Page 428 - Wisdom and Sound Advice from the Torah

WISDOM AND SOUND ADVICE FROM THE TORAH

writ ten thir ty say ings for you, say ings of coun sel and knowl edge,
teach ing you true and re li a ble words, so that you can give sound
an swers to Him Who sent you? Do not ex ploit the poor be cause
they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord
will take up their case... Do not make friends with a hot-tem pered
man, do not as so ci ate with one eas i ly an gered, or you may learn
his ways and get your self en snared. (Proverbs, 22:17-25)

Apply your heart to in struc tion and your ears to words of knowl-
edge. Do not with hold dis ci pline from a child... My son, if your
heart is wise, then my heart will be glad; my in most be ing will re -
joice when your lips speak what is right. Do not let your heart
en vy sin ners, but al ways be zeal ous for the fear of the Lord.
There is sure ly a fu ture hope for you, and your hope will not be

cut off. Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the
right path... do not de spise your moth er when she is old. Buy
the truth and do not sell it; get wis dom, dis ci pline and un der -
stand ing. The fa ther of a right eous man has great joy; he who has
a wise son de lights in him. (Proverbs, 23:12-24)

Do not en vy wick ed men, do not de sire their com pa ny; for their
hearts plot vi o lence, and their lips talk about mak ing troub le. By
wis dom a house is built, and through un der stand ing it is es tab -
lished; through knowl edge its rooms are filled with rare and
beau ti ful treas ures. A wise man has great pow er, and a man of
knowl edge in creas es strength... For vic to ry [you need] many ad -
vis ers... He who plots evil will be known as a schem er... men dis-

like a mock er. If you fal ter in times of troub le, how small is
your strength! Rescue those be ing led away to death; hold back
those stag ger ing to ward slaugh ter. If you say, "But we knew

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