<p class="poetry">May your hand help me,p> <p class="poetry">for I choose to obey<n id="1" /> your precepts.p>

<p class="poetry">This will bring<n id="1" /> healing to your body,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and refreshment<n id="3" /> to your inner self.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Do not be one who strikes hands in pledgep> <p class="poetry">or who puts up security for debts.p>

<p class="poetry">May their camp become desolate,p> <p class="poetry">their tents uninhabited!<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">or a belt<n id="2" /> one wears continually!p>

<p class="poetry">Do not spend time<n id="1" /> among drunkards,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">among those who eat too much<n id="3" /> meat,p>

<p class="poetry">Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and do not deceive with your words.<n id="2" />p>

Do not let her be like a baby born dead, whose flesh is half-consumed when it comes out of its<n id="1" /> mother&#8217;s womb!&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Relent,<n id="1" /> let there be no falsehood;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">reconsider,<n id="3" /> for my righteousness is intact!<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">May you give support to the one you have chosen,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">to the one whom you raised up for yourself!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Do not be wise in your own estimation;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">fear the <sc>Lordsc> and turn away from evil.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">So do not be excessively righteous or excessively<n id="1" /> wise;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">otherwise<n id="3" /> you might<n id="4" /> be disappointed.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool;p> <p class="poetry">otherwise<n id="1" /> you might die before your time.p>

<p class="poetry">You too will act like drunkards;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you will go into hiding;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">you too will seek refuge from the enemy.p>

<p class="bodytext">Abram said to Lot, &#8220;Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives.<n id="1" />

They replied, &#8220;We could plainly see<n id="1" /> that the <sc>Lordsc> is with you. So we decided there should be<n id="2" /> a pact between us<n id="3" /> &#8211; between us<n id="4" /> and you. Allow us to make<n id="5" /> a treaty with you

Come, let&#8217;s sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let&#8217;s not lay a hand on him,<n id="1" /> for after all, he is our brother, our own flesh.&#8221; His brothers agreed.<n id="2" />

Her father said, &#8220;I really thought<n id="1" /> you absolutely despised<n id="2" /> her, so I gave her to your best man. Her younger sister is more attractive than she is. Take her instead!&#8221;<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">Come from far away and attack Babylonia!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Open up the places where she stores her grain!p> <p class="poetry">Pile her up in ruins!<n id="2" /> Destroy her completely!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Do not leave anyone alive!<n id="4" />p>

<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">Then Saul said to David, &#8220;Here&#8217;s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior<n id="2" /> for me and fight the battles of the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221; For Saul thought, &#8220;There&#8217;s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!&#8221;p>