<p class="poetry">Carrying out a wicked scheme<n id="1" /> is enjoyable<n id="2" /> to a fool,p> <p class="poetry">and so is wisdom for the one who has discernment.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Doing wickedness<n id="1" /> is an abomination to kings,p> <p class="poetry">because a throne<n id="2" /> is established in righteousness.p>

<p class="poetry">Doing<n id="1" /> justice brings<n id="2" /> joy to the righteousp> <p class="poetry">and terror<n id="3" /> to those who do evil.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">This is the account<n id="1" /> of the heavens andp> <p class="bodytext">the earth<n id="2" /> when they were created &#8211; when the <sc>Lordsc> God<n id="3" /> made the earth and heavens.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;They do not know how to do what is right.&#8221; (The <sc>Lordsc> is speaking.)p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;They store up<n id="1" /> the spoils of destructive violence<n id="2" /> in their fortresses.p>

You must obey my charge to not practice any of the abominable statutes<n id="1" /> that have been done before you, so that you do not<n id="2" /> defile yourselves by them. I am the <sc>Lordsc> your God.&#8217;&#8221;p>

if you reject my statutes and abhor my regulations so that you do not keep<n id="1" /> all my commandments and you break my covenant &#8211;

<p class="poetry">For he never bothered to show kindness;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he harassed the oppressed and needy,p> <p class="poetry">and killed the disheartened.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">There is no end to the making<n id="2" /> of many books,p> <p class="poetry">and much study is exhausting to the body.<n id="3" />p>

From the abundance of milk they produce,<n id="1" /> he will have sour milk for his meals. Indeed, everyone left in the heart of the land will eat sour milk and honey.

Then you come and stand in my presence in this temple I have claimed as my own<n id="1" /> and say, &#8220;We are safe!&#8221; You think you are so safe that you go on doing all those hateful sins!<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: &#8216;Edom<n id="1" /> has taken vengeance against the house of Judah; they have made themselves fully culpable<n id="2" /> by taking vengeance<n id="3" /> on them.<n id="4" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: &#8216;The Philistines<n id="1" /> have exacted merciless revenge,<n id="2" /> showing intense scorn<n id="3" /> in their effort to destroy Judah<n id="4" /> with unrelenting hostility.<n id="5" />

He<n id="1" /> returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life,<n id="2" /> committing no iniquity. He will certainly live &#8211; he will not die.

It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?&#8221;<n id="1" /> When he said this, they calmed down.<n id="2" />p>

They rejected his rules, the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and the laws he had commanded them to obey.<n id="1" /> They paid allegiance to<n id="2" /> worthless idols, and so became worthless to the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="3" /> They copied the practices of the surrounding nations in blatant disregard of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s command.<n id="4" />

<p class="poetry">You must<n id="1" /> observe the Sabbath<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">rather than doing anything you please on my holy day.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">You must look forward to the Sabbath<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and treat the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s holy day with respect.<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities,p> <p class="poetry">and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals.<n id="6" />p>

The <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" /> &#8216;You must make sure to obey me. You must not bring any loads through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day. You must set the Sabbath day apart to me. You must not do any work on that day.

<p class="poetry">He has told you, O man, what is good,p> <p class="poetry">and what the <sc>Lordsc> really wants from you:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">He wants you to<n id="2" /> promote<n id="3" /> justice, to be faithful,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and to live obediently before<n id="5" /> your God.p>

So now take<n id="1" /> seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede<n id="2" /> for you, and I will respect him,<n id="3" /> so that I do not deal with you<n id="4" /> according to your folly,<n id="5" /> because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.&#8221;<n id="6" />p>