Listen, my child, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right way.

Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes observe my ways;

The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A lion in the streets!”

A poor person who walks in his integrity is better than one who is perverse in his ways even though he is rich.

The one who walks blamelessly will be delivered, but whoever is perverse in his ways will fall at once.

An unjust person is an abomination to the righteous, and the one who lives an upright life is an abomination to the wicked.

Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which ruins kings.

I, I have spoken – yes, I have summoned him; I lead him and he will succeed.

I have seen their behavior, but I will heal them and give them rest, and I will once again console those who mourn.

The Lord said to me, “I have made you like a metal assayer to test my people like ore. You are to observe them and evaluate how they behave.”

I scattered them among the nations; they were dispersed throughout foreign countries. In accordance with their behavior and their deeds I judged them.

Then he brought me to the gate that faced toward the east.

So I will pounce on them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk by the path.

“Moreover, the Lord who rules over all says: ‘Pay close attention to these things also.

And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road.

He led me out by way of the north gate and brought me around the outside of the outer gate that faces toward the east; I noticed that the water was trickling out from the south side.

The Lord’s angel found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert – the spring that is along the road to Shur.

Silently the man watched her with interest to determine if the Lord had made his journey successful or not.

But he said to them, “Don’t detain me – the Lord has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return to my master.”

Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.”