Needing the Bible ... Reading the Bible ... Heeding the Bible

It concerns me that the Bible goes unheeded in contemporary society. Is it any wonder when so few actually read the Bible? Perhaps too many have become convinced that they do not need the Bible. If we consider the Bible to be the Word of God, then we must commit ourselves to letting others know their need for the Bible, to teach them to read the Bible, and to come alongside them in helping them heed the Bible

THE MYSTERY OF HOLY SABBATH DAY

The day between death and resurrection
(after Friday, before Sunday)

God’s great Sabbath rest is revealed
in the mystery of this Holy Sabbath Day.
The mystery of the tomb is stated
in the crucial death of Jesus Christ.
As his body remained lying in the tomb,
Christ himself, between death and life,
having fulfilled our salvation on the cross,
descended into hell, his very death
bringing life to the cosmic whole.
Death met life
in the perfect person of Jesus Christ.

Our own baptism let us be buried with Him.
How has it been that some of us remain entombed,
wandering about in the shades of hell?
Did Christ go down into the depth of death in vain?
Did not the dead all hear the voice of God’s Son?
Would not those who heard then live?
The Author of Life, holding the keys of death,
by dying, destroyed that wicked one who failed
to keep his usurped hold on the power of death!
With death destroyed , we have been delivered,
delighted to live free from lifelong bondage.

Great silence reigns this Holy Sabbath Day,
a sacred stillness signifying our Savior’s sleep.
We wait and pray, listening for Him to speak again.
Set free from sorrow, we see great light,
far from death’s dark shadow,
up from the grave-pit of sin’s captivity.
“Awake, O sleeper!” The call has come!
Would that we have ears to hear God’s Son.

MOTHER'S SON

a meditation for Good Friday, 20210

I stood by the cross.

There were others there, but only one with me,

the one my son loved.

I heard my son speak

(how could he even breathe, let alone say a word?)

“Woman, behold, your son.”

And again he spoke,

this time to the one he loved,

“Behold, your mother.”

How may I be another’s mother

when the son who is my very own

will die?

Simeon had blessed me with my husband when he found us in the temple long ago. The words he spoke revealed so much, to hear his words amazed us! He took our son into his arms and, blessing God, spoke aloud with joy, “Now, Master, may you let your servant go in peace, according to your Word, For my eyes have seen salvation that is come from you, a sight prepared to be seen by so many others here in Israel, if only they weren’t blind; even others beyond our borders can be enlightened by the glory of your son.”

My son still in his arms, Simeon turned to me to say one final word of prophecy, “Behold this child,” Simeon stared right at me with my son held high, “his destiny lies with the fall and rise of many in Israel and …” (he then spoke a word to me) “so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed,you yourself a sword will pierce” (that word resounded time and time again, up ‘til today as it thunders loudly like the storm I see about to break).

“Son, why have you done this to us?” This I said to him way back when he had seemed to wander off, and made me and his father greatly anxious. When that once we found him among teachers in the temple, my son said simply, “Why were you looking for me?” He asked us why, as though it should have been obvious to us, (even though it never was), “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?”

We did not understand what he said to us, not then, nor do I now, except I have continually kept these things, everything my son has said, and I keep pondering all of them in my sword-pierced heart.

“Do not be afraid,” the angel said, to me and to my husband, and to the shepherds, who were blessed to hear the message of my son. “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” All who heard this message of great joy were greatly amazed, and me as much as them! This message of my son was meant to bring great joy, and all this time I have kept these things, pondering them, reflecting on them in my heart.

Some people demand some proof on which to firmly fix their faith. For me it was the proof that made demands, proof so passionate it could not be denied. My body bore this very proof, now here I am in the process of being proven myself.

My son, my son, my own amazing joy!

What place can ever be home

without you there?

All I have left

is to devote myself to prayer.

CROSS TALK

... the other answered,

" ...we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds;

but this man has done nothing wrong.

.... Jesus, remember me

when You come in Your kingdom!"

CROSS TALK

(by Craig Tavani, copyright 2007)

[Two players, enter, cross UC, and stand facing cross hanging on back wall of stage. After 5 beats, both cross downstage to their respective places, one on the right of the cross. the other on the left.

(see EPILOGUE below)]

DEXTER: Can you see the Garden from here? [Pause.]
LEFTY: What?
DEXTER: Can you see the Garden
LEFTY: I see nothing.
DEXTER: I thought I would be able to see it from here.
LEFTY: If you saw it, how would you know it was the Garden?
DEXTER: I’m sure I would recognize the Tree in the middle.
LEFTY: Which one? There were two, weren’t there?
DEXTER: I don’t know.
LEFTY: In fact, there were more than two.
DEXTER: How many?
LEFTY: I don’t know – many more!
DEXTER: All I care about is the one in the middle.
LEFTY: All I care about is the one on which I hang.
DEXTER: Right.
LEFTY: What else is left?
DEXTER: What else?
LEFTY: Nothing.
DEXTER: Right.
LEFTY: Damn right. [Pause.]
DEXTER: How long will it be?
LEFTY: Too damn long.
DEXTER: Not long enough. [Pause.]
LEFTY: Is anything else going to happen?
DEXTER: I don’t know. [Pause.]
LEFTY: What do you see?
DEXTER: They’re doing something.
LEFTY: What?
DEXTER: I don’t know. [Pause.]
LEFTY: I hate this.
DEXTER: So do I. [Pause.]
LEFTY: What do you care about the Garden?
DEXTER: What do you mean?
LEFTY: Why is the Garden so important?
DEXTER: I don’t remember.
LEFTY: I never listened.
DEXTER: You should have.
LEFTY: All lies.
DEXTER: How do you know?
LEFTY: You live, then you die.
DEXTER: So?
LEFTY: That’s life. That’s it.
DEXTER: Maybe.
LEFTY: That’s the truth.
DEXTER: What do you know?
LEFTY: I know lies.
DEXTER: No argument there.
LEFTY: No tree growing in any Garden gives life.
DEXTER: How do you know?
LEFTY: I can tell the difference.
DEXTER: What?
LEFTY: Shut up.
DEXTER: You shut up.
LEFTY: Idiot!
DEXTER: Fool! [Pause.]
LEFTY: I hate this cursed tree.
DEXTER: Do you not even fear God?
LEFTY: We are being crucified!
DEXTER: We are being crucified with Christ …
LEFTY: Jesus …
DEXTER: Is that not enough?
LEFTY: I no longer live.
DEXTER: But Christ lives …
LEFTY: You fool! Who bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus is being crucified!
DEXTER: Have we suffered for nothing – if it really was for nothing?
LEFTY: It is written, is it not? Whoever hangs on a tree is cursed! [Pause.]
DEXTER: We might have received what was promised.
LEFTY: What was promised?
DEXTER: I don’t know. [Pause.]
LEFTY: This whole world is in prison.
DEXTER: The Law has us all locked up.
LEFTY: The Law led us straight here.
DEXTER: Yes.
LEFTY: To be crucified with Christ.
DEXTER: Right.
LEFTY: What is left?
DEXTER: We might be justified.
LEFTY: What? [Pause.]
DEXTER: I am still alive.
LEFTY: You are about to die.
DEXTER: We will die.
LEFTY: He will die.
DEXTER: He lives. [Pause.]
LEFTY: You immerse yourself in what you imagine to be true.
DEXTER: You are blind to what is portrayed before you.
LEFTY: You were locked up like the rest of us and then led here to die.
DEXTER: I see that.
LEFTY: You see nothing.
DEXTER: I see you are blind. I see He is still alive. [Pause.]
LEFTY: You hang there suffering.
DEXTER: Right.
LEFTY: All is lost. All you have left is to die.
DEXTER: Right.
LEFTY: What gain is there in sharing in His suffering?
DEXTER: I don’t know. [Pause.]
LEFTY: I consider it all rubbish.
DEXTER: I want to know what is right.
LEFTY: What is wrong with you? Everything is lost!
DEXTER: I want to know …
LEFTY: Rubbish!
DEXTER: Somehow, if I press on …
LEFTY: You have forgotten what is left behind.
DEXTER: I am straining toward what is ahead.
LEFTY: What is ahead? Consider that.
DEXTER: He is here and we are about to die. [Pause.]
LEFTY: He is supposed to be the promised one? HA! It is crazy to think that
this crucified Christ can come down from the cross himself, let alone save us!
DEXTER: If he did, we may see and believe. [Pause.]
LEFTY: Are you not the Christ? [Pause.] Save yourself and us! [Pause.]
DEXTER: We are justly condemned.
LEFTY: We are being punished.
DEXTER: Right. We are just getting what our deeds deserve.
LEFTY: Damn it! Shut up, will you?
DEXTER: But this man …
LEFTY: Shut up!
DEXTER: … this man has done nothing wrong.
LEFTY: I said shut UP!
DEXTER: Jesus …
LEFTY: Shut up!
DEXTER: Jesus …
LEFTY: Do you know what you are doing?
DEXTER: Jesus, when you come into your kingdom …
LEFTY: What kingdom?
DEXTER: Remember me …
LEFTY: Tell the truth – today you will die.
DEXTER: He tells the truth – I believe Him.
LEFTY: I believe you are crazy. [Pause.]
DEXTER: I believe I see the Garden now. [Pause.]
LEFTY: He commits Himself to death.
DEXTER: He gave up His last breath. [Pause.]
LEFTY: I guess this “Son of God” can now find out what His Father’s face looks like!
DEXTER: I see so much more … [Pause.]
LEFTY: I see soldiers standing by to stab us, ready to break our legs …
DEXTER: Right.
LEFTY: What is left is for us to die. [Pause.]
DEXTER: I see the Garden now. [Pause.] I recognize the Tree.

CURTAIN.

READER 1: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

READER 2: You fools! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

READER 1: Have you suffered for nothing – if it really was for nothing? Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law
by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

READER 2: He redeemed us in order that … by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

READER 1: The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised,
being given by faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

READER 2: Before this faith came, we were held prisoners of the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. To the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified through faith.

READER 1: You are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ,

READER 2: for all you being baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

PLAYER A: CROSS TALK explores both the explicit narrative descriptions and the implicit assumptive speculations
regarding the Christ’s crucifixion.

PLAYER B: During the course of playing out this living portrait, traditional prejudiced perspectives are overturned

PLAYER A: (dexterity is not a moral virtue, for example, nor is being on the left sinister).

PLAYER B: Imagine the two criminals who were literally “crucified with Christ” meeting in the middle to find true character revealed in relation to the centrality of the Savior, whose presence overwhelms the petty persona each actor put on prior to participating with one another in presenting the singular story of God reconciling Himself to us
in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

READER 1: Folks, join with others in following my example, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

READER 2: I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings,
becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

READER 1: Folks, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

READER 2: All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.

READER 1: And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

READER 2: Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

EPILOGUE

READER 1: There they crucified Him. And with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.

PLAYER A: What new perspective might one have if one looks at the Passion of Jesus through the eyes of those two chance companions of Christ’s crucifixion?

PLAYER B: With Jesus at his crucifixion were two men, both criminals, each suffering execution on crosses of their own.

PLAYER A: The scene is depicted imaginatively on the altar triptych in Hannover’s Marktkirche. Whereas other artistic renderings of the crucifixion have the two visually overwhelmed by strong focus on the deservedly central figure of Jesus Christ, the Marktkirche artist chose to emphasize as well the two who hung alongside Jesus, their positions on their respective crosses portrayed with detailed care:

PLAYER B: While the dying Jesus is shown nailed to his cross in accordance with all the Gospels, the other two hang from each of their crosses merely by their arms draped back over the tau-shaped cross-pieces – the thief on the left looks down contemptuously at all those gathered around the cross, but the one on the right of Jesus, his head tilted toward heaven, directs his attention to Christ himself.

PLAYER A: One gazing at the scene is provoked to creatively reconsider the event as recorded in the words of the four Gospel writers.

PLAYER B: The possibility of exploring the whole event in a dramatic presentation performed during the Paschal season is worth the attempt to do so.

[Players exit.]

Further FOLLY with WISDOM on the side from FACEBOOK

Craig Tavani ... wise enough to play the fool?

April 1st at 12:25am

Craig Tavani

I turned my mind to understand, to investigate, to search out wisdom and the scheme of things. I turned my mind to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly. Applying myself to the understanding of wisdom as well as of madness and folly, I learned that this is a chasing after the wind.

Today at 12:26am ·

Nick Tavani

The fool hath said in his heart "There is no God".

11 hours ago ·

Craig Tavani

I am a fool for Christ; whose fool are you?

11 hours ago ·

Nick Tavani

"Do not answer a fool according to his follly"

11 hours ago ·

Craig Tavani

ME: You may think I am a fool and so I am. I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness.
YOU: But, we are already doing that.
ME: You, however, are looking only on the surface of things.
YOU: Some here are saying, as wordy as you are, you really are unimpressive in person;even if you are Lazarus, all your talk doesn’t amount to much.
ME: I may not be a trained speaker, but I do know what is what. Don’t deceive yourselves: If anyone of you think you are wise,by what standard are you making such judgment?
If by the standards of this age, then you, too, should become a “fool” so that you may become wise! The wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.
YOU: So what are you doing here? It surely looks like some boastful masquerade.
ME: What I am doing here is not intended to be some boastful masquerade. I make no deceitful claims; this is no mere act. Let no one take me for a fool.
YOU: It’s way too later for that.
ME: But if you do, then receive me just as you would a fool,
so that I may do a little boasting myself.
YOU: You’re starting to sound a bit worldly as well as wordy.
ME: Since so many out there are boasting in the way the world does, I’ll boast, too.
YOU: You expect us to put up with that?
ME: You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!
In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. To my shame I admit that I am too weak for that!
YOU: Point well taken.
ME: Yet, what anyone else dares to boast about – I am speaking as a fool –
I also dare to boast about.
YOU: Do you know what you are up against?
ME: Whatever they say they are, I am more.
YOU: You’re out of your mind!
ME: I am out of my mind to talk like this.
YOU: But look what they have going for them.
ME: Are they servants of Christ? Are they “Christ’s ambassadors”? I am.
[breaking into song.]
We are Christ’s ambassadors, and our colors we will unfurl.
We all wear a spotless robe, clean and righteous before the world. We know we’ve been cleansed from sin, and that Jesus dwells within. Proving duly that we’re truly, Christ’s ambassadors! Proving duly (slap knees, snap fingers, clap hands) that we’re truly (repeat slap, snap, clap), Christ’s ambassa -, Christ’s ambassa-, Chri-i-i-i-st’s am-bas-sa-do-o-o-o-rs! [Pause for applause … or not.]
YOU: So, what else can we expect from a true ambassador of Christ?
ME: You can expect me to be BOLD, … especially toward those people who think it’s fine to live by the standards of this world.
YOU: Don’t forget that you still live in this world.
ME: However, just because I live in this world, I don’t go about waging war as the world does. No, the “weapons” with which I fight are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, I have the power to demolish strongholds! I demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God; I take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
[Pause]
In this self-confident boasting, I know I don’t sound like one following the true way …
YOU: You sound like a fool.
ME: If I sound like a fool, so be it. And do you know why?
YOU: Because you are a fool?
ME: No! Because of the Gospel message! The message of the cross!
YOU: So that’s your excuse?
ME: The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. God was pleased through the foolishness of the gospel to save those who believe, since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom cannot know him.
YOU: You are beginning to sound a bit ant-intellectual.
ME: Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? Did not God say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, the intelligence of the intelligent will I frustrate”?
YOU: What about those who came here expecting to be shown something?
ME: Some of you may demand something spectacular, some demand a witty show of wise words. But what I have to say is simply this: death is overcome through Jesus Christ.
YOU: That sounds simple enough.
ME: This simple message is a stumbling block to those demanding miracles,
foolishness to those wanting wisdom.
YOU: But what is it to us?
ME: To those of us whom God has called, just as Jesus called me from the grave,
Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
YOU: That’s not fooling around!
ME: Indeed – for the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
YOU: So we go around looking like weak fools and that’s supposed to be good news?
ME: It is good news, because in our weakness God is strong.
YOU: And we end up troubled on every side!
ME: Yet not distressed.
YOU: We become perplexed!
ME: But not in despair.
YOU: We’ll be persecuted!
ME: But not forsaken.
YOU: Cast down!
ME: But not destroyed.
No, while we live we can expect to always face death for Jesus’ sake,so that the life of Jesus might be manifested in our own mortality.
I know that, just as the Lord Jesus raised me from the dead,
God raised Jesus after dying on the cross, and so shall all who receive His Spirit be raised up in the Resurrection.
YOU: So folly and death becomes a daily part of life?
ME: It already has. Now, however, because of the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, instead of expecting deadly folly,everyone of us can fully experience His Resurrection as a Way of Life.
[singing]
I am the resurrection and the life.
He that believeth in me though he were dead,
Yet shall he live, yet shall he live;
For whosoever liveth and believeth in me
Shall never, never die!

[Pause.]
Do you believe this?
[exit.]

PAUL [1 Corinthians 1:18-31]:
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. … Consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen,the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,so that no man may boast before God.
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,so that, just as it is written,
"LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."

10 hours ago ·

WISDOM & FOLLY from FACEBOOK

Craig Tavani ... went out. And it was night.

Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified,
"I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."
His disciples stared at one another,
at a loss to know which of them he meant.
One of them,
the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.
Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said,
"Ask him which one he means."
Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him,
"Lord, who is it?"
Jesus answered,
"It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread
when I have dipped it in the dish."
Then, dipping the piece of bread,
he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.
As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
"What you are about to do, do quickly,"
Jesus told him,
but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.
Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought
Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast,
or to give something to the poor.
As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out.
And it was night.

about an hour ago ·

Craig Tavani

"Surely not I, Lord?"

about an hour ago ·

Now …
when evening came,
Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.
As they were eating, He said,
"Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me."
Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him,
"Surely not I, Lord?"

What a strange form of question!
A negative answer seems not only hopefully expected,
but fervently requested.
The disciples each appear to plea,
“Please, Lord, assure me of my faithfulness!”
Such sad disbelief!
The deep sense of vulnerability surrounding this question
was tragically exposed as true in the last hours of Jesus’ life.
No disciple of Jesus was much of a model for faithfulness.
Each disciple failed in some way to follow faithfully.
Judas betrayed Jesus.
Peter, having boldly boasted with such bravado
about his fervent faithfulness,
denied knowing his Lord three times.
Not one of the Twelve even attended to Jesus’ body
after the crucifixion!
All of them had fled from the Garden of Gethsamane,
finding out just how foolish it was to base their faith
on the false foundation of their own fickle fortitude.
These fallen followers had yet to realize their utter need
for the fullness of the Spirit.

"Surely not I?"
Was this a faithful question … or a foolish boast?

“Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.”
Amen.

Nick Tavani

A most thoughful and provocative commentary worthy of this night.

Craig Tavani

This was written as the beginning of a presentation I wrote for the theatre troupe, DRAMATICA, to be performed at the Church of the Good Samaritan during the Maundy Thursday service this evening, which happened to fall on April 1st of 2010 – April Fool’s Day!
(go to http://symethics.blogspot.com/2010/03/surely-not-i.html for the whole proposed presentation)

Much more comes between the question, "Was this a faithful question or a foolish boast" and "Surely God is my salvation." In fact, most of it appears as the dialogue I posted to the thread of my previous status as though between ME and YOU. The lines for ME in the MAUNDY THURSDAY presentation belonged to a CLOWN character who claims to be Lazarus, the same person raised from the dead by Jesus.

Prior to his death recorded in the Bible, Lazarus may well have been quite a serious person. After being raised, however, might his perspective have been greatly tempered by a hilarious sense of humor? Though he seriously reveres the truth of what he proclaims, the hilarity of his proclamation may seem irreverent to those who hear and see him.

Imagine that, after Jesus called him out of the grave, Lazarus never died, but lived on and on through century after century. Adjusting to changing times, Laz’s way of survival may have been to play the part of the fool, associating with other clowns, jesters, and troupes of traveling actors in every period of history since the time of Christ. This would imitate the reputation Jesus had himself, who was said to eat with publicans and sinners, just the type of folk reputed to fool around in theatre!

For another take on LAZARUS after Jesus raised him from the dead, see Eugene O'Neill's very interesting play, LAZARUS LAUGHED. Here is an excerpt from the first scene in which a guest is telling what he saw at the tomb:

"I helped pry away the stone so I was right beside him. I found myself kneeling, but between my fingers I watched Jesus and Lazarus. Jesus looked into his face for what seemed a long time and suddenly Lazarus said 'Yes' as if he were answering a question in Jesus' eyes. ... Then Jesus smiled sadly but with tenderness, as one who from a distance of years of sorrow remembers happiness. And then Lazarus knelt and kissed Jesus' feet and both of them smiled and Jesus blessed him and called him 'My Brother' and went away; and Lazarus, looking after Him, began to laugh softly like a man in love with God. Such a laugh I never heard! It made my ears drunk! It was like wine! And though I was half-dead with fright I found myself laughing, too!"

Fool of Wisdom

MOROSOPHIA

(foolosophy: foolish wisdom of God)

This fellow's wise enough

to play the fool.

TWELFTH NIGHT, IIIi:61

I turned my mind to understand,

to investigate,

to search out

wisdom

and the scheme of things.

I turned my mind to understand
the stupidity of wickedness and
the madness of folly.

Applying myself to the understanding of wisdom

as well as of madness and folly,

I learned that
this is a chasing after the wind.

My mind still guiding me with "wisdom,"
I tried cheering myself with wine,
and embracing folly.
Loose laughter, however, is foolish.
What does such pleasure accomplish?

wisdom.

OUTWEIGHS

A little folly

Was ever one wiser than one's own weak wit?

Why would one ever dare to think, "Try it?"

When one's world is found empty,
God's word proves itself full.

Was one ever so wise to not fail as a fool?

There is more hope for a fool

than one wise in one's own eyes.

A proverb in the mouth of a fool

hangs limp.

Answer not a fool according to his folly

lest you become

like a fool yourself.

Answer a fool according to his folly

lest, in his own eyes,

he become wise.

Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning

and

even among fools

she lets herself be known.

Folly is loud

undisciplined

without knowledge.

Sitting at the highest point in the city,

Folly calls out to those who pass by:

"Let all who are simple come here! "

To all who lack judgment,

Folly says,

"Stolen water is sweet;

food eaten in secret is delicious!"

But little do they know

that the dead are there;

the guests of Folly

are in the depths of the grave.

The wise in heart accept commands,

but a chattering fool

comes to ruin.

The wise store up knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool

invites ruin.

Whoever conceals one's hatred

has lying lips,

and whoever spreads slander

is a fool.

The lips of the righteous nourish many,

but fools die for lack of judgment.

The one who brings trouble on one's family

will inherit the wind,

and the fool will be servant to the wise.

The way of a fool

seems right to him,

but a wise man listens to advice.

A fool shows his annoyance at once,

but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself,

but the hearts of fools blurt out folly.

Every prudent man acts out of knowledge,

but a fool exposes his folly.

A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

but fools detest turning from evil.

He who walks with the wise grows wise,

but a companion of fools suffers harm.

The wise woman builds her house,

but with her own hands

the foolish one tears her house down.

A fool's talk brings a rod to his back,

but the lips of the wise protect them.

Stay away from a foolish man,

for you will not find knowledge

on his lips.

The wisdom of the prudent

is to give thought to their ways,

but the folly of fools is deception.

Fools mock at making amends for sin,

but good will is found among the upright.

Even in laughter the heart may ache

and joy may end in grief.

A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil,

but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.

The simple inherit folly,

but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

The wealth of the wise is their crown,

but

the folly of fools yields folly.

A patient man has great understanding,

but a quick-tempered man displays folly.

A fool spurns his father's discipline,

but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge;

not so the hearts of fools.

Death and Destruction lie open to the LORD

- how much more the hearts of men!

The discerning heart seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

Folly delights one who lacks judgment,

but a man of understanding keeps a straight course.

Understanding is a fountain of life

to those who have it,

but folly brings punishment to fools.

For a fool

HONOR

is unfitting.

A longing fulfilled

is sweet to the soul,

yet the fool is determined

to return to his folly.