“Indeed, I am completely unworthy ¹  – how could I reply to you? I put ²  my hand over my mouth to silence myself. ³ 

They are of greater value ¹  than gold, than even a great amount of pure gold; they bring greater delight ²  than honey, than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb.

Charm is deceitful ¹  and beauty is fleeting, ²  but a woman who fears the Lord ³  will be praised.

For wisdom provides ¹  protection, ²  just as ³  money provides protection. ⁴  But the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves the life ⁵  of its owner.

If an iron axhead ¹  is blunt and a workman ²  does not sharpen ³  its edge, ⁴  he must exert a great deal of effort; ⁵  so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

א (Alef) ¹ Alas! ²  Gold has lost its luster; ³  pure gold loses value. ⁴  Jewels ⁵  are scattered on every street corner. ⁶ 

Violence ¹  has grown into a staff that supports wickedness. Not one of them will be left ²  – not from their crowd, not from their wealth, not from their prominence. ³ 

Ephraim will be like a bird; what they value ¹  will fly away. They will not bear children – they will not enjoy pregnancy – they will not even conceive! ² 

You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. ¹  You say, “Did we not conquer Karnaim ²  by our own power?”

“But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings ¹  despicable.

Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? ¹  Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ² 

After ¹  they arrived in Capernaum, ²  the collectors of the temple tax ³  came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?”

He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff ¹  – no bread, no bag, ²  no money in their belts –

It is of no value ¹  for the soil or for the manure pile; it is to be thrown out. ²  The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” ³ 

The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no help! ¹  The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. ² 

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, ¹  and no one can snatch ²  them from my Father’s hand.

For if they become heirs by the law, faith is empty and the promise is nullified. ¹ 

Not that we are adequate ¹  in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy ²  is from God,

so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,

Remind people ¹  of these things and solemnly charge them ²  before the Lord ³  not to wrangle over words. This is of no benefit; it just brings ruin on those who listen. ⁴