Page 430 - Wisdom and Sound Advice from the Torah
P. 430
WISDOM AND SOUND ADVICE FROM THE TORAH
vest time is a trust wor thy mes sen ger to those who send him... Like
clouds and wind with out rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does
not give. Through pa tience a rul er can be per suad ed, and a gen tle
tongue can break hard ness... Like a club or a sword or a sharp ar -
row is the man who gives false tes ti mo ny against his neigh bor.
Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is re li ance on the un faith ful in times
of troub le... If your en e my is hun gry, give him food to eat; if he is
thirsty, give him wa ter to drink. In do ing this, you will heap burn -
ing coals on his head, and the Lord will re ward you... Like a mud -
died spring or a pol lut ed well is a right eous man who gives way
to the wick ed... Like a city whose walls are bro ken down is a man
who lacks self-con trol. (Proverbs, 25:11-28)
Like snow in sum mer or rain in har vest, hon or is not fit ting for a
fool... Do not an swer a fool ac cord ing to his fol ly, or you will be
like him your self. Answer a fool ac cord ing to his fol ly, or he will
be wise in his own eyes. Like cut ting off one's feet... is the send-
ing of a mes sage by the hand of a fool. Like a lame man's legs that
hang limp is a prov erb in the mouth of a fool. Like ty ing a stone
in a sling is the giv ing of hon or to a fool. Like a thorn bush in a
drunk ard's hand is a prov erb in the mouth of a fool... Do you see
a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than
for him... As a door turns on its hin ges, so a slug gard turns on his
bed. The slug gard bur ies his hand in the dish; he is too la zy to
bring it back to his mouth. The slug gard is wis er in his own eyes
than sev en men who an swer dis creet ly... Without wood a fire
goes out; with out gos sip a quar rel dies down. As char coal to em -
bers and as wood to fire, so is a quar rel some man for kin dling
strife... Like a coat ing of glaze over earth en ware are fer vent lips
with an evil heart. A ma li cious man dis guis es him self with his
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