner will he receive his desire,
and the better the results.
719. Better to do nothing with thankfulness than to be able to
do everything with faith.
720. There was a time when it didn't matter what I did, I couldn't
win. Now no matter what I do, I can't lose.
721. There are those who suffer for righteousness’ sake
and reap reward, and there are those who suffer for their own righteousness’ sake
and are punished.
722. No matter how obedient a dog may be, how well groomed, how
many tricks it may perform, or how many awards it may have won,
when left to its own desire it will perform according to its nature
without pang of conscience. So it is with the religious.
723. There is no division of darkness until the light comes.
724. The heathen perish with every move they make, every word
they speak, and every breath they take. Their eyes see but they
see nothing, their ears hear but they hear nothing; they do not
understand that they comprehend nothing. Though they have knowledge,
they do not know what to do with it.
725. As a worm in an apple, so the fool enters knowledge and leaves
the better part behind.
726. As a beast with a book, so is a fool with knowledge. Wisdom
and understanding are far from him.
727. How will strangers and visitors hear in a household and
from whom will they learn if not from the preacher of the house?
And why are they there if not to hear and to learn?
728. Those who taste knowledge will have an appetite for
more, but the fool despises instruction.
729. A stranger comes to teach and to learn, whether he be a wise
man or a fool.
730. A wise man will learn from a fool though a fool has little
to give, and a fool will receive little though a wise man has
much to give.
731. Symmetry is two or more witnesses declaring and giving glory
to the Creator.
732. What is waste, if not a fool who will not listen
and learn?
733. One that heeds evil counsel destroys that which he possesses.
734. When goodness wields an axe, shelter, food and comfort are
provided; when evil takes hold, homes are destroyed with those
in them.
735. Harsh words do much evil and kind words much good, yet it
is up to the hearer to decide.
736. As Rechab and Baanah, so many presume to do good and please
the King of all the earth, but they only serve to anger Him and
incur His wrath.
737. A righteous man sees his own faults as well as those of others,
but the proud speak of their own virtues.
738. Wise men have much to learn, but fools are full and satisfied.
739. Excess in anything good becomes a burden and a lack; those
who are temperate will be satisfied presently.
740. How much is much and how soon is soon? What is too little
and too late? Are not all these things relative to one another?
741. Is it good for a man to leave earthly wealth behind for a
foolish heir? But if he gives wisdom and nothing else, his son
will do well.
742. Children of the lost perish, not knowing it, and those not
knowing evil do not appreciate the good they have.
743. Fortunate is the one who, having learned obedience through
suffering and sorrow, enters into rest and peace.
744. The wicked frets at the righteous and takes pleasure in his
hurt, but the righteous is set only on doing his enemy good.
745. How can one hold water in a sieve, and how shall a fool’s
ears retain wise words?
746. A wise man will receive rebuke but even approval is wasted
on a fool.
747. Trials and tribulations are ministers of God to bring precious
gifts of patience and wisdom. Having delivered their gifts, they
depart.
748. The Lord takes a wasted life, makes it new, abundantly fruitful,
and the waste is forgotten.
749. A missile lacks the strength to hit the mark if fired directly
at a distant target. So direct words spoken to a heart far from
Truth are wasted.
750. A wayward heart is as a moving target but the Lord knows
how to aim His Words.
751. False gods are dispensable – every one of them.
752. Lord God, thank You for a good bowel movement.
753. Expulsion of wastes compels to urgency moreso than taking
in more nutrition; so it is with laying aside the sin that so easily
besets one before receiving more of God.
754. One who seeks Truth has no preconditions; by this is known
the genuineness of hunger for Truth.
755. One who seeks Truth is given to pursue and to find.
756. In the sky, one has perspective and possibilities not possible
from the ground, but if he falls, even from a little distance,
better to have remained on the ground.
757. Truth hates those who hate It, and who can prevail against
Truth?
758. Those who hate Truth will hate the one who speaks Truth.
759. Precious metals are purified by fire, but dead branches and
stubble are destroyed by it. Therefore is the fire of God a friend
to some and an enemy to others.
760. As a man sees, so it is, and if he chooses to see as he ought,
it will go well for him.
761. To a worshipper of God, a billion dollars is of little value,
though he may have little, but to a worshipper of mammon, a nickel
is precious, though he may have much in this world’s goods.
762. Suspicion can be a faithful sentinel or a false accuser.
The wise will identify its true character before acting.
763. Better to humbly remain silent with nothing to say than to
open the mouth wide with less than nothing.
764. Hard materials require hard tools; so hard hearts call for
hard words.
765. There is man’s doctrine and there is God’s doctrine.
Man’s doctrine brings death, but God’s doctrine brings
life.
766. If you are about to drink, or are drinking, from a poisoned
well and I try to prevent you, why do you accuse me of wanting
you to die of thirst?
767. To reprove a fool or not to reprove a fool? Shall we suffer
the fool’s wrath for his sake or shall we go our way and
let him destroy himself?
768. Have encouragement in patience; take a look at nature and
see what grows quickly and what grows slowly.
769. Both swift and slow developments have a price. A cornstalk
needs less patience than does an apple tree, but a cornstalk
will soon fulfill its purpose and be gone, while an apple tree
will remain to serve for many years.
770. Devils are nice people and have many desirable traits; they
are friendly, warm, affectionate, loving, humorous, clever, knowledgeable,
polite, considerate, supportive, hard working, religious, dedicated
and even sacrificial, until they know they are not getting their
way or until they can get what they want without paying for it.
771. As the rising and setting of the sun are not instant, and
there is an overlapping of light and darkness, so with preparations
and transitions of God's work in a man’s heart.
772. Hell is the inability to believe and to receive and appreciate
good.
773. He who rejects the counsel of a prophet will have the messenger
of circumstance come, which will deal more firmly with him.
774. Deference to whom it is due is a thing disdained in this
world. Great is the wrath of the dragon in this last day, and woe
to his subjects who honor his ways.
775. The words of a righteous king go out with power, and nothing
can prevail against them. Though the people despise his words,
yet are his decrees established and all scorners shamed in the
end.
776. Those who fear God have nothing more to fear, but
those who do not fear Him have everything to fear.
777. All selfishness will be regretted but all good will be rewarded.
778. The first casualty of the deceiver is always the deceiver.
779. The mind open to all things despises the truth; the one having
received the truth discerns all things.
780. How is it that men can recognize wisdom, yet have no heart
for it? They perceive but are not willing to acknowledge its value;
if acknowledging, they are not prepared to pay the price.
781. The one who knows no boundaries knows no freedom but the
one who regards boundaries is free.
782. It is better to do good than to be treated well.
783. Beware of the one who insists on his being treated fairly.
His concern is more for his equity than for his neighbor’s.
784. In all things, Lord, grant us to be zealous and jealous for
You and not for ourselves.
785. Those who examine the record carefully will know the truth
and have the answer to the riddle.
786. To eat fruit before its time is not good, but fruit fully
ripened is enjoyable and satisfies.
787. The rich insulate themselves with the poor from trouble,
but in time the insulation becomes the trouble.
788. It does not take much salt to flavor the food because salt
is strong; so genuine faith goes a long way and accomplishes much.
789. Faith does not say, “I must change things so that they
will be better.” Faith says, “I see God at work, and
know that things are and will be as He determines.”
790. The proud fool sees God in nothing, thinking to be wise,
but the wise one sees God in everything, having been humbled.
791. To the wise, all things are made manifest, but to the fool,
all is obscure.
792. The evolutionist waits for his eyes to open by themselves,
and for food to come to his mouth without intervention.
793. Only fools think themselves wise, but the wise know they
have much to learn.
794. Dig deep, fool; study, travel, search far and wide to find
answers that are not there, so that you can explain away the answers
that surround and overcome you.
795. One who doesn’t have time for the little things doesn’t
know what the big things are.
796. One becomes servant to the influence he chooses.
797. A son will give his right hand for his father, and a father
will give his life for his son.
798. Seeking and indulging in pleasures is like eating sugar.
The taste is desirable, but it never satisfies and leaves one craving
for more.
799. As whitewash covers but does not change, so religion conceals
the corrupt nature while the corruption remains.
800. What is greatness to man but pride and strength and excellence
over his fellow man? What is greatness to God but a broken spirit
and a humbled heart?
801. Those who gather in this world store in bottomless pits,
but those who forsake this world’s good for right’s
sake and duty to God reap riches many times over.
802. None but the eye of faith has seen and none but the heeding
ear has heard the tremendous rewards even now stored up for those
who love God and do His commandments.
803. God works men to see if they will do His bidding, and when
they do, there is nothing He will withhold from them.
804. God is ready to assume full responsibility for the one wholly
committed to Him.
805. Man takes on the essence of that which he venerates.
806. Idols are not chosen for themselves but for the sake of those
who choose them.
807. To the wise, there is that which quenches thirst perfectly,
but fools choose to thirst instead.
808. Men live only to reap death; but to live, one must die.
809. There is a door that, after which a man passes through, closes
permanently; let him consider before he enters.
810. Sons and daughters receive the favor of God bestowed on their
fathers, but they must make good on their inheritance to continue
it, and if they do so, it will increase beyond that of their fathers.
811. A godly mother is a rare and precious treasure indeed, and
greatly blessed is the child with that mother.
812. There is little more painful than to be betrayed by the one
closest to the bosom, but the one who overcomes is multiplied in
blessing and strength so as to make it all worthwhile.
813. Wisdom is as a treasure hid away on a far island; only those
who leave all behind, forsaking their lives and loved ones, will
claim it.
814. Aches and pains come and go; so trials and tribulations are
for a determined time, until the purpose is accomplished.
815. The one who enjoys the small and simple things is free, unlike
the one who seeks great things for himself.
816. One who sees and believes will have his reward but not as
the one who takes God’s Word for it.
817. Storms rage and ravage, but they leave behind the possibility
for improvement beyond what was taken away.
818. What faith, simplicity, and freedom has the young child of
an unemployed and worried parent, but the Heavenly Father is neither
unemployed nor worried.
819. Birds sing because God sends them. He has fed them and given
them nests and young as their reward, and joy to sing again.
820. Only man can be an angel or a brute beast; only man can study
and choose right and wrong, yet God determines all things.
821. A guilty conscience resents exposure, but those doing right
are not afraid.
822. Peace, peace to the one whose God is the God of Israel, who
has His commandments and keeps them. He will prosper and live without
fear of evil, and nothing shall be impossible to him.
823. Disobeying God is where hell begins, and obeying Him is where
it ends.
824. Much knowledge and power without wisdom destroys, but a
little knowledge with wisdom does much good.
825. As a dog chasing its tail, so deceitful hearts search to
know themselves.
826. Every kind of bush and tree has its needful purpose; how
much more every kind of person. God has made them all.
827. There are fools who are like flies - unwelcome, unclean,
and unreasonable; though shooed away, they persist in nuisance
until they destroy themselves.
828. To flies, honey and dung are equally attractive; so fools
do not discriminate between truth and error.
829. We worry about tomorrow, because God has not provided for
tomorrow, because tomorrow isn’t here yet.
830. Is the man noble who doesn’t take vengeance on the
bee for stinging him when he knows the bee will die for the act
anyway?
831. “One world government! A New World Order!” people
cry in fear, not having faith in the One Who rules all things and
by Whom all things consist.