# verses

book: Prov
contenido:
It is better to be an ordinary person working for a living than to play the part of someone great but go hungry.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you are lazy, you will never get what you are after, but if you work hard, you will get a fortune.


book: Prov
contenido:
Wise children pay attention when their parents correct them, but arrogant people never admit they are wrong.


book: Prov
contenido:
Good people will be rewarded for what they say, but those who are deceitful are hungry for violence.


book: Prov
contenido:
No matter how much a lazy person may want something, he will never get it. A hard worker will get everything he wants.


book: Prov
contenido:
The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. The harder it is to earn, the more you will have.


book: Prov
contenido:
The teachings of the wise are a fountain of life; they will help you escape when your life is in danger.


book: Prov
contenido:
Someone who will not learn will be poor and disgraced. Anyone who listens to correction is respected.


book: Prov
contenido:
Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.


book: Prov
contenido:
Good people will have wealth to leave to their grandchildren, but the wealth of sinners will go to the righteous.


book: Prov
contenido:
Unused fields could yield plenty of food for the poor, but unjust people keep them from being farmed.


book: Prov
contenido:
Be honest and you show that you have reverence for the Lord; be dishonest and you show that you do not.


book: Prov
contenido:
Why is a clever person wise? Because he knows what to do. Why is a stupid person foolish? Because he only thinks he knows.


book: Prov
contenido:
Sensible people are careful to stay out of trouble, but stupid people are careless and act too quickly.


book: Prov
contenido:
You will earn the trust and respect of others if you work for good; if you work for evil, you are making a mistake.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them; but kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship.


book: Prov
contenido:
Wicked people bring about their own downfall by their evil deeds, but good people are protected by their integrity.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you do what is wrong, you will be severely punished; you will die if you do not let yourself be corrected.


book: Prov
contenido:
Not even the world of the dead can keep the Lord from knowing what is there; how then can we hide our thoughts from God?


book: Prov
contenido:
If you are lazy, you will meet difficulty everywhere, but if you are honest, you will have no trouble.


book: Prov
contenido:
Try to make a profit dishonestly, and you get your family in trouble. Don't take bribes and you will live longer.


book: Prov
contenido:
Reverence for the Lord is an education in itself. You must be humble before you can ever receive honors.


book: Prov
contenido:
Be loyal and faithful, and God will forgive your sin. Obey the Lord and nothing evil will happen to you.


book: Prov
contenido:
Those who are good travel a road that avoids evil; so watch where you are going—it may save your life.


book: Prov
contenido:
It is better to be humble and stay poor than to be one of the arrogant and get a share of their loot.


book: Prov
contenido:
Pay attention to what you are taught, and you will be successful; trust in the Lord and you will be happy.


book: Prov
contenido:
A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is.


book: Prov
contenido:
It is better to be patient than powerful. It is better to win control over yourself than over whole cities.


book: Prov
contenido:
Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than have a banquet in a house full of trouble.


book: Prov
contenido:
A shrewd servant will gain authority over a master's worthless son and receive a part of the inheritance.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you make fun of poor people, you insult the God who made them. You will be punished if you take pleasure in someone's misfortune.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you want people to like you, forgive them when they wrong you. Remembering wrongs can break up a friendship.


book: Prov
contenido:
An intelligent person learns more from one rebuke than a fool learns from being beaten a hundred times.


book: Prov
contenido:
It is better to meet a mother bear robbed of her cubs than to meet some fool busy with a stupid project.


book: Prov
contenido:
It is not right to make an innocent person pay a fine; justice is perverted when good people are punished.


book: Prov
contenido:
After all, even fools may be thought wise and intelligent if they stay quiet and keep their mouths shut.


book: Prov
contenido:
People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right.


book: Prov
contenido:
A fool does not care whether he understands a thing or not; all he wants to do is show how smart he is.


book: Prov
contenido:
Rich people, however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls around a city.


book: Prov
contenido:
Help your relatives and they will protect you like a strong city wall, but if you quarrel with them, they will close their doors to you.


book: Prov
contenido:
Everyone tries to gain the favor of important people; everyone claims the friendship of those who give out favors.


book: Prov
contenido:
Even the relatives of a poor person have no use for him; no wonder he has no friends. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot win any.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you are sensible, you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it.


book: Prov
contenido:
A man can inherit a house and money from his parents, but only the Lord can give him a sensible wife.


book: Prov
contenido:
Discipline your children while they are young enough to learn. If you don't, you are helping them destroy themselves.


book: Prov
contenido:
If someone has a hot temper, let him take the consequences. If you get him out of trouble once, you will have to do it again.


book: Prov
contenido:
Arrogance should be punished, so that people who don't know any better can learn a lesson. If you are wise, you will learn when you are corrected.


book: Prov
contenido:
Only a shameful, disgraceful person would mistreat his father or turn his mother away from his home.


book: Prov
contenido:
There is no justice where a witness is determined to hurt someone. Wicked people love the taste of evil.


book: Prov
contenido:
The customer always complains that the price is too high, but then he goes off and brags about the bargain he got.


book: Prov
contenido:
Anyone stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts ought to have their own property held to guarantee payment.


book: Prov
contenido:
What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand.


book: Prov
contenido:
The Lord has determined our path; how then can anyone understand the direction his own life is taking?


book: Prov
contenido:
The riches you get by dishonesty soon disappear, but not before they lead you into the jaws of death.


book: Prov
contenido:
When someone who is conceited gets his punishment, even an unthinking person learns a lesson. One who is wise will learn from what he is taught.


book: Prov
contenido:
God, the righteous one, knows what goes on in the homes of the wicked, and he will bring the wicked down to ruin.


book: Prov
contenido:
all they do is think about what they would like to have. The righteous, however, can give, and give generously.


book: Prov
contenido:
The Lord hates it when wicked people offer him sacrifices, especially if they do it from evil motives.


book: Prov
contenido:
The testimony of a liar is not believed, but the word of someone who thinks matters through is accepted.


book: Prov
contenido:
Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you plant the seeds of injustice, disaster will spring up, and your oppression of others will end.


book: Prov
contenido:
Get rid of a conceited person, and then there will be no more arguments, quarreling, or name-calling.


book: Prov
contenido:
Children just naturally do silly, careless things, but a good spanking will teach them how to behave.


book: Prov
contenido:
The Thirty Wise Sayings
Listen, and I will teach you what the wise have said. Study their teachings,


book: Prov
contenido:
and will teach you what the truth really is. Then when you are sent to find it out, you will bring back the right answer.


book: Prov
contenido:
-1-
Don't take advantage of the poor just because you can; don't take advantage of those who stand helpless in court.


book: Prov
contenido:
-5-
Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.


book: Prov
contenido:
Drunkards and gluttons will be reduced to poverty. If all you do is eat and sleep, you will soon be wearing rags.


book: Prov
contenido:
-16-
Listen to your father; without him you would not exist. When your mother is old, show her your appreciation.


book: Prov
contenido:
Truth, wisdom, learning, and good sense—these are worth paying for, but too valuable for you to sell.


book: Prov
contenido:
-18-
Show me people who drink too much, who have to try out fancy drinks, and I will show you people who are miserable and sorry for themselves, always causing trouble and always complaining. Their eyes are bloodshot, and they have bruises that could have been avoided.


book: Prov
contenido:
Don't let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, and it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly.


book: Prov
contenido:
You will feel as if you were out on the ocean, seasick, swinging high up in the rigging of a tossing ship.


book: Prov
contenido:
“I must have been hit,” you will say; “I must have been beaten up, but I don't remember it. Why can't I wake up? I need another drink.”


book: Prov
contenido:
Causing trouble is all they ever think about; every time they open their mouth someone is going to be hurt.


book: Prov
contenido:
After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle, and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win.


book: Prov
contenido:
-22-
Wise sayings are too deep for stupid people to understand. They have nothing to say when important matters are being discussed.


book: Prov
contenido:
You may say that it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch on you; he knows. And he will reward you according to what you do.


book: Prov
contenido:
The Lord will know if you are gloating, and he will not like it; and then maybe he won't punish them.


book: Prov
contenido:
-30-
Have reverence for the Lord, my child, and honor the king. Have nothing to do with people who rebel against them;


book: Prov
contenido:
such people could be ruined in a moment. Do you realize the disaster that God or the king can cause?


book: Prov
contenido:
Don't build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living.


book: Prov
contenido:
They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds. The stone wall around them had fallen down.


book: Prov
contenido:
More of Solomon's Proverbs
Here are more of Solomon's proverbs, copied by scribes at the court of King Hezekiah of Judah.


book: Prov
contenido:
You never know what a king is thinking; his thoughts are beyond us, like the heights of the sky or the depths of the ocean.


book: Prov
contenido:
It is better to be asked to take a higher position than to be told to give your place to someone more important.


book: Prov
contenido:
Don't be too quick to go to court about something you have seen. If another witness later proves you wrong, what will you do then?


book: Prov
contenido:
If you and your neighbor have a difference of opinion, settle it between yourselves and do not reveal any secrets.


book: Prov
contenido:
A warning given by an experienced person to someone willing to listen is more valuable than gold rings or jewelry made of the finest gold.


book: Prov
contenido:
A reliable messenger is refreshing to the one who sends him, like cold water in the heat of harvest time.


book: Prov
contenido:
Depending on an unreliable person in a crisis is like trying to chew with a loose tooth or walk with a crippled foot.


book: Prov
contenido:
Singing to a person who is depressed is like taking off a person's clothes on a cold day or like rubbing salt in a wound.


book: Prov
contenido:
Finally hearing good news from a distant land is like a drink of cold water when you are dry and thirsty.


book: Prov
contenido:
A good person who gives in to someone who is evil reminds you of a polluted spring or a poisoned well.


book: Prov
contenido:
Give a silly answer to a silly question, and the one who asked it will realize that he's not as smart as he thinks.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you let a fool deliver a message, you might as well cut off your own feet; you are asking for trouble.


book: Prov
contenido:
Getting involved in an argument that is none of your business is like going down the street and grabbing a dog by the ears.


book: Prov
contenido:
Someone who tricks someone else and then claims that he was only joking is like a crazy person playing with a deadly weapon.


book: Prov
contenido:
Charcoal keeps the embers glowing, wood keeps the fire burning, and troublemakers keep arguments alive.


book: Prov
contenido:
Friends mean well, even when they hurt you. But when an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder—watch out!


book: Prov
contenido:
Do not forget your friends or your father's friends. If you are in trouble, don't ask a relative for help; a nearby neighbor can help you more than relatives who are far away.


book: Prov
contenido:
Any people stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger's debts deserve to have their own property held to guarantee payment.


book: Prov
contenido:
How can you keep her quiet? Have you ever tried to stop the wind or ever tried to hold a handful of oil?


book: Prov
contenido:
Take care of a fig tree and you will have figs to eat. Servants who take care of their master will be honored.


book: Prov
contenido:
It is your own face that you see reflected in the water and it is your own self that you see in your heart.


book: Prov
contenido:
You can make clothes from the wool of your sheep and buy land with the money you get from selling some of your goats.


book: Prov
contenido:
The rest of the goats will provide milk for you and your family, and for your servant women as well.


book: Prov
contenido:
When a nation sins, it will have one ruler after another. But a nation will be strong and endure when it has intelligent, sensible leaders.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you have no regard for the law, you are on the side of the wicked; but if you obey it, you are against them.


book: Prov
contenido:
Young people who obey the law are intelligent. Those who make friends with good-for-nothings are a disgrace to their parents.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you get rich by charging interest and taking advantage of people, your wealth will go to someone who is kind to the poor.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you trick an honest person into doing evil, you will fall into your own trap.
The innocent will be well rewarded.


book: Prov
contenido:
Rich people always think they are wise, but a poor person who has insight into character knows better.


book: Prov
contenido:
When good people come to power, everybody celebrates, but when bad people rule, people stay in hiding.


book: Prov
contenido:
You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you.


book: Prov
contenido:
Poor people are helpless against a wicked ruler; he is as dangerous as a growling lion or a prowling bear.


book: Prov
contenido:
Honest people will lead a full, happy life. But if you are in a hurry to get rich, you are going to be punished.


book: Prov
contenido:
Selfish people are in such a hurry to get rich that they do not know when poverty is about to strike.


book: Prov
contenido:
Give to the poor and you will never be in need. If you close your eyes to the poor, many people will curse you.


book: Prov
contenido:
People stay in hiding when the wicked come to power. But when they fall from power, the righteous will rule again.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you get more stubborn every time you are corrected, one day you will be crushed and never recover.


book: Prov
contenido:
Show me a righteous ruler and I will show you a happy people. Show me a wicked ruler and I will show you a miserable people.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you appreciate wisdom, your parents will be proud of you.
It is a foolish waste to spend money on prostitutes.


book: Prov
contenido:
When the king is concerned with justice, the nation will be strong, but when he is only concerned with money, he will ruin his country.


book: Prov
contenido:
People with no regard for others can throw whole cities into turmoil. Those who are wise keep things calm.


book: Prov
contenido:
When an intelligent person brings a lawsuit against a fool, the fool only laughs and becomes loud and abusive.


book: Prov
contenido:
Bloodthirsty people hate anyone who's honest, but righteous people will protect the life of such a person.


book: Prov
contenido:
Correction and discipline are good for children. If they have their own way, they will make their mothers ashamed of them.


book: Prov
contenido:
When evil people are in power, crime increases. But the righteous will live to see the downfall of such people.


book: Prov
contenido:
Discipline your children and you can always be proud of them. They will never give you reason to be ashamed.


book: Prov
contenido:
You cannot correct servants just by talking to them. They may understand you, but they will pay no attention.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you give your servants everything they want from childhood on, some day they will take over everything you own.


book: Prov
contenido:
A thief's partner is his own worst enemy. He will be punished if he tells the truth in court, and God will curse him if he doesn't.


book: Prov
contenido:
It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.


book: Prov
contenido:
The Words of Agur
These are the solemn words of Agur son of Jakeh:
“God is not with me, God is not with me,
and I am helpless.


book: Prov
contenido:
Have any ever mastered heavenly knowledge?
Have any ever caught the wind in their hands?
Or wrapped up water in a piece of cloth?
Or fixed the boundaries of the earth?
Who are they, if you know? Who are their children?


book: Prov
contenido:
If you claim that he said something that he never said, he will reprimand you and show that you are a liar.”


book: Prov
contenido:
If I have more, I might say that I do not need you. But if I am poor, I might steal and bring disgrace on my God.


book: Prov
contenido:
There are people who take cruel advantage of the poor and needy; that is the way they make their living.


book: Prov
contenido:
A leech has two daughters, and both are named “Give me!”
There are four things that are never satisfied:


book: Prov
contenido:
the world of the dead,
a woman without children,
dry ground that needs rain,
and a fire burning out of control.


book: Prov
contenido:
If you make fun of your father or despise your mother in her old age, you ought to be eaten by vultures or have your eyes picked out by wild ravens.


book: Prov
contenido:
an eagle flying in the sky,
a snake moving on a rock,
a ship finding its way over the sea,
and a man and a woman falling in love.


book: Prov
contenido:
This is how an unfaithful wife acts: she commits adultery, takes a bath, and says, “But I haven't done anything wrong!”


book: Prov
contenido:
If you churn milk, you get butter. If you hit someone's nose, it bleeds. If you stir up anger, you get into trouble.


book: Prov
contenido:
She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and to tell her servant women what to do.


book: Eccl
contenido:
The sun still rises, and it still goes down, going wearily back to where it must start all over again.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Every river flows into the sea, but the sea is not yet full. The water returns to where the rivers began, and starts all over again.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Everything leads to weariness—a weariness too great for words. Our eyes can never see enough to be satisfied; our ears can never hear enough.


book: Eccl
contenido:
What has happened before will happen again. What has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new in the whole world.


book: Eccl
contenido:
“Look,” they say, “here is something new!” But no, it has all happened before, long before we were born.


book: Eccl
contenido:
No one remembers what has happened in the past, and no one in days to come will remember what happens between now and then.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I determined that I would examine and study all the things that are done in this world.
God has laid a miserable fate upon us.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I have seen everything done in this world, and I tell you, it is all useless. It is like chasing the wind.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I told myself, “I have become a great man, far wiser than anyone who ruled Jerusalem before me. I know what wisdom and knowledge really are.”


book: Eccl
contenido:
I was determined to learn the difference between knowledge and foolishness, wisdom and madness. But I found out that I might as well be chasing the wind.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Driven on by my desire for wisdom, I decided to cheer myself up with wine and have a good time. I thought that this might be the best way people can spend their short lives on earth.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I bought many slaves, and there were slaves born in my household. I owned more livestock than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I also piled up silver and gold from the royal treasuries of the lands I ruled. Men and women sang to entertain me, and I had all the women a man could want.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Yes, I was great, greater than anyone else who had ever lived in Jerusalem, and my wisdom never failed me.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Anything I wanted, I got. I did not deny myself any pleasure. I was proud of everything I had worked for, and all this was my reward.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Then I thought about all that I had done and how hard I had worked doing it, and I realized that it didn't mean a thing. It was like chasing the wind—of no use at all.


book: Eccl
contenido:
After all, a king can only do what previous kings have done.
So I started thinking about what it meant to be wise or reckless or foolish.


book: Eccl
contenido:
The wise can see where they are going, and fools cannot.” But I also know that the same fate is waiting for us all.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I thought to myself, “What happens to fools is going to happen to me, too. So what have I gained from being so wise?” “Nothing,” I answered, “not a thing.”


book: Eccl
contenido:
No one remembers the wise, and no one remembers fools. In days to come, we will all be forgotten. We must all die—wise and foolish alike.


book: Eccl
contenido:
So life came to mean nothing to me, because everything in it had brought me nothing but trouble. It had all been useless; I had been chasing the wind.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Nothing that I had worked for and earned meant a thing to me, because I knew that I would have to leave it to my successor,


book: Eccl
contenido:
and he might be wise, or he might be foolish—who knows? Yet he will own everything I have worked for, everything my wisdom has earned for me in this world. It is all useless.


book: Eccl
contenido:
You work for something with all your wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then you have to leave it all to someone who hasn't had to work for it. It is useless, and it isn't right!


book: Eccl
contenido:
As long as you live, everything you do brings nothing but worry and heartache. Even at night your mind can't rest. It is all useless.


book: Eccl
contenido:
The best thing we can do is eat and drink and enjoy what we have earned. And yet, I realized that even this comes from God.


book: Eccl
contenido:
God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness to those who please him, but he makes sinners work, earning and saving, so that what they get can be given to those who please him. It is all useless. It is like chasing the wind.


book: Eccl
contenido:
He sets the time for birth and the time for death,
the time for planting and the time for pulling up,


book: Eccl
contenido:
the time for making love and the time for not making love,
the time for kissing and the time for not kissing.


book: Eccl
contenido:
He sets the time for finding and the time for losing,
the time for saving and the time for throwing away,


book: Eccl
contenido:
He has set the right time for everything. He has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I know that everything God does will last forever. You can't add anything to it or take anything away from it. And one thing God does is to make us stand in awe of him.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Whatever happens or can happen has already happened before. God makes the same thing happen again and again.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Injustice in the World
In addition, I have also noticed that in this world you find wickedness where justice and right ought to be.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I told myself, “God is going to judge the righteous and the evil alike, because every thing, every action, will happen at its own set time.”


book: Eccl
contenido:
After all, the same fate awaits human beings and animals alike. One dies just like the other. They are the same kind of creature. A human being is no better off than an animal, because life has no meaning for either.


book: Eccl
contenido:
They are both going to the same place—the dust. They both came from it; they will both go back to it.


book: Eccl
contenido:
How can anyone be sure that the human spirit goes upward while an animal's spirit goes down into the ground?


book: Eccl
contenido:
So I realized then that the best thing we can do is enjoy what we have worked for. There is nothing else we can do. There is no way for us to know what will happen after we die.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Then I looked again at all the injustice that goes on in this world. The oppressed were crying, and no one would help them. No one would help them, because their oppressors had power on their side.


book: Eccl
contenido:
But better off than either are those who have never been born, who have never seen the injustice that goes on in this world.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I have also learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is useless. It is like chasing the wind.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Maybe so, but it is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Here is someone who lives alone. He has no son, no brother, yet he is always working, never satisfied with the wealth he has. For whom is he working so hard and denying himself any pleasure? This is useless, too—and a miserable way to live.


book: Eccl
contenido:
If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it's just too bad, because there is no one to help him.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Someone may rise from poverty to become king of his country, or go from prison to the throne, but if in his old age he is too foolish to take advice, he is not as well off as a young man who is poor but intelligent.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I thought about all the people who live in this world, and I realized that somewhere among them there is a young man who will take the king's place.


book: Eccl
contenido:
There may be no limit to the number of people a king rules; when he is gone, no one will be grateful for what he has done. It is useless. It is like chasing the wind.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Don't Make Rash Promises
Be careful about going to the Temple. It is better to go there to learn than to offer sacrifices like foolish people who don't know right from wrong.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Think before you speak, and don't make any rash promises to God. He is in heaven and you are on earth, so don't say any more than you have to.


book: Eccl
contenido:
The more you worry, the more likely you are to have bad dreams, and the more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish.


book: Eccl
contenido:
So when you make a promise to God, keep it as quickly as possible. He has no use for a fool. Do what you promise to do.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Don't let your own words lead you into sin, so that you have to tell God's priest that you didn't mean it. Why make God angry with you? Why let him destroy what you have worked for?


book: Eccl
contenido:
No matter how much you dream, how much useless work you do, or how much you talk, you must still stand in awe of God.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Life Is Useless
Don't be surprised when you see that the government oppresses the poor and denies them justice and their rights. Every official is protected by someone higher, and both are protected by still higher officials.


book: Eccl
contenido:
If you love money, you will never be satisfied; if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want. It is useless.


book: Eccl
contenido:
The richer you are, the more mouths you have to feed. All you gain is the knowledge that you are rich.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Workers may or may not have enough to eat, but at least they can get a good night's sleep. The rich, however, have so much that they stay awake worrying.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Here is a terrible thing that I have seen in this world: people save up their money for a time when they may need it,


book: Eccl
contenido:
We leave this world just as we entered it—with nothing. In spite of all our work there is nothing we can take with us.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Here is what I have found out: the best thing we can do is eat and drink and enjoy what we have worked for during the short life that God has given us; this is our fate.


book: Eccl
contenido:
If God gives us wealth and property and lets us enjoy them, we should be grateful and enjoy what we have worked for. It is a gift from God.


book: Eccl
contenido:
God will give us wealth, honor, and property, yes, everything we want, but then will not let us enjoy it. Some stranger will enjoy it instead. It is useless, and it just isn't right.


book: Eccl
contenido:
We may have a hundred children and live a long time, but no matter how long we live, if we do not get our share of happiness and do not receive a decent burial, then I say that a baby born dead is better off.


book: Eccl
contenido:
more so than the man who never enjoys life, though he may live two thousand years. After all, both of them are going to the same place.


book: Eccl
contenido:
It is useless; it is like chasing the wind. It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Everything that happens was already determined long ago, and we all know that you cannot argue with someone who is stronger than you.


book: Eccl
contenido:
How can anyone know what is best for us in this short, useless life of ours—a life that passes like a shadow? How can we know what will happen in the world after we die?


book: Eccl
contenido:
Thoughts about Life
A good reputation is better than expensive perfume; and the day you die is better than the day you are born.


book: Eccl
contenido:
It is better to go to a home where there is mourning than to one where there is a party, because the living should always remind themselves that death is waiting for us all.


book: Eccl
contenido:
You may be wise, but if you cheat someone, you are acting like a fool. If you take a bribe, you ruin your character.


book: Eccl
contenido:
and will give you as much security as money can. Wisdom keeps you safe—this is the advantage of knowledge.


book: Eccl
contenido:
When things are going well for you, be glad, and when trouble comes, just remember: God sends both happiness and trouble; you never know what is going to happen next.


book: Eccl
contenido:
My life has been useless, but in it I have seen everything. Some good people may die while others live on, even though they are evil.


book: Eccl
contenido:
But I devoted myself to knowledge and study; I was determined to find wisdom and the answers to my questions, and to learn how wicked and foolish stupidity is.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I found something more bitter than death—the woman who is like a trap. The love she offers you will catch you like a net, and her arms around you will hold you like a chain. A man who pleases God can get away, but she will catch the sinner.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I have looked for other answers but have found none. I found one man in a thousand that I could respect, but not one woman.


book: Eccl
contenido:
This is all that I have learned: God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Only the wise know what things really mean. Wisdom makes them smile and makes their frowns disappear.


book: Eccl
contenido:
The king can do anything he likes, so depart from his presence; don't stay in such a dangerous place.


book: Eccl
contenido:
No one can keep from dying or put off the day of death. That is a battle we cannot escape; we cannot cheat our way out.


book: Eccl
contenido:
The Wicked and the Righteous
I saw all this when I thought about the things that are done in this world, a world where some people have power and others have to suffer under them.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Yes, I have seen the wicked buried and in their graves, but on the way back from the cemetery people praise them in the very city where they did their evil. It is useless.


book: Eccl
contenido:
A sinner may commit a hundred crimes and still live. Oh yes, I know what they say: “If you obey God, everything will be all right,


book: Eccl
contenido:
but it will not go well for the wicked. Their life is like a shadow and they will die young, because they do not obey God.”


book: Eccl
contenido:
But this is nonsense. Look at what happens in the world: sometimes the righteous get the punishment of the wicked, and the wicked get the reward of the righteous. I say it is useless.


book: Eccl
contenido:
So I am convinced that we should enjoy ourselves, because the only pleasure we have in this life is eating and drinking and enjoying ourselves. We can at least do this as we labor during the life that God has given us in this world.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Whenever I tried to become wise and learn what goes on in the world, I realized that you could stay awake night and day


book: Eccl
contenido:
and never be able to understand what God is doing. However hard you try, you will never find out. The wise may claim to know, but they don't.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I thought long and hard about all this and saw that God controls the actions of wise and righteous people, even their love and their hate. No one knows anything about what lies ahead.


book: Eccl
contenido:
It makes no difference. The same fate comes to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the bad, to those who are religious and those who are not, to those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. A good person is no better off than a sinner; one who takes an oath is no better off than one who does not.


book: Eccl
contenido:
One fate comes to all alike, and this is as wrong as anything that happens in this world. As long as people live, their minds are full of evil and madness, and suddenly they die.


book: Eccl
contenido:
But anyone who is alive in the world of the living has some hope; a live dog is better off than a dead lion.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Yes, the living know they are going to die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward; they are completely forgotten.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Their loves, their hates, their passions, all died with them. They will never again take part in anything that happens in this world.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Enjoy life with the one you love, as long as you live the useless life that God has given you in this world. Enjoy every useless day of it, because that is all you will get for all your trouble.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Work hard at whatever you do, because there will be no action, no thought, no knowledge, no wisdom in the world of the dead—and that is where you are going.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I realized another thing, that in this world fast runners do not always win the races, and the brave do not always win the battles. The wise do not always earn a living, intelligent people do not always get rich, and capable people do not always rise to high positions. Bad luck happens to everyone.


book: Eccl
contenido:
You never know when your time is coming. Like birds suddenly caught in a trap, like fish caught in a net, we are trapped at some evil moment when we least expect it.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Thoughts on Wisdom and Foolishness
There is something else I saw, a good example of how wisdom is regarded in this world.


book: Eccl
contenido:
There was a little town without many people in it. A powerful king attacked it. He surrounded it and prepared to break through the walls.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Someone lived there who was poor, but so clever that he could have saved the town. But no one thought about him.


book: Eccl
contenido:
I have always said that wisdom is better than strength, but no one thinks of the poor as wise or pays any attention to what they say.


book: Eccl
contenido:
It is better to listen to the quiet words of someone wise than to the shouts of a ruler at a council of fools.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Dead flies can make a whole bottle of perfume stink, and a little stupidity can cancel out the greatest wisdom.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Their stupidity will be evident even to strangers they meet along the way; they let everyone know that they are fools.


book: Eccl
contenido:
If your ruler becomes angry with you, do not hand in your resignation; serious wrongs may be pardoned if you keep calm.


book: Eccl
contenido:
If your ax is dull and you don't sharpen it, you have to work harder to use it. It is smarter to plan ahead.


book: Eccl
contenido:
A fool talks on and on.
No one knows what is going to happen next, and no one can tell us what will happen after we die.


book: Eccl
contenido:
But a country is fortunate to have a king who makes his own decisions and leaders who eat at the proper time, who control themselves and don't get drunk.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Don't criticize the king, even silently, and don't criticize the rich, even in the privacy of your bedroom. A bird might carry the message and tell them what you said.


book: Eccl
contenido:
What a Wise Person Does
Invest your money in foreign trade, and one of these days you will make a profit.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Put your investments in several places—many places even—because you never know what kind of bad luck you are going to have in this world.


book: Eccl
contenido:
No matter which direction a tree falls, it will lie where it fell. When the clouds are full, it rains.


book: Eccl
contenido:
If you wait until the wind and the weather are just right, you will never plant anything and never harvest anything.


book: Eccl
contenido:
God made everything, and you can no more understand what he does than you understand how new life begins in the womb of a pregnant woman.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Do your planting in the morning and in the evening, too. You never know whether it will all grow well or whether one planting will do better than the other.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Be grateful for every year you live. No matter how long you live, remember that you will be dead much longer. There is nothing at all to look forward to.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Advice to Young People
Young people, enjoy your youth. Be happy while you are still young. Do what you want to do, and follow your heart's desire. But remember that God is going to judge you for whatever you do.


book: Eccl
contenido:
So remember your Creator while you are still young, before those dismal days and years come when you will say, “I don't enjoy life.”


book: Eccl
contenido:
That is when the light of the sun, the moon, and the stars will grow dim for you, and the rain clouds will never pass away.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Then your arms, that have protected you, will tremble, and your legs, now strong, will grow weak. Your teeth will be too few to chew your food, and your eyes too dim to see clearly.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Your ears will be deaf to the noise of the street. You will barely be able to hear the mill as it grinds or music as it plays, but even the song of a bird will wake you from sleep.


book: Eccl
contenido:
You will be afraid of high places, and walking will be dangerous. Your hair will turn white; you will hardly be able to drag yourself along, and all desire will be gone.
We are going to our final resting place, and then there will be mourning in the streets.


book: Eccl
contenido:
The silver chain will snap, and the golden lamp will fall and break; the rope at the well will break, and the water jar will be shattered.


book: Eccl
contenido:
Our bodies will return to the dust of the earth, and the breath of life will go back to God, who gave it to us.


book: Eccl
contenido:
The Summing Up
But because the Philosopher was wise, he kept on teaching the people what he knew. He studied proverbs and honestly tested their truth.


book: Eccl
contenido:
The sayings of the wise are like the sharp sticks that shepherds use to guide sheep, and collected proverbs are as lasting as firmly driven nails. They have been given by God, the one Shepherd of us all.


book: Eccl
contenido:
My child, there is something else to watch out for. There is no end to the writing of books, and too much study will wear you out.


book: Eccl
contenido:
After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for.


book: Song
contenido:
There is a fragrance about you;
the sound of your name recalls it.
No woman could keep from loving you.


book: Song
contenido:
Take me with you, and we'll run away;
be my king and take me to your room.
We will be happy together,
drink deep, and lose ourselves in love.
No wonder all women love you!


book: Song
contenido:
Women of Jerusalem, I am dark but beautiful,
dark as the desert tents of Kedar,
but beautiful as the draperies in Solomon's palace.


book: Song
contenido:
Don't look down on me because of my color,
because the sun has tanned me.
My brothers were angry with me
and made me work in the vineyard.
I had no time to care for myself.


book: Song
contenido:
Tell me, my love,
Where will you lead your flock to graze?
Where will they rest from the noonday sun?
Why should I need to look for you
among the flocks of the other shepherds?


book: Song
contenido:
The Man
Don't you know the place, loveliest of women?
Go and follow the flock;
find pasture for your goats
near the tents of the shepherds.


book: Song
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the cedars will be the beams of our house,
and the cypress trees the ceiling.


book: Song
contenido:
The Woman
Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my dearest compared to other men.
I love to sit in its shadow,
and its fruit is sweet to my taste.


book: Song
contenido:
Promise me, women of Jerusalem;
swear by the swift deer and the gazelles
that you will not interrupt our love.


book: Song
contenido:
The Second Song
The Woman
I hear my lover's voice.
He comes running over the mountains,
racing across the hills to me.


book: Song
contenido:
My lover is like a gazelle,
like a young stag.
There he stands beside the wall.
He looks in through the window
and glances through the lattice.


book: Song
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;in the countryside the flowers are in bloom.
This is the time for singing;
the song of doves is heard in the fields.


book: Song
contenido:
Figs are beginning to ripen;
the air is fragrant with blossoming vines.
Come then, my love;
my darling, come with me.


book: Song
contenido:
You are like a dove that hides
in the crevice of a rock.
Let me see your lovely face
and hear your enchanting voice.


book: Song
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;until the morning breezes blow
and the darkness disappears.
Return, my darling, like a gazelle,
like a stag on the mountains of Bether.


book: Song
contenido:
Asleep on my bed, night after night
I dreamed of the one I love;
I was looking for him, but couldn't find him.


book: Song
contenido:
I went wandering through the city,
through its streets and alleys.
I looked for the one I love.
I looked, but couldn't find him.


book: Song
contenido:
As soon as I left them, I found him.
I held him and wouldn't let him go
until I took him to my mother's house,
to the room where I was born.


book: Song
contenido:
The Third Song
The Woman
What is this coming from the desert like a column of smoke,
fragrant with incense and myrrh,
the incense sold by the traders?


book: Song
contenido:
Solomon is coming, carried on his throne;
sixty soldiers form the bodyguard,
the finest soldiers in Israel.


book: Song
contenido:
All of them are skillful with the sword;
they are battle-hardened veterans.
Each of them is armed with a sword,
on guard against a night attack.


book: Song
contenido:
Its posts are covered with silver;
over it is cloth embroidered with gold.
Its cushions are covered with purple cloth,
lovingly woven by the women of Jerusalem.


book: Song
contenido:
Women of Zion, come and see King Solomon.
He is wearing the crown that his mother placed on his head
on his wedding day,
on the day of his gladness and joy.


book: Song
contenido:
How beautiful you are, my love!
How your eyes shine with love behind your veil.
Your hair dances like a flock of goats
bounding down the hills of Gilead.


book: Song
contenido:
Your teeth are as white as sheep
that have just been shorn and washed.
Not one of them is missing;
they are all perfectly matched.


book: Song
contenido:
Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;
how lovely they are when you speak.
Your cheeks glow behind your veil.


book: Song
contenido:
Your neck is like the tower of David,
round and smooth,
with a necklace like a thousand shields hung around it.


book: Song
contenido:
I will stay on the hill of myrrh,
the hill of incense,
until the morning breezes blow
and the darkness disappears.


book: Song
contenido:
Come with me from the Lebanon Mountains, my bride;
come with me from Lebanon.
Come down from the top of Mount Amana,
from Mount Senir and Mount Hermon,
where the lions and leopards live.


book: Song
contenido:
The look in your eyes, my sweetheart and bride,
and the necklace you are wearing
have stolen my heart.


book: Song
contenido:
Your love delights me,
my sweetheart and bride.
Your love is better than wine;
your perfume more fragrant than any spice.


book: Song
contenido:
The taste of honey is on your lips, my darling;
your tongue is milk and honey for me.
Your clothing has all the fragrance of Lebanon.


book: Song
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;there the plants flourish.
They grow like an orchard of pomegranate trees
and bear the finest fruits.
There is no lack of henna and nard,


book: Song
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;of saffron, calamus, and cinnamon,
or incense of every kind.
Myrrh and aloes grow there
with all the most fragrant perfumes.


book: Song
contenido:
Fountains water the garden,
streams of flowing water,
brooks gushing down from the Lebanon Mountains.


book: Song
contenido:
The Woman
Wake up, North Wind.
South Wind, blow on my garden;
fill the air with fragrance.
Let my lover come to his garden
and eat the best of its fruits.


book: Song
contenido:
I have entered my garden,
my sweetheart, my bride.
I am gathering my spices and myrrh;
I am eating my honey and honeycomb;
I am drinking my wine and milk.
The Women
Eat, lovers, and drink
until you are drunk with love!


book: Song
contenido:
The Fourth Song
The Woman
While I slept, my heart was awake.
I dreamed my lover knocked at the door.
The Man
Let me come in, my darling,
my sweetheart, my dove.
My head is wet with dew,
and my hair is damp from the mist.


book: Song
contenido:
The Woman
I have already undressed;
why should I get dressed again?
I have washed my feet;
why should I get them dirty again?


book: Song
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I was ready to let him come in.
My hands were covered with myrrh,
my fingers with liquid myrrh,
as I grasped the handle of the door.


book: Song
contenido:
I opened the door for my lover,
but he had already gone.
How I wanted to hear his voice!
I looked for him, but couldn't find him;
I called to him, but heard no answer.


book: Song
contenido:
The sentries patrolling the city found me;
they struck me and bruised me;
the guards at the city wall tore off my cape.


book: Song
contenido:
Promise me, women of Jerusalem,
that if you find my lover,
you will tell him I am weak from passion.


book: Song
contenido:
The Women
Most beautiful of women,
is your lover different from everyone else?
What is there so wonderful about him
that we should give you our promise?


book: Song
contenido:
His eyes are as beautiful as doves by a flowing brook,
doves washed in milk and standing by the stream.


book: Song
contenido:
His cheeks are as lovely as a garden
that is full of herbs and spices.
His lips are like lilies,
wet with liquid myrrh.


book: Song
contenido:
His hands are well-formed,
and he wears rings set with gems.
His body is like smooth ivory,
with sapphires set in it.


book: Song
contenido:
His thighs are columns of alabaster
set in sockets of gold.
He is majestic, like the Lebanon Mountains
with their towering cedars.


book: Song
contenido:
His mouth is sweet to kiss;
everything about him enchants me.
This is what my lover is like,
women of Jerusalem.


book: Song
contenido:
Most beautiful of women,
where has your lover gone?
Tell us which way your lover went,
so that we can help you find him.


book: Song
contenido:
The Woman
My lover has gone to his garden,
where the balsam trees grow.
He is feeding his flock in the garden
and gathering lilies.


book: Song
contenido:
The Fifth Song
The Man
My love, you are as beautiful as Jerusalem,
as lovely as the city of Tirzah,
as breathtaking as these great cities.


book: Song
contenido:
Turn your eyes away from me;
they are holding me captive.
Your hair dances like a flock of goats
bounding down the hills of Gilead.


book: Song
contenido:
Your teeth are as white as a flock of sheep
that have just been washed.
Not one of them is missing;
they are all perfectly matched.


book: Song
contenido:
But I love only one,
and she is as lovely as a dove.
She is her mother's only daughter,
her mother's favorite child.
All women look at her and praise her;
queens and concubines sing her praises.


book: Song
contenido:
Who is this whose glance is like the dawn?
She is beautiful and bright,
as dazzling as the sun or the moon.


book: Song
contenido:
I have come down among the almond trees
to see the young plants in the valley,
to see the new leaves on the vines
and the blossoms on the pomegranate trees.


book: Song
contenido:
The Women
Dance, dance, girl of Shulam.
Let us watch you as you dance.
The Woman
Why do you want to watch me
as I dance between the rows of onlookers?


book: Song
contenido:
What a magnificent young woman you are!
How beautiful are your feet in sandals.
The curve of your thighs
is like the work of an artist.


book: Song
contenido:
A bowl is there,
that never runs out of spiced wine.
A sheaf of wheat is there,
surrounded by lilies.


book: Song
contenido:
Your neck is like a tower of ivory.
Your eyes are like the pools in the city of Heshbon,
near the gate of that great city.
Your nose is as lovely as the tower of Lebanon
that stands guard at Damascus.


book: Song
contenido:
Your head is held high like Mount Carmel.
Your braided hair shines like the finest satin;
its beauty could hold a king captive.


book: Song
contenido:
I will climb the palm tree
and pick its fruit.
To me your breasts are like bunches of grapes,
your breath like the fragrance of apples,


book: Song
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and your mouth like the finest wine.
The Woman
Then let the wine flow straight to my lover,
flowing over his lips and teeth.


book: Song
contenido:
We will get up early and look at the vines
to see whether they've started to grow,
whether the blossoms are opening
and the pomegranate trees are in bloom.
There I will give you my love.


book: Song
contenido:
You can smell the scent of mandrakes,
and all the pleasant fruits are near our door.
Darling, I have kept for you
the old delights and the new.


book: Song
contenido:
I wish that you were my brother,
that my mother had nursed you at her breast.
Then, if I met you in the street,
I could kiss you and no one would mind.


book: Song
contenido:
I would take you to my mother's house,
where you could teach me love.
I would give you spiced wine,
my pomegranate wine to drink.


book: Song
contenido:
The Sixth Song
The Women
Who is this coming from the desert,
arm in arm with her lover?
The Woman
Under the apple tree I woke you,
in the place where you were born.


book: Song
contenido:
Close your heart to every love but mine;
hold no one in your arms but me.
Love is as powerful as death;
passion is as strong as death itself.
It bursts into flame
and burns like a raging fire.


book: Song
contenido:
Water cannot put it out;
no flood can drown it.
But if any tried to buy love with their wealth,
contempt is all they would get.


book: Song
contenido:
The Woman's Brothers
We have a young sister,
and her breasts are still small.
What will we do for her
when a young man comes courting?


book: Song
contenido:
If she is a wall,
we will build her a silver tower.
But if she is a gate,
we will protect her with panels of cedar.


book: Song
contenido:
The Woman
I am a wall,
and my breasts are its towers.
My lover knows that with him
I find contentment and peace.


book: Song
contenido:
The Man
Solomon has a vineyard
in a place called Baal Hamon.
There are farmers who rent it from him;
each one pays a thousand silver coins.


book: Song
contenido:
Solomon is welcome to his thousand coins,
and the farmers to two hundred as their share;
I have a vineyard of my own!


book: Song
contenido:
The Woman
Come to me, my lover, like a gazelle,
like a young stag on the mountains where spices grow.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Search for Justice
Love justice, you rulers of the world. Set your minds sincerely on the Lord, and look for him with all honesty.


book: Wis
contenido:
Dishonest thoughts separate people from God, and if we are foolish enough to test him, his power will put us to shame.


book: Wis
contenido:
Everyone who is holy has learned to stay away from deceitful people. He will not stay around when foolish thoughts are being expressed; he will not feel comfortable when injustice is done.


book: Wis
contenido:
God Is Aware of What We Say
Wisdom is a spirit that is friendly to people, but she will not forgive anyone who speaks against God, for God knows our feelings and thoughts, and hears our every word.


book: Wis
contenido:
Since the Lord's spirit fills the entire world, and holds everything in it together, she knows every word that people say.


book: Wis
contenido:
The intentions of ungodly people will be closely examined; their words will be reported to the Lord, and then they will get the punishment that their wickedness deserves.


book: Wis
contenido:
God will tolerate no challenge, and since he hears everything, you cannot hide your complaining from him.


book: Wis
contenido:
So be sure that you do not go around complaining—it does no good—and don't engage in bitter talk. The most secret things you say will have their consequences, and lying will destroy your soul.


book: Wis
contenido:
He created everything so that it might continue to exist, and everything he created is wholesome and good. There is no deadly poison in them. No, death does not rule this world,


book: Wis
contenido:
Ungodly people have brought death on themselves by the things they have said and done. They yearn for death as if it were a lover. They have gone into partnership with death, and it is just what they deserve.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wicked Thinking
Wicked people are wrong when they say to themselves,
Our life is short and full of sorrow, and when its end comes, there is no escape. No one has ever been known to come back from the world of the dead.


book: Wis
contenido:
We were born by chance, and after life is over, we will be as if we had never been born at all. Our breath is no more than a puff of smoke; our mind is nothing more than a spark thrown off by the beating of our heart.


book: Wis
contenido:
When that spark dies, our body will crumble into ashes, and our breath will become part of the empty air.


book: Wis
contenido:
In time, no one will remember anything we ever did, and even our names will be forgotten. Our lives will pass away like the traces of clouds and vanish like fog in the heat of the sun.


book: Wis
contenido:
Our time on earth is like a passing shadow. There is no escape from the day of our death; it is fixed, and no one can postpone it.


book: Wis
contenido:
The wicked say,
Come on, then, let's enjoy the good things of life, and live in this world the way we did when we were young and free of care!


book: Wis
contenido:
Let's drink the most expensive wines and use the finest perfumes. Let's not miss a single flower in the springtime!


book: Wis
contenido:
We'll call ourselves right if we are strong enough to get what we want. No one ever got anywhere by being weak!


book: Wis
contenido:
Righteous people are nothing but a nuisance, so let's look for chances to get rid of them. They are against what we do; they accuse us of breaking the Law of Moses and violating the traditions of our ancestors.


book: Wis
contenido:
They think that our moral standards are so corrupt that everything we do should be avoided. They boast of having God for their Father, and believe that when all is said and done, only the righteous will be happy.


book: Wis
contenido:
So let's put them to the test. We'll be cruel to them, and torment them; then we'll find out how calm and reasonable they are! We'll find out just how much they can stand!


book: Wis
contenido:
It was the Devil's jealousy that brought death into the world, and those who belong to the Devil are the ones who will die.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Destiny of the Righteous
But righteous people are protected by God and will never suffer torment.


book: Wis
contenido:
It might appear that they have suffered punishment, but they have the confident hope of immortality.


book: Wis
contenido:
Their sufferings were minor compared with the blessings they will receive. God has tested them, like gold in a furnace, and found them worthy to be with him. He has accepted them, just as he accepts the sacrifices which his worshipers burn on the altar.


book: Wis
contenido:
When God comes to reward the righteous, they will blaze out against the wicked like fire in dry straw.


book: Wis
contenido:
Those who have put their trust in God will come to understand the truth of his ways. Those who have been faithful will live with him in his love, for he is kind and merciful to the ones whom he has chosen.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Destiny of the Wicked
The ungodly, however, will get the punishment their wicked thoughts deserve, because they rebelled against the Lord and ignored what was right.


book: Wis
contenido:
A man who has no use for wisdom or education has a miserable life in store for him. He has nothing to hope for. His labors are useless, and he will never accomplish anything worthwhile.


book: Wis
contenido:
All his descendants will be under a curse.
The Importance of Virtue
On Judgment Day God will reward the woman who has never been able to have a child, provided she has not been guilty of adultery. Then she will be happy.


book: Wis
contenido:
On that day, even the man who has been castrated will be rewarded with happiness, if he has kept the Law and has not stored up resentment against the Lord. Because he has been faithful, he will receive a special reward more precious than having children: a place in the Lord's heavenly Temple.


book: Wis
contenido:
Honest deeds are like a tree that bears marvelous fruit. Wisdom is like a root that is alive and can always send up new shoots.


book: Wis
contenido:
Yet even if they do live a long time, they will never amount to anything. They will not be respected in their old age,


book: Wis
contenido:
It is better to have virtue, even if it means having no children. Your virtue will be recognized by other people and by God, and you will be remembered for it forever.


book: Wis
contenido:
Virtue provides an example for people to follow; when it is not there, they miss it. It has always been the finest prize a person can win, and it always will be so. It is the noblest of all the good qualities a person can have.


book: Wis
contenido:
No matter how many children are born of a forbidden union, none of them will ever amount to anything. They are illegitimate; they can never lay a firm foundation for themselves, never take deep root.


book: Wis
contenido:
Like trees with shallow roots, they put out leaves for a while, but they sway in the wind, and storms uproot them.


book: Wis
contenido:
On Judgment Day children born of a forbidden union will testify to the sin of their parents and act as witnesses against them.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Example of Enoch
Once there was a man named Enoch who pleased God, and God loved him. While Enoch was still living among sinners, God took him away,


book: Wis
contenido:
We all know that people can be so fascinated by evil that they cannot recognize what is good even when they are looking right at it. Innocent people can be so corrupted with desire that they can think of nothing but what they want.)


book: Wis
contenido:
This man Enoch achieved in a few years' time a perfection that other people could never attain in a complete lifetime.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Lord was pleased with Enoch's life and quickly took him out of this wicked world. People were aware of his departure but didn't understand. They never seemed to learn the lesson


book: Wis
contenido:
The Fate of the Wicked
Even when righteous people are dead and gone, they put to shame the wicked people who live on after them. In their old age the wicked will be disgraced by young people who have already achieved perfection.


book: Wis
contenido:
The wise may die young, but the wicked will never understand that this is the Lord's way of taking them off to safety.


book: Wis
contenido:
They make light of a wise person's death, but the Lord will soon be laughing at them. When they die, they will not be given an honorable burial. Even the dead will hold them in scorn and disgust forever.


book: Wis
contenido:
God will throw them to the ground and make them speechless. Like buildings shaken from their foundations, they will be reduced to piles of ruins. They will be in torment. People will soon forget all about them.


book: Wis
contenido:
They will come in fear to the Judgment, where their sins will be counted; they will stand condemned by their own lawless actions.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Regrets of the Wicked
On that day someone righteous, full of confidence, will stand before those who oppressed him and made light of his labors.


book: Wis
contenido:
This is the one we made fun of. We thought he was a joke. What fools we were! We thought he was crazy to live the way he did, and when he died, we didn't honor him.


book: Wis
contenido:
We were the ones who wandered off the right road. We never lived in the light of righteousness; we never caught the first glimmer of its light.


book: Wis
contenido:
All our lives we wandered across unmarked deserts, instead of following the road which the Lord wanted us to travel. And this lawlessness led us to ruin.


book: Wis
contenido:
All those things are gone now; they have disappeared like a shadow, like something you hear and then forget.


book: Wis
contenido:
A ship sails across the waves of the ocean, but when it is gone, it leaves no trace. You cannot tell it was ever there.


book: Wis
contenido:
A bird flies through the air, but leaves no sign that it has been there. It speeds along, riding through the thin air by the force of its wings, leaving behind no trace of its passing.


book: Wis
contenido:
An arrow splits the air when it is shot at a target, but at once the air closes up behind it, and no one can tell where it passed.


book: Wis
contenido:
It is the same with us—we were born, and then we ceased to be. We left no sign of virtue behind us; we were destroyed by our wickedness.


book: Wis
contenido:
What hope do wicked people have? Only the hope of straw blown about in the wind, the hope of ocean foam that disappears in the storm, the hope of smoke in the breeze. Their hope lasts no longer than our memory of a guest who stays one day and leaves the next.


book: Wis
contenido:
He will give them royal splendor and a magnificent crown. He will shield them with his powerful arm.


book: Wis
contenido:
He will go out into battle determined to defeat his enemies, and use the creation itself as a weapon.


book: Wis
contenido:
He will sharpen his stern anger into a sword, and the forces of nature will join him in battle against those who are foolish enough to oppose him.


book: Wis
contenido:
Bolts of lightning will strike right on target, as if the Lord had made a bow out of the clouds and was shooting arrows.


book: Wis
contenido:
Hailstones will beat down on his enemies with terrible force. The oceans and rivers will come rushing over them in a devastating flood.


book: Wis
contenido:
Great windstorms will blow them away like straw. Lawlessness will be the ruin of the whole world. Evil actions will cause governments to fall.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Responsibility of Rulers
So then, you kings, you rulers the world over, listen to what I say, and learn from it.


book: Wis
contenido:
but this authority has been given to you by the Lord Most High. He will examine what you have done and what you plan to do.


book: Wis
contenido:
You rule on behalf of God and his kingdom, and if you do not govern justly, if you do not uphold the law, if you do not live according to God's will,


book: Wis
contenido:
Common people may be mercifully forgiven for their wrongs, but those in power will face a severe judgment.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Lord of all is not afraid of anyone, no matter how great they are. He himself made everyone, great and common alike, and he provides for all equally,


book: Wis
contenido:
It is for you, mighty kings, that I write these words, so that you may know how to act wisely and avoid mistakes.


book: Wis
contenido:
These are holy matters, and if you treat them in a holy manner, you yourselves will be considered holy. If you have learned this lesson, you will be able to defend yourselves at the Judgment.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Value of Wisdom
Wisdom shines bright and never grows dim; those who love her and look for her can easily find her.


book: Wis
contenido:
Get up early in the morning to find her, and you will have no problem; you will find her sitting at your door.


book: Wis
contenido:
To fasten your attention on Wisdom is to gain perfect understanding. If you look for her, you will soon find peace of mind,


book: Wis
contenido:
because she will be looking for those who are worthy of her, and she will find you wherever you are. She is kind and will be with you in your every thought.


book: Wis
contenido:
So then, you that rule the nations, if you value your thrones and symbols of authority, honor Wisdom so that you may rule forever.


book: Wis
contenido:
Solomon Wishes to Share His Wisdom
I will tell you what Wisdom is, and how she came to be. I will not keep anything secret. I will trace her history from the beginning and make knowledge of her open to all. I will not ignore any part of the truth.


book: Wis
contenido:
No jealous desire to guard my own knowledge will make me hold back anything. Wisdom has nothing in common with such an attitude.


book: Wis
contenido:
No indeed—the more wise people there are, the safer the world will be. A sensible king can be depended on to give his people this kind of security.


book: Wis
contenido:
A King Is Like Everyone Else
Like every human being, I am mortal. I am a descendant of that first man, who was made from the soil. I was conceived from the sperm of a man, in the pleasure of intercourse. For nine months my flesh took shape in the blood of my mother's womb.


book: Wis
contenido:
When I was born, I came into the world like anyone else. I began to breathe the same air we all breathe; and like everyone else, the first sound I made was a cry.


book: Wis
contenido:
Solomon Declares His Love for Wisdom
Realizing that I was only human, I prayed and was given understanding. The spirit of Wisdom came to me.


book: Wis
contenido:
Precious jewels could not equal her worth; beside Wisdom all the gold in the world is a handful of sand, and silver is nothing more than clay.


book: Wis
contenido:
I valued her more than health and good looks. Hers is a brightness that never grows dim, and I preferred it to any other light.


book: Wis
contenido:
I was happy with them all, because Wisdom had brought them to me. I had not realized before that she was the source of all these things.


book: Wis
contenido:
No one can ever exhaust the treasures of Wisdom. Use those treasures and you are God's friends; he approves of what you learn from her.


book: Wis
contenido:
I pray to God that my thoughts may be worthy of what I have learned, and that I may speak according to his will. He is Wisdom's guide; he gives correction to those who are wise.


book: Wis
contenido:
It is he who gave me true knowledge of the forces of nature: what the world is made of; how the elements behave;


book: Wis
contenido:
He has taught me about the nature of living creatures, the behavior of wild animals, the force of the winds, the reasoning powers of human beings, the different kinds of plants, and the use of their roots as medicine.


book: Wis
contenido:
because Wisdom, who gave shape to everything that exists, was my teacher.
The Nature of Wisdom
The spirit of Wisdom is intelligent and holy. It is of one nature but reveals itself in many ways. It is not made of any material substance, and it moves about freely. It is clear, clean, and confident; it cannot be harmed. It loves what is good. It is sharp and unconquerable,


book: Wis
contenido:
kind, and a friend of humanity. It is dependable and sure, and has no worries. It has power over everything, and sees everything. It penetrates every spirit that is intelligent and pure, no matter how delicate its substance may be.


book: Wis
contenido:
She is a breath of God's power—a pure and radiant stream of glory from the Almighty. Nothing that is defiled can ever steal its way into Wisdom.


book: Wis
contenido:
Even though Wisdom acts alone, she can do anything. She makes everything new, although she herself never changes. From generation to generation she enters the souls of holy people, and makes them God's friends and prophets.


book: Wis
contenido:
Solomon's Love for Wisdom
Wisdom has been my love. I courted her when I was young and wanted to make her my bride. I fell in love with her beauty.


book: Wis
contenido:
Is it good to have riches in this life? Nothing can make you richer than Wisdom, who makes everything function.


book: Wis
contenido:
Is knowledge a useful thing to have? Nothing is better than Wisdom, who has given shape to everything that exists.


book: Wis
contenido:
Do you love justice? All the virtues are the result of Wisdom's work: justice and courage, self-control and understanding. Life can offer us nothing more valuable than these.


book: Wis
contenido:
Do you want to have wide experience? Wisdom knows the lessons of history and can anticipate the future. She knows how to interpret what people say and how to solve problems. She knows the miracles that God will perform, and how the movements of history will develop.


book: Wis
contenido:
So I decided to take Wisdom home to live with me, because I knew that she would give me good advice and encourage me in times of trouble and grief.


book: Wis
contenido:
I thought to myself,
Because of her I will be honored wherever people come together. The old men will respect me, even though I am young.


book: Wis
contenido:
When I am silent, they will wait for me to speak, and when I speak, they will pay attention. Even when I speak at length, they will listen with concentration.


book: Wis
contenido:
Because of Wisdom I will gain immortality; I will live forever in the memory of those who come after me.


book: Wis
contenido:
dreaded tyrants will be seized with fear at the mention of my name. I will be famous, as a good king and as a brave soldier.


book: Wis
contenido:
When I come home to Wisdom, I will find contentment because there is no conflict or pain in living with her, only happiness and joy.


book: Wis
contenido:
to love her is to be perfectly happy, to do her work is to be rich beyond measure, to share her company is to have sound judgment, to converse with her is to be honored. Then I was determined to take Wisdom as my bride.


book: Wis
contenido:
I had a pleasant personality even as a child. I had been fortunate enough to receive a good soul, or rather, I was given a sound body to live in because I was already good.


book: Wis
contenido:
Still, I realized that I would never receive Wisdom unless God gave her to me—and knowing that only God could give her to me was itself a sign of understanding. So I prayed, begging the Lord with all my heart:


book: Wis
contenido:
I am your slave, as was my mother before me. I am only human. I am not strong, and my life will be short. I have little understanding of the Law or of how to apply it.


book: Wis
contenido:
Even if someone is perfect, he will be thought of as nothing without the Wisdom that comes from you.


book: Wis
contenido:
You chose me over everyone else to be the king of your own people, to judge your sons and daughters.


book: Wis
contenido:
You told me to build a temple on your sacred mountain, an altar in Jerusalem, the city you chose as your home. It is a copy of that temple in heaven, which you prepared at the beginning.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wisdom is with you and knows your actions; she was present when you made the world. She knows what pleases you, what is right and in accordance with your commands.


book: Wis
contenido:
Send her from the holy heavens, down from your glorious throne, so that she may work at my side, and I may learn what pleases you.


book: Wis
contenido:
She knows and understands everything, and will guide me intelligently in what I do. Her glory will protect me.


book: Wis
contenido:
Then I will judge your people fairly, and be worthy of my father's throne. My actions will be acceptable.


book: Wis
contenido:
because our mortal bodies weigh our souls down. The body is a temporary structure made of earth, a burden to the active mind.


book: Wis
contenido:
All we can do is make guesses about things on earth; we must struggle to learn about things that are close to us. Who, then, can ever hope to understand heavenly things?


book: Wis
contenido:
No one has ever learned your will, unless you first gave him Wisdom, and sent your holy spirit down to him.


book: Wis
contenido:
In this way people on earth have been set on the right path, have learned what pleases you, and have been kept safe by Wisdom.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wisdom Protected Adam
Wisdom protected the father of the world, the first man that was ever formed, when he alone had been created. She saved him from his own sinful act


book: Wis
contenido:
Cain Abandoned Wisdom
But there was an unrighteous man who abandoned Wisdom; he destroyed himself by killing his brother in a fit of anger.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wisdom Protected Noah
Because of that sin, the earth was flooded, but Wisdom saved it again. She guided a righteous man in his flimsy wooden boat.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wisdom Helped Abraham
Once when the nations were frustrated in their wicked plans, Wisdom recognized a righteous man and kept him innocent in God's sight. She gave him strength to obey God's command in spite of his love for his son.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wisdom Rescued Lot
Wisdom rescued a righteous man while ungodly people were dying. He escaped the flames that destroyed the Five Cities.


book: Wis
contenido:
You can still see the evidence of their wickedness. The land there is barren and smoking. The plants bear fruit that never ripens, and a pillar of salt stands as a monument to one who did not believe.


book: Wis
contenido:
The people of those cities ignored Wisdom and could not tell right from wrong. Not only that, but the remains of their cities still remind us of the foolish way they lived, so that their failure can never be forgotten.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wisdom Protected Jacob
A righteous man once had to escape from his brother's anger, and Wisdom guided him in the right way. She showed him God's kingdom and allowed him to know about holy things. She made him prosperous and successful in his work.


book: Wis
contenido:
When others were greedy for what he had, and wanted to take it away from him, Wisdom stood by him and made him rich.


book: Wis
contenido:
She protected him from his enemies who were waiting for a chance to attack him. She gave him victory in a hard fight, so that he might realize that nothing can make a person stronger than serving God.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wisdom Rescued Joseph
Once a righteous man was sold into slavery, but Wisdom did not abandon him. She kept him safe from sin. She went to prison with him


book: Wis
contenido:
and never left him until she had given him power over an empire and made him the ruler of people who had once oppressed him. She let it be known that a false accusation had been made against him, and she gave him eternal honor.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wisdom Led the Israelites Out of Egypt
Wisdom once rescued an innocent and holy people from a nation of oppressors.


book: Wis
contenido:
She rewarded God's people for their hardships. She guided them along a miraculous journey. She gave them shade during the day and brilliant starlight at night.


book: Wis
contenido:
And so the righteous looted the ungodly. They sang hymns to your holy name, O Lord; together they praised you for defending them.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wisdom Led the Israelites through the Desert
Wisdom brought success to the people of Israel through a holy prophet.


book: Wis
contenido:
They traveled across a desert where no one lived and camped in places where no human being had ever been.


book: Wis
contenido:
When your people grew thirsty, they called to you, Lord, and you gave them water flowing out of solid rock.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Punishment of the Egyptians
Because those enemies decreed that the babies of your people should be killed, you stirred up the sources of their everflowing river and made it foul with blood.
In the desert you let your people go thirsty, to give them a taste of how you had punished their enemies. And then, when they least expected it, you gave them plenty of water.


book: Wis
contenido:
When they were being tested, even though it was a merciful discipline, they learned how wicked people were tortured when you judged them in anger.


book: Wis
contenido:
You tested your people, as parents test their children, to warn them. But you judged their enemies like a stern king and condemned them.


book: Wis
contenido:
When they learned that their punishment had been of benefit to your people, they realized that it was your work, Lord.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Egyptians had refused to have anything to do with that man who, long before as a baby, had been thrown out and exposed; but as things worked out, they came to be amazed at him. The righteous never suffered a thirst like theirs.


book: Wis
contenido:
Their wickedness misled them into silly ideas, so that they worshiped snakes and other disgusting animals, creatures without any powers of reason. Because of this, you punished them with millions of such animals,


book: Wis
contenido:
Your almighty power, Lord, created the world out of material that had no form at all. You could easily have punished those people by sending an invasion of bears or savage lions.


book: Wis
contenido:
You could have created new and terrible animals, that could breathe fire or roar and send out clouds of smoke, or shoot out fearful sparks from their eyes.


book: Wis
contenido:
You could have made animals like these that would not have to attack those people to kill them, but could scare them to death just by looking at them.


book: Wis
contenido:
But this was not necessary. You could have pursued them with your justice or struck them dead at the slightest hint of your power. But you have chosen to measure, count, and weigh everything you do.


book: Wis
contenido:
God Is Powerful and Merciful
You can show your great power any time you wish, and no one can stand up against it.


book: Wis
contenido:
In your sight the whole world is a grain of sand, barely heavy enough to tip a pair of scales, a drop of dew on the ground in the morning.


book: Wis
contenido:
You are powerful enough to do anything, but you are merciful to everyone; you overlook our sins and give us time to repent.


book: Wis
contenido:
You love everything that exists; you do not despise anything that you have made. If you had not liked it, you would not have made it in the first place.


book: Wis
contenido:
and so you gently correct those who sin against you. You remind them of what they are doing, and warn them about it, so that they may abandon their evil ways and put their trust in you, Lord.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Sins of the Canaanites
You hated the people who lived in your holy land long ago, because they did horrible things: they practiced magic and conducted unholy worship;


book: Wis
contenido:
they killed children without mercy and ate the flesh and blood of human beings. They were initiated into secret rituals


book: Wis
contenido:
in which parents murdered their own defenseless children. It was your will for our ancestors to destroy these people,


book: Wis
contenido:
so that the land which you consider the most precious of all lands would be a suitable home for your people.


book: Wis
contenido:
But even in this you showed mercy toward their enemies, since they were only human beings. You sent hornets ahead of your army, to destroy the enemy gradually.


book: Wis
contenido:
You could have allowed the righteous to destroy those ungodly people in battle; you could have wiped them out immediately with wild animals or with one harsh command.


book: Wis
contenido:
But instead, you carried out your sentence gradually, to give them a chance to repent, even though you knew that they came from evil stock, that they had been wicked since birth, and that they would never change their way of thinking.


book: Wis
contenido:
Their whole nation was cursed from the start, and though you had not punished them for their sins, it was not because you were afraid of anyone.


book: Wis
contenido:
God Is Sovereign
You created those wicked people, and no one can speak in their defense or condemn you for destroying them. No one can question what you have done or challenge your judgment.


book: Wis
contenido:
You are righteous, and you rule everything righteously. You have never used your power to condemn a person who does not deserve to be punished.


book: Wis
contenido:
Your strength is the source of justice. You can show mercy to everyone, because you are the Lord of all.


book: Wis
contenido:
You show your strength when people doubt that your power is perfect, and you punish anyone who knows your power but dares to ignore it.


book: Wis
contenido:
Even though you have absolute power, you are a merciful judge. You could take action against us whenever you like, but instead, you rule us with great patience.


book: Wis
contenido:
By the things you have done you have taught your people that a person who is righteous must also be kind. You have given your people abundant hope by allowing them to repent of their sins.


book: Wis
contenido:
You were very careful and patient in punishing your people's enemies; even when they deserved to die, you gave them every opportunity to give up their sinful ways.


book: Wis
contenido:
But you judged your own people very strictly, even though you had made covenants with their ancestors and had solemnly promised to give them good things.


book: Wis
contenido:
Yes, you punish us, but you punish our enemies ten thousand times more, so that when we judge others, we may remember your goodness, and when we are being judged, we may look for mercy.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Punishment of the Egyptians
And so you tormented those who were foolish enough to live wickedly—you tormented them with the horrible things they worshiped.


book: Wis
contenido:
They had wandered far away from the truth and worshiped the most disgusting and horrible animals. They were deceived as easily as little children.


book: Wis
contenido:
It was a light punishment, but those who pay no attention to such warnings deserve to feel the full weight of God's judgment.


book: Wis
contenido:
When they were punished with those creatures they considered gods, they became bitterly disillusioned and recognized that the true God was the one they had always refused to acknowledge. That is why they suffered the final punishment.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Foolishness of Nature Worship
Anyone who does not know God is simply foolish. Such people look at the good things around them and still fail to see the living God. They have studied the things he made, but they have not recognized the one who made them.


book: Wis
contenido:
Instead, they suppose that the gods who rule the world are fire or wind or storm or the circling stars or rushing water or the heavenly bodies.


book: Wis
contenido:
People were so delighted with the beauty of these things that they thought they must be gods, but they should have realized that these things have a master and that he is much greater than all of them, for he is the creator of beauty, and he created them.


book: Wis
contenido:
Since people are amazed at the power of these things, and how they behave, they ought to learn from them that their maker is far more powerful.


book: Wis
contenido:
When we realize how vast and beautiful the creation is, we are learning about the Creator at the same time.


book: Wis
contenido:
But maybe we are too harsh with these people. After all, they may have really wanted to find God, but couldn't.


book: Wis
contenido:
Surrounded by God's works, they keep on looking at them, until they are finally convinced that because the things they see are so beautiful, they must be gods.


book: Wis
contenido:
If they had enough intelligence to speculate about the nature of the universe, why did they never find the Lord of all things?


book: Wis
contenido:
The Foolishness of Idolatry
But the most miserable people of all are those who rest their hopes on lifeless things, who worship things that have been made by human hands—images of animals artistically made from gold and silver, or some useless stone carved by someone years ago.


book: Wis
contenido:
A skilled woodworker may saw down some suitable tree, carefully strip off the bark, and then, with skillful craftsmanship, make from it an object that will serve some useful purpose.


book: Wis
contenido:
He will take the leftover pieces and use them as firewood to cook a meal that he can sit down to and enjoy.


book: Wis
contenido:
But among that scrap wood he may take one piece that isn't good for anything—maybe it's crooked and full of knots—and carefully carve it in his leisure time, using spare moments to shape it into the crude image of a person,


book: Wis
contenido:
or maybe of some worthless animal. He paints it all over with red, covering up every flaw in the work.


book: Wis
contenido:
He is careful to keep it from falling, because he knows it is only an idol and needs help; it cannot help itself.


book: Wis
contenido:
But he is not ashamed to pray to this lifeless thing about his marriage, his children, and his possessions.


book: Wis
contenido:
It is weak, but he prays to it for health. It is dead, but he prays to it for life. It has no experience, but he prays to it for help. It cannot walk, but he prays to it for a successful journey.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wooden Idols Compared with Noah's Wooden Boat
In the same way, a man getting ready to sail on the raging sea will call for help from a piece of wood that is not as strong as the ship he is about to board.


book: Wis
contenido:
But it is your care, O Father, that steers it; you give it a safe path through the waves of the sea.


book: Wis
contenido:
It is your will that the things you have made by your wisdom should be put to use. And so people can cross the sea in a boat and come safely to land, because they trust their lives to that small piece of wood.


book: Wis
contenido:
This was how it was in ancient times, when a proud race of giants was dying away. The hope of the world escaped on such a boat under your guidance and left the world a new generation to carry on the human race.


book: Wis
contenido:
but a curse is on an idol made by human hands. A curse is also on the one who makes it, because he works on this perishable thing and then calls it a god.


book: Wis
contenido:
And so God's judgment will fall on pagan idols, because, even though they are made from something God created, they became horrible things that trap the souls of foolish people.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Origins of Idolatry
Sexual immorality began when idols were invented. They have corrupted human life ever since they were first made.


book: Wis
contenido:
It was human pride that brought them into the world, and that is why a quick end has been planned for them.


book: Wis
contenido:
Once there was a father who was overwhelmed with grief at the untimely death of his child, so he made an image of that child who had been suddenly taken from him. He then honored a dead human being as a god, and handed on secret rituals and ceremonies to those who were under his authority.


book: Wis
contenido:
As time went on, this ungodly custom became stronger. Finally it became law, and idols were being worshiped at the command of powerful rulers.


book: Wis
contenido:
When people lived too far away to honor a ruler in his presence but were eager to pay honor to this absent king, they would imagine what he must look like, and would then make a likeness of him.


book: Wis
contenido:
The ambitious artists who made these likenesses caused this worship to spread, even among people who did not know the king.


book: Wis
contenido:
An artist might want to please some ruler, and so he would use his skill to make the likeness better looking than the actual person.


book: Wis
contenido:
Then people would be so attracted by the work of art, that the one whom they had earlier honored now became the object of their worship.


book: Wis
contenido:
So all this became a deadly trap, because people who were grieving, or under royal authority, would take objects of stone or wood, and give them the honor reserved for the One God.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Results of Idolatry
One thing led to another. It was not enough to be wrong about the knowledge of God. They lived in a state of evil warfare, but they were so ignorant that they called it peace.


book: Wis
contenido:
They murdered children in their initiation rituals, celebrated secret mysteries, and held wild ceremonial orgies with unnatural practices.


book: Wis
contenido:
They no longer kept their lives or their marriages pure. A man might kill another by an act of treachery or cause him grief by committing adultery with his wife.


book: Wis
contenido:
Everything was a complete riot of bloody murder, robbery, deceit, corruption, faithlessness, disorder, falsehood,


book: Wis
contenido:
harassment of innocent people, ingratitude, moral decay, sexual perversion, broken marriages, adultery, and immorality.


book: Wis
contenido:
The worship of idols, whose names should never be spoken, is the beginning and the end, the cause and the result of every evil.


book: Wis
contenido:
People who worship them lose control of themselves in ecstasy, or pass off lies as prophecies, or live wickedly, or break their word without hesitation.


book: Wis
contenido:
They tell lies under oath and expect no punishment, because the idols they put their trust in are lifeless.


book: Wis
contenido:
But punishment will finally catch up with them, for two reasons: first, they were in error about God when they worshiped idols, and second, they had so little regard for holiness that they made false statements to deceive people.


book: Wis
contenido:
When unrighteous people commit sin, they will be hunted down, not by the power of whatever thing they swear by, but by the punishment that sinners deserve.


book: Wis
contenido:
The True God Gives Immortality
But you, our God, are kind and true and patient. You rule the universe with mercy.


book: Wis
contenido:
Even if we sin, we know your power and are still yours. But because we know that we belong to you, we will not sin.


book: Wis
contenido:
We have not been misled by any evil product of human skill, by any useless object painted by some artist, or by any idol smeared with different colors.


book: Wis
contenido:
The sight of such things arouses the passions of foolish people and makes them desire a dead, lifeless image.


book: Wis
contenido:
Anyone who makes such a thing or desires it or worships it is in love with something evil, and gets what he deserves when he places his hopes in it.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Foolishness of Worshiping Clay Idols
A potter works the soft clay and carefully shapes each object for our use. Some things he makes are put to good use, and some are not, but he makes them all from the same clay, and shapes them in the same manner. The potter himself decides which objects shall be used for what purposes.


book: Wis
contenido:
He is a human being who was himself formed from earth only a short while earlier, and after a little while, when he must return the soul that was lent to him, he will go back to the same earth. He is a human being, but he wastes his labor shaping a useless god out of the same clay that he uses to make pots.


book: Wis
contenido:
His life will be short, and he will soon have to die, but he is not concerned about that. He wants to compete with those who work in gold, silver, and bronze, and make things like they do. He takes great pride in the things he makes, but they are counterfeit.


book: Wis
contenido:
His heart is made of ashes. His hope is cheaper than dirt. His life is not worth as much as his clay,


book: Wis
contenido:
because he never came to know the God who shaped him, who breathed into him an active soul and a living spirit.


book: Wis
contenido:
He thinks of human life as just a game, a market where he can make a profit. He believes that he must make money however he can, even by evil ways.


book: Wis
contenido:
This man, who makes idols and fragile pots from the same clay, knows better than anyone else that he is sinning.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Punishment of the Egyptians
But the most foolish of all people, showing less sense than babies, were the enemies who oppressed your people, O Lord.


book: Wis
contenido:
They thought that all their pagan idols were gods, even though idols cannot see with their eyes, cannot breathe through their nose, cannot hear with their ears, cannot feel with their fingers, and cannot walk on their legs.


book: Wis
contenido:
Someone whose spirit is only borrowed made them. No one can ever make a god that is equal to a human being.


book: Wis
contenido:
Every person will sooner or later die, but anything he makes with his wicked hands is dead from the start. He himself is better than what he worships. He at least is alive, but what he worships is not, and never has been.


book: Wis
contenido:
Even as animals they are not attractive enough to make anyone want them. God himself passed them by when he put his approval and blessing on the rest of creation.


book: Wis
contenido:
And so it was appropriate that these people were punished by such creatures—tormented by swarms of them.


book: Wis
contenido:
But you, O Lord, did not punish your people in this way; instead, you showed them kindness. You sent them quails to eat, a rare, delicious food to satisfy their hunger.


book: Wis
contenido:
You did all this so that the idolaters, when they were hungry, would be unable to eat because of the disgusting creatures sent to them. Your people, however, suffered hunger only a short while, and then they ate the finest food.


book: Wis
contenido:
It was necessary for the oppressors to suffer relentless need, while your people saw how their enemies were being tormented.


book: Wis
contenido:
When terrible, fierce snakes attacked your people and were killing them with their poison, you did not remain angry long enough to destroy your people.


book: Wis
contenido:
This trouble lasted for only a little while, as a warning. Then you gave them a healing symbol, the bronze snake, to remind them of what your Law requires.


book: Wis
contenido:
If a person looked at that symbol, he was cured of the snakebite—not by what he saw, but by you, the savior of all mankind.


book: Wis
contenido:
By doing this, you also convinced our enemies that you are the one who rescues people from every evil.


book: Wis
contenido:
Our enemies died from the bites of locusts and flies; no way was found to cure them, because they deserved to be punished by such creatures.


book: Wis
contenido:
But even poisonous snakes could not overcome your people, because you had mercy, helped them, and cured them.


book: Wis
contenido:
They were bitten so that they would remember your commands, but they were quickly rescued, in order to keep them from forgetting you completely and depriving themselves of your kindness.


book: Wis
contenido:
No medicine or ointment cured them. They were restored to health by your word, O Lord, the word which heals all humanity.


book: Wis
contenido:
A wicked person may kill someone, but cannot bring the dead person back to life or rescue a soul imprisoned in the world of the dead.


book: Wis
contenido:
Look at those ungodly people: they refused to recognize you as God, so you punished them with your great power. They were overtaken by terrible storms of rain and hail and were completely destroyed by fire.


book: Wis
contenido:
The most amazing thing was that the fire burned all the more fiercely in the water, which usually puts fire out. All the forces of nature fight to defend those who are righteous.


book: Wis
contenido:
At one point the flames died down, so that they wouldn't destroy the creatures sent to punish the ungodly. Those people had to learn that they were being overtaken by your judgment.


book: Wis
contenido:
But at another point, when surrounded by water, the flames burned more fiercely than fire had ever burned before, and so destroyed the crops on the land where those unrighteous people lived.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Israelites Receive Manna to Eat
But this disaster did not strike your people. Instead, you gave them the food of angels. From heaven you sent down bread that was ready to eat, and they did not have to prepare it. The food you gave delighted everyone, no matter what his taste.


book: Wis
contenido:
All this showed how lovingly you care for your children. That food satisfied the desire of everyone who ate it; it was changed to suit each person's taste.


book: Wis
contenido:
It was food that under normal circumstances would vanish away like snow or ice, but now it did not melt even in the fire. This was meant to teach your people that the same fire that was destroying their enemies' crops during the heavy downpour of rain and hail


book: Wis
contenido:
You created the universe; it is at your command. All creation uses its power to punish unrighteous people, but it becomes mild and kind to those who put their trust in you.


book: Wis
contenido:
This happened so that the people whom you loved, O Lord, might learn that they are not fed by what they can grow. It is your word that maintains those who put their trust in you.


book: Wis
contenido:
This was to teach us that we must get up before daybreak to give you thanks, and pray as the sun comes up.


book: Wis
contenido:
But an ungrateful person's hope will melt away like frost, and drain away like water that is not being used.


book: Wis
contenido:
Terror Strikes the Egyptians at Night
O Lord, your acts of judgment are marvelous and hard to explain; that is why people who had not been taught about them went astray.


book: Wis
contenido:
When lawless people imagined that they had your holy nation in their power, they were themselves imprisoned in a long night of darkness. They lay in their own houses, shut off from your eternal care.


book: Wis
contenido:
They thought that their sins had been secret and unnoticed, shielded from view by a dark curtain of forgetfulness, but now they were horribly afraid, confused, and terrified by ghostly forms.


book: Wis
contenido:
Not even the dark corners where they lay could protect them from fear. They were surrounded by horrible noises; grim ghosts with gloomy faces appeared before their eyes.


book: Wis
contenido:
No fire had power to give them light, and the brilliant stars could do nothing to relieve that deathly darkness.


book: Wis
contenido:
There was only a dreadful fire, lit by no human hand, that shone on them, and in their terror they believed that the real world was even worse than the things they imagined.


book: Wis
contenido:
The illusions produced by their magic tricks were put to shame, and all the wisdom they had boasted of came to nothing.


book: Wis
contenido:
They had claimed they could drive away all the fears and illnesses of sick minds, but now they themselves were sick with silly, groundless fears.


book: Wis
contenido:
Even though nothing dangerous had actually happened, they were terrified by hissing snakes and animals advancing on them.


book: Wis
contenido:
Wickedness is cowardly in itself and stands self-condemned. Someone with a guilty conscience will always imagine things to be worse than they really are.


book: Wis
contenido:
All night long those people slept the same restless sleep, even though the night held no power over them, since it came from the powerless depths of the world of the dead.


book: Wis
contenido:
They were chased by hideous forms and lay paralyzed as they surrendered themselves to the sudden, unexpected fear that came over them.


book: Wis
contenido:
Farmers, shepherds, and laborers out in the countryside were captured by the same inevitable fate and bound in the darkness by the same invisible chain.


book: Wis
contenido:
They were panic-stricken by the sighing of the wind or by the singing of birds in the trees or by the roar of rushing water or by the rumble of falling rock or by the sound of unseen creatures running about or by the savage roaring of wild animals or by the echoes from the mountains.


book: Wis
contenido:
Only those people were covered by this heavy night, a foretaste of the darkness of death that was waiting for them. They were a burden to themselves that was even heavier than the darkness.


book: Wis
contenido:
Light Shines on the Israelites
Yet all the while a brilliant light was shining for your holy people. Their enemies heard their voices, but couldn't see them. They envied the good fortune of your people, who were not suffering.


book: Wis
contenido:
Those enemies could at least be thankful that the people they had wronged were not taking vengeance on them now, and so they begged them to leave.


book: Wis
contenido:
Then you guided your people as they traveled through a country they did not know. You guided them with a pillar of fire. It was like a sun that would not harm them on that glorious journey.


book: Wis
contenido:
But their enemies, who were not allowed to see the light, deserved to be prisoners in darkness, because they had made prisoners of your people. And it was through your people that the eternal light of the Law was going to be given to the world.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Death of the Egyptian First-Born
When your enemies were carrying out their resolve to kill the babies of your holy people, there was one child who was abandoned but later rescued. Then you punished your enemies by killing a great number of their own children. You drowned their whole army at one time in the rushing waters.


book: Wis
contenido:
But our ancestors had been told in advance of what would happen that night, so that they would be cheered and encouraged by confident trust in your promises to them.


book: Wis
contenido:
During all this time devout people from this righteous nation were secretly offering sacrifices, giving their word to each other that they would keep God's law and share each other's blessings and dangers. Already they were chanting those ancient hymns of praise.


book: Wis
contenido:
But their enemies' pitiful cries of grief echoed everywhere, as they mourned for their dead children.


book: Wis
contenido:
Masters suffered the same punishment as their slaves; the king endured the same loss as the common people.


book: Wis
contenido:
There were too many dead bodies to count. There were not enough people left to bury them all. In a single moment their dearest children died; all of them met death in the same way.


book: Wis
contenido:
These people had paid no attention to any warning, but relied instead on their magical powers. But when their first-born sons were killed, then they recognized that Israel was God's son.


book: Wis
contenido:
when suddenly your threats were carried out! An invincible word of judgment sped from your royal throne in heaven, straight down to that doomed land. It came like a soldier in fierce attack,


book: Wis
contenido:
carrying out your firm command with a fearful weapon, standing with feet on the ground and head touching the sky, filling the land with death.


book: Wis
contenido:
At that moment the people who were about to die had terrible nightmares and were seized by sudden fear.


book: Wis
contenido:
Aaron's Prayer Saves the Israelites from Death
Death also came to the righteous nation, for an epidemic struck many of them while they were in the desert, but your anger did not last long.


book: Wis
contenido:
There was a certain blameless man who quickly took action to defend them. Acting as their priest, Aaron offered prayers and burned the incense used in asking forgiveness of sins. With prayers and incense as his weapons, he withstood your anger and ended the disaster. By doing this he proved that he was your servant.


book: Wis
contenido:
He overcame the bitter difficulty, but not by his own strength or by military force. Instead, he used prayer to stop the punishment, appealing to the promises you solemnly gave to our ancestors.


book: Wis
contenido:
Dead bodies were already lying in piles, but he stepped in to hold your anger back and to keep it from harming those who were left alive.


book: Wis
contenido:
He wore a long robe decorated with symbols of the universe. In honor of our ancestors he wore four rows of engraved stones on his chest, and your own majesty was represented by the ornament on his turban.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Angel of Death was afraid of these things, and gave up. It was only a slight experience of your wrath, but it was enough.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Suicidal Stupidity of the Egyptians
But the godless continued to feel your pitiless anger until the very end. You knew what they would do before they did it.


book: Wis
contenido:
You knew that even though they let your people go and made them leave quickly, they would change their minds and pursue them.


book: Wis
contenido:
While the Egyptians were still mourning at the graves of their dead, they forgot why all this had happened, and they foolishly decided that the people they had begged to leave were runaways. So they chased after them. They were led into this as part of the punishment they deserved, so that they would suffer the rest of the torments they were due to receive.


book: Wis
contenido:
God Guides and Protects His People
The whole nature of the universe was changed at your command so that your people would not be harmed.


book: Wis
contenido:
They saw the cloud over their camp and dry land where water had been. There was a grass-covered plain between the stormy waves of the Red Sea, making it easy for them to cross over.


book: Wis
contenido:
They pranced about like horses let out to pasture; they skipped about like lambs and praised you, Lord, for saving them.


book: Wis
contenido:
They still remembered what life had been like when they were slaves—how the earth bred gnats instead of cattle, how the river produced huge numbers of frogs instead of fish.


book: Wis
contenido:
Later, when they desperately wanted better food, quails came up from the sea to satisfy their hunger. The quail was a bird they had never seen before.


book: Wis
contenido:
The Punishment of the Egyptians
But violent thunder gave warning of the punishment that was coming on those sinners. They suffered a well-deserved punishment for their great wickedness. No nation had ever hated strangers so bitterly.


book: Wis
contenido:
Other people had been known to refuse welcome to strangers who came to them, but these people made slaves of those who were their guests and who had shown them kindness.


book: Wis
contenido:
but these people, who had earlier welcomed the foreigners with happy celebrations and treated them as equals, later made them suffer cruelly.


book: Wis
contenido:
These people were also struck with blindness, like the men of Sodom who came to the door of that righteous man Lot. They found themselves in total darkness, as each one groped around to find his own door.


book: Wis
contenido:
God's Miraculous Power
On a harp each string keeps its own pitch, but each sound can be combined with others to make different melodies. That is how it was in those days, when the very elements entered into new combinations. Look at what happened!


book: Wis
contenido:
And yet the flames could not burn the flesh of the perishable creatures walking in them and did not melt that heavenly food that would ordinarily have melted like frost.


book: Wis
contenido:
Lord, you have made your people great—glorious in all respects. You have never neglected them. You have given them help, always, everywhere.


book: Sir
contenido:
Foreword
The Law, the Prophets, and the later writers have left us a wealth of valuable teachings, and we should praise Israel for the instruction and wisdom they provide. But it is not enough that those who read them should gain understanding for themselves. Anyone who values learning should be able to help others by what he himself says and writes. That is why my grandfather Jesus devoted himself to reading the Law, the Prophets, and the other books of our ancestors. After he had mastered them, he was led to write a book of his own in order to share his wisdom and learning with others, so that anyone who shared his love for learning should have his book available as well, and be all the more able to live according to the Law.
Let me urge you, then, to read this book carefully and with an open mind. And please be patient in those places where, in spite of all my diligent efforts, I may not have translated some phrases vry well. What was originally written in Hebrew does not always have exactly the same sense when it is translated into another language. That is true not only of this book, but even of the Law itself, the Prophets, and the other books. The translations differ quite a bit from the original.
I came to Egypt in the thirty-eighth year of King Euergetes' reign and stayed for some time. While I was there, I had the opportunity for a good deal of study and felt the necessity of translating the following book. I wanted to use all my diligence and skill to complete it and make it available for all those living in foreign lands who wish to learn and who have the strength of character to live by the Law of Moses.
In Praise of Wisdom
All wisdom comes from the Lord,
and Wisdom is with him forever.


book: Sir
contenido:
How high is the sky? How wide is the earth?
How deep is the ocean? How profound is Wisdom?
Can anyone find answers to these questions?


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord himself created Wisdom;
he saw her and recognized her value,
and so he filled everything he made with Wisdom.


book: Sir
contenido:
To fear the Lord is the first step to Wisdom.
Wisdom is given to the faithful in their mothers' wombs.


book: Sir
contenido:
She sends knowledge and understanding like the rain,
and increases the honor of those who receive her.


book: Sir
contenido:
Wisdom and Reverence for God
Wisdom has a treasury of wise sayings, but sinners have nothing but contempt for godliness.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't be arrogant; you may suffer a fall and be disgraced. The Lord will reveal your secrets and humble you in front of everyone in the synagogue, because you did not come there with reverence for the Lord, but with a heart full of hypocrisy.


book: Sir
contenido:
Faithfulness to God
My child, if you are going to serve the Lord, be prepared for times when you will be put to the test.


book: Sir
contenido:
All you that fear the Lord, wait for him to show you his mercy. Do not turn away from him, or you will fall.


book: Sir
contenido:
Think back to the ancient generations and consider this: has the Lord ever disappointed anyone who put his hope in him? Has the Lord ever abandoned anyone who held him in constant reverence? Has the Lord ever ignored anyone who prayed to him?


book: Sir
contenido:
Doom is sure to come for those who lose their courage; they have no faith, and so they will have no protection.


book: Sir
contenido:
Doom is sure to come for those who lose their hope. What will they do when the Lord comes to judge them?


book: Sir
contenido:
Those who fear the Lord do not disobey his commands; those who love him will live as he wants them to live.


book: Sir
contenido:
We place our destiny in the hands of the Lord, not in human hands, because his mercy is as great as his majesty.


book: Sir
contenido:
Duties to Parents
Children, listen to me; I am your father. Do what I tell you and you will be safe,


book: Sir
contenido:
for the Lord has given fathers authority over their children and given children the obligation to obey their mothers.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you respect your father, one day your own children will make you happy; the Lord will hear your prayers.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you obey the Lord by honoring your father and making your mother happy, you will live a long life.


book: Sir
contenido:
When parents give their blessing, they give strength to their children's homes, but when they curse their children, they destroy the very foundations.


book: Sir
contenido:
Never seek honor for yourself at your father's expense; it is not to your credit if he is dishonored.


book: Sir
contenido:
Your own honor comes from the respect that you show to your father. If children do not honor their mothers, it is their own disgrace.


book: Sir
contenido:
My child, take care of your father when he grows old; give him no cause for worry as long as he lives.


book: Sir
contenido:
Be sympathetic even if his mind fails him; don't look down on him just because you are strong and healthy.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord will not forget the kindness you show to your father; it will help you make up for your sins.


book: Sir
contenido:
When you are in trouble, the Lord will remember your kindness and will help you; your sins will melt away like frost in warm sunshine.


book: Sir
contenido:
Those who abandon their parents or give them cause for anger may as well be cursing the Lord; they are already under the Lord's curse.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't try to understand things that are too hard for you, or investigate matters that are beyond your power to know.


book: Sir
contenido:
Concentrate on the Law, which has been given to you. You do not need to know about things which the Lord has not revealed,


book: Sir
contenido:
so don't concern yourself with them. After all, what has been shown to you is beyond human power to understand.


book: Sir
contenido:
There is no cure for the troubles that arrogant people have; wickedness has taken deep root in them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Intelligent people will learn from proverbs and parables. They listen well because they want to learn.


book: Sir
contenido:
Giving to the Poor
Giving to the poor can make up for sin, just as water can put out a blazing fire.


book: Sir
contenido:
Anyone who responds to others with acts of kindness is thinking of the future, because he will find help if he ever falls on hard times.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't add to the troubles of someone who is already desperate. If he is in need, don't put off giving to him.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't refuse to help a beggar who is in distress. Don't turn your back on a poor person or give him any reason to curse you.


book: Sir
contenido:
Be like a father to orphans, and provide widows with the help their husbands can no longer give them. Then you will be like a child of the Most High, and he will love you more than your own mother does.


book: Sir
contenido:
At first, Wisdom will lead you along difficult paths. She will make you so afraid that you will think you cannot go on. The discipline she demands will be tormenting, and she will put you to the test with her requirements until she trusts you completely.


book: Sir
contenido:
Self-confidence
Take advantage of opportunities, but guard yourself against evil. Don't underrate yourself.


book: Sir
contenido:
Do not let others have their way at your expense; do not bring on your own ruin by giving up your rights.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't allow yourself to be dominated by someone who is stupid or show partiality to influential people.


book: Sir
contenido:
Stand up for what is right, even if it costs you your life; the Lord God will be fighting on your side.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't stick out your hand to get something if you're going to be tightfisted when the time comes to pay it back.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't think that no one can exercise authority over you; if you do, the Lord is certain to punish you.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't think that his mercy is so great that he will forgive your sins no matter how many they are. He does show mercy, but he also shows his furious anger with sinners.


book: Sir
contenido:
Come back to the Lord quickly. Don't think that you can keep putting it off. His anger can come upon you suddenly, and you will die under his punishment.


book: Sir
contenido:
Sincerity and Self-control
Be certain about what you believe and consistent in what you say. Don't try to please everyone or agree with everything people say.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't get a reputation for being a gossip, and don't tell tales that will hurt people. Just as robbers will suffer disgrace, so liars will suffer severe condemnation.


book: Sir
contenido:
6 and do not be an enemy when you should be a friend. A bad reputation brings you the disgrace that lying sinners deserve.


book: Sir
contenido:
When you make friends, don't be too quick to trust them; make sure that they have proved themselves.


book: Sir
contenido:
Some people will be your friends only when it is convenient for them, but they won't stand by you in trouble.


book: Sir
contenido:
Others will fall out with you over some argument, and then embarrass you by letting everyone know about it.


book: Sir
contenido:
Others will sit at your table as long as things are going well; they will stick to you like your shadow and give orders to your servants, but they will not stand by you in trouble.


book: Sir
contenido:
If your situation takes a turn for the worse, they will turn against you, and you won't be able to find them anywhere.


book: Sir
contenido:
A loyal friend is like a medicine that keeps you in good health. Only those who fear the Lord can find such a friend.


book: Sir
contenido:
A person who fears the Lord can make real friendships, because he will treat his friends as he does himself.


book: Sir
contenido:
Learn from Wisdom
My child, learn to value Wisdom while you are young, and you will still be able to find her when you grow old.


book: Sir
contenido:
Work as hard to find Wisdom as a farmer works to plow and plant his fields; then you can expect a good harvest. You will have to work at it for a while, but you will soon be enjoying what you have earned.


book: Sir
contenido:
Undisciplined people find Wisdom's demands too hard and don't have enough determination to meet them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Her requirements are a burden heavier than they are willing to bear, and they quickly lay them aside.


book: Sir
contenido:
The signs of slavery you wear will become signs of royal majesty. Her chains will be your protection, and you will wear her yoke like a magnificent robe.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you find someone with understanding, get up early to call on him; wear out his doorstep with your visits.


book: Sir
contenido:
Devote all your time to studying the Lord's commands and thinking about them. He will give you the insight and wisdom you are looking for.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't try to convince the Lord that you are righteous or make a show of your wisdom before the king.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't set your heart on being a judge, unless you have the strength of character it takes to put an end to injustice. If you let yourself be influenced by someone in a position of power, your integrity will be damaged.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't commit any crime against the general public, and don't disgrace yourself among your townspeople.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't think that God Most High is going to take into account how very generous you are and so accept any offering you decide to make.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't laugh at someone who has been humiliated. It is the Lord who humbles a person, but the Lord also raises him up again.


book: Sir
contenido:
In an official assembly, don't get up and talk a lot of nonsense. And don't repeat yourself when you pray.


book: Sir
contenido:
Relations with Others
Don't betray a friend for money. Don't betray a real friend for all the gold in the world.


book: Sir
contenido:
Show the same love to wise servants that you would show to yourself, and let them have their freedom.


book: Sir
contenido:
When you give your daughter in marriage, you have finished a great task, but give her to a sensible man.


book: Sir
contenido:
Honor your father with all your heart, and never forget how your mother suffered when you were born.


book: Sir
contenido:
Remember that you owe your life to them. How can you ever repay them for all they have done for you?


book: Sir
contenido:
Honor the Lord and respect the priests. Supply them with what you have been commanded to give: the first produce, the offering for sin, the shoulder of the sacrificial animal—all the required sacrifices and offerings.


book: Sir
contenido:
Whatever you do, remember that some day you must die. As long as you keep this in mind, you will never sin.


book: Sir
contenido:
Do not quarrel with someone rich; he may bribe people to turn against you. Gold has destroyed many people and corrupted kings.


book: Sir
contenido:
Do not disregard what the wise have said. Study their proverbs; from them you can learn to be cultured and to serve great people.


book: Sir
contenido:
Pay attention to what old people say, for they learned from those who came before them. You can learn from them, and they can teach you how to have an answer ready when you need one.


book: Sir
contenido:
You should not provide a sinner with more opportunity to sin. You might get hurt yourself; it's as easy as getting burned while adding logs to a fire.


book: Sir
contenido:
You should not get up and walk out on someone who is insolent. He might twist your words and use them against you.


book: Sir
contenido:
You should not lend anything to someone more powerful than you. If you do, you might as well consider it lost.


book: Sir
contenido:
You should not guarantee anyone else's loan to an extent that you cannot afford. You must be prepared to pay any such guarantee.


book: Sir
contenido:
You should not travel with anyone who is reckless. It will cause you nothing but trouble. He will do any foolish thing he pleases, and you will die with him.


book: Sir
contenido:
You should not get into an argument with anyone who has a hot temper or go to some place where the two of you will be alone. Violence means nothing to such a person, and he will attack you when there is no one to help you.


book: Sir
contenido:
You should not ask a stupid person for advice. He will not be able to keep secret what you tell him.


book: Sir
contenido:
You should not do anything in front of a stranger that should be kept secret. There is no way of knowing what will happen if you do.


book: Sir
contenido:
You should not reveal your most private thoughts to anyone. If you do, you may as well throw away any chance of happiness.


book: Sir
contenido:
Advice about Women
Don't be jealous of the wife you love. You will only be teaching her how to do you harm.


book: Sir
contenido:
When you see a good-looking woman, look the other way; don't let your mind dwell on the beauty of any woman who is not your wife. Many men have been led astray by a woman's beauty. It kindles passion as if it were fire.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't sit down to eat with another man's wife or join her for a drink. You may give in to the temptation of her charms and be destroyed by your passion.


book: Sir
contenido:
Friendships with Others
Never abandon old friends; you will never find a new one who can take their place. Friendship is like wine; it gets better as it grows older.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't take pleasure in the things that make ungodly people happy; remember that they will be held guilty as long as they live.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you keep away from someone who has the power to put you to death, you will not have to fear for your life; but if you must go near him, be very careful, or he may kill you. Be conscious that you are walking among hidden traps, that you are an easy target.


book: Sir
contenido:
Get to know the people around you as well as you can, and take advice only from those who are qualified to give it.


book: Sir
contenido:
Engage in conversation with intelligent people, and let the Law of the Most High be the topic of your discussions.


book: Sir
contenido:
Choose righteous people for your dinner companions. Your chief pride should be your fear of the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
Rulers
A skilled worker is admired for the things he makes, and a leader's wisdom is proved by his words.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord sees to the government of the world and brings the right person to power at the right time.


book: Sir
contenido:
The success of that person is in the Lord's hands. The Lord is the source of the honor given to any official.


book: Sir
contenido:
Pride
Don't be angry with someone for every little thing he does wrong. Don't do anything out of injured pride.


book: Sir
contenido:
Injustice, arrogance, and wealth cause nations to fall from power, and others then rise to take their place.


book: Sir
contenido:
We are only dust and ashes; what have we got to be proud of Our body decays even while we are alive.


book: Sir
contenido:
Pride is like a fountain pouring out sin, and whoever persists in it will be full of wickedness. That is why the Lord brought terrible punishments on some people and completely destroyed them.


book: Sir
contenido:
People Who Should Be Honored
Who deserves honor? The human race does, because people fear the Lord. Who does not deserve honor? The human race does not, because people break the Lord's commands.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is not right to refuse honor to a poor person who is intelligent, and it is not right to give honor to a sinner.


book: Sir
contenido:
People of influence, rulers, and judges will be honored, but none of them is greater than a person who fears the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
A slave who is wise will have free citizens serving him; and if they are sensible, they will not resent it.


book: Sir
contenido:
Humility and Self-respect
When you do your work, don't make a show of your skill, and don't try to put on a show when you are in trouble.


book: Sir
contenido:
There is no excuse for a person to run himself down. No one respects a person who has no respect for himself.


book: Sir
contenido:
If someone is honored while he is poor, think how much he will be honored if he becomes rich! If someone is despised while he is rich, think how much more he will be despised if he becomes poor!


book: Sir
contenido:
11 If a poor person is wise, he has good reason to be proud, and he will be thought of as someone great.


book: Sir
contenido:
Appearances
Do not compliment a person on his good looks. On the other hand, do not look down on someone who is unattractive.


book: Sir
contenido:
Compared to most flying things, a bee is very small, but the honey it makes is the sweetest of foods.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't make fun of someone who has fallen on hard times and is dressed in rags. The Lord does wonderful things that human beings never notice.


book: Sir
contenido:
Many are the kings who have ended their careers sitting on the ground, while their crowns were worn by those no one had heard of before.


book: Sir
contenido:
Many are the rulers who have suffered disgrace. Many are the famous people who have fallen into the power of others.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't get into an argument over something that is none of your business. Don't take part in decisions that are being made by sinners.


book: Sir
contenido:
My child, don't get involved in too many things. If you try to do too much, you will suffer for it. You won't be able to finish your work, and you won't be able to get away from it either.


book: Sir
contenido:
For instance, here is someone who never stops working like a slave, but gets further behind all the time.


book: Sir
contenido:
On the other hand, someone else may be very poor and not up to his task. He may be slow, and he may need help, but the Lord is pleased with him and pulls him out of his bad situation.


book: Sir
contenido:
Wisdom, understanding, knowledge of the Law, love, and the doing of good deeds—all these come from the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
Error and darkness have been with sinners from the beginning, and those who enjoy evil will have it with them into their old age.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord's gifts to religious people are gifts that endure. If he approves of you, you will always be successful.


book: Sir
contenido:
He says to himself,
Now I can finally sit back and enjoy what I have worked for. But he has no idea how long it will be before he must die and leave his wealth to others.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't be jealous of what sinners achieve; just stick to your own work, and trust the Lord. It is very easy for the Lord to make a poor person suddenly rich.


book: Sir
contenido:
Devout people will receive the Lord's blessing as their reward, and that blessing can be given in a moment.


book: Sir
contenido:
On the other hand, don't think that you have everything you need or that nothing can go wrong for you in the future.


book: Sir
contenido:
When things are going well, people don't think about hard times; and when things are going badly, they forget about prosperity.


book: Sir
contenido:
At that time our deeds are open for all to see; all our happiness can be erased in that one moment of misery.


book: Sir
contenido:
So then, don't think of anyone's life as happy until it is over, because all the evidence is not in until the person is dead.


book: Sir
contenido:
Be Careful in Choosing Friends
Be careful about the kind of person you invite into your home, because clever people can fool you in many ways.


book: Sir
contenido:
A single spark can set a pile of coals ablaze, and a sinner is just waiting for a chance to do violence.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you bring a stranger home with you, it will only cause trouble, even between you and your own family.


book: Sir
contenido:
When you do a good deed, make sure you know who is benefiting from it; then what you do will not be wasted.


book: Sir
contenido:
You will be repaid for any kindness you show to a devout person. If he doesn't repay you, the Most High will.


book: Sir
contenido:
Do good to humble people, but don't give anything to those who are not devout. Don't give them food, or they will use your kindness against you. Every good thing you do for such people will bring you twice as much trouble in return.


book: Sir
contenido:
When things are going well, it is hard to tell who your real friends are, but in hard times you can recognize your enemies;


book: Sir
contenido:
even your friends will leave you then. But when you are successful, your enemies will act like friends.


book: Sir
contenido:
Watch out, and be on guard against him, even if he acts ever so humble. He is like a metal mirror that rusts away if you don't keep it polished.


book: Sir
contenido:
Seat an enemy at your right hand, and the next thing you know he'll be trying to get your own place of honor. Put him next to you, and he will overthrow you. Then you will realize the truth of my words, and be stung with regret when you remember them.


book: Sir
contenido:
and nobody will feel sorry for you if you run around with sinners and get involved in their wrongdoing.


book: Sir
contenido:
He will speak fine words while he plots how to trap you. He will pretend to share your sorrows, but he will kill you if he gets a chance.


book: Sir
contenido:
If trouble comes your way, you will find him waiting, ready to trip you up while he pretends to help you.


book: Sir
contenido:
He will be a different person then, rubbing his hands, nodding his head, and spreading rumors about you.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you touch tar, it will stick to you, and if you keep company with arrogant people, you will come to be just like them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't try to lift something too heavy for you, and don't keep company with people who are richer and more powerful than you. You cannot keep a clay pot next to an iron kettle; the pot will break if it hits the kettle.


book: Sir
contenido:
If a rich person wrongs someone, he can afford to add insult to injury; but if a poor person is wronged, he is forced to apologize for himself.


book: Sir
contenido:
A rich person will use you as long as he can profit from it, but when you need him, he will leave you helpless.


book: Sir
contenido:
If he needs you, he will trick you with his smiles and cheerful, kindly words.
Do you need anything? he will ask.


book: Sir
contenido:
He will feed you until you are embarrassed. Finally, when he has drained you two or three times over, he will laugh at you. If you see him later, he will pretend he doesn't know you, and will pass you by.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you are invited to the home of someone influential, be reserved in your behavior. Then he will invite you more often.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you push yourself on him, he will put you in your place. On the other hand, if you keep your distance from him, he will forget about you.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't pretend to be his equal or trust everything he says. In spite of all of his long and polite conversation, he is testing you.


book: Sir
contenido:
If a person does not keep confidences, he is cruel; he will not hesitate to hurt you or have you put in jail.


book: Sir
contenido:
Just as animals of the same species flock together, so people keep company with people like themselves.


book: Sir
contenido:
Arrogant people have nothing but scorn for the humble, and the rich think of the poor in the same way.


book: Sir
contenido:
When a rich person stumbles, his friends will steady him, but if a poor person falls, his friends will have nothing to do with him.


book: Sir
contenido:
When someone rich makes a mistake, there are many people to cover up for him and explain away all the things he never should have said. But let someone poor make a mistake, and he gets nothing but criticism. Even if what he says makes good sense, nobody will listen.


book: Sir
contenido:
When a rich person speaks, everyone is silent, and they praise him to the skies for what he says. But let a poor person speak, and everybody says,
Who is that? They push him down if he so much as stumbles.


book: Sir
contenido:
There is nothing wrong with being rich if you haven't sinned to get that way. But there is nothing sinful about being poor, either. Only the ungodly think so.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you feel cheerful, you will look cheerful, although making up proverbs calls for some intense thought.


book: Sir
contenido:
If a person never says anything carelessly, he is to be congratulated; he doesn't need to feel guilty.


book: Sir
contenido:
Responsible Use of Wealth
It isn't right for someone who is selfish to be rich. What use is money to a stingy person?


book: Sir
contenido:
If you deny yourself in order to accumulate wealth, you are only accumulating it for someone else. Others will use your riches to live in luxury.


book: Sir
contenido:
How can you be generous with others if you are stingy with yourself, if you are not willing to enjoy your own wealth?


book: Sir
contenido:
No one is worse off than someone who is stingy with himself; it is a sin that brings its own punishment.


book: Sir
contenido:
When such a person does something good, it is only by accident; his selfishness will sooner or later be evident.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't deny yourself a single day's happiness. If there is something you want to do and it is lawful, go ahead!


book: Sir
contenido:
So be generous; but also be willing to receive from others. Enjoy yourself, for you will not find any pleasures in the world of the dead.


book: Sir
contenido:
Human beings are like leaves on a spreading tree. New growth takes the place of the fallen leaves; while some of us die, others are being born.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Happiness of Having Wisdom
It is a happy person who is concerned with Wisdom and who uses good sense.


book: Sir
contenido:
She will make you more honored than all your neighbors; when you speak in the assembly, she will give you the right words.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you want to, you can keep the Lord's commands. You can decide whether you will be loyal to him or not.


book: Sir
contenido:
God's Punishment of Sinners
A large family is nothing to be desired if the children are worthless. Godless children are nothing to be proud of.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't put much hope in their future or expect them to live a long time. One child who does the Lord's will is better than a thousand who do not. It is better to go to your grave with no children at all than to have children who are godless.


book: Sir
contenido:
A city's population may grow because of the wisdom of one person, while a whole tribe of lawless people disappears.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord's flaming anger will break out against a small gathering of sinners or a disobedient nation.


book: Sir
contenido:
nor on those 600,000 people on the march through the wilderness who gathered together in stubborn rebellion.


book: Sir
contenido:
Even if there had been only one stubborn person, it would have been a miracle if he had escaped punishment. The Lord is merciful, but he can also become angry. He can be overwhelming in his forgiveness or in his anger.


book: Sir
contenido:
Never say,
I will hide from the Lord. Nobody up there is going to give me a thought. How can I be noticed among so many people? The creation is so enormous, what am I worth?


book: Sir
contenido:
When the Lord comes, everything will tremble: the earth and the great waters beneath it, the sky and the heavens above it.


book: Sir
contenido:
If I do what is right, nobody will tell the Lord about it. Who wants to wait for him, anyway? He is too slow in doing what he has said he would.


book: Sir
contenido:
God's Wisdom in Creation
My child, listen and pay attention to me; you will gain knowledge if you do.


book: Sir
contenido:
He arranged everything in an eternal order
and decreed that it should be that way forever.
Not one part of creation ever grows hungry;
no part grows tired or stops its work.


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He gave them only a limited time to live,
but he gave them authority over everything on earth.


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He made all other creatures afraid of them;
he gave them authority over all the animals and birds.


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He gave them their tongues, their eyes,
their ears, their minds, and their consciences.


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He filled them with knowledge and understanding
and showed them the difference between good and evil.


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He made knowledge available to them
and gave them the Law as a source of life.


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He warned them against unrighteousness
and taught each person how to treat others.


book: Sir
contenido:
When we give to the poor, the Lord considers it as precious as a valuable ring. Human kindness is as precious to him as life itself.


book: Sir
contenido:
But the Lord will allow those who repent to return to him. He always gives encouragement to those who are losing hope.


book: Sir
contenido:
A Call to Repentance
Come to the Lord, and leave your sin behind. Pray sincerely that he will help you live a better life.


book: Sir
contenido:
Those who are alive can give thanks to the Lord, but can anyone in the world of the dead sing praise to the Most High?


book: Sir
contenido:
A person who is alive and well can sing the Lord's praises, but the dead, who no longer exist, have no way to give him thanks.


book: Sir
contenido:
Nothing is brighter than the sun, but even the sun's light fails during an eclipse. How much easier it is for human thoughts to be eclipsed by evil!


book: Sir
contenido:
He has given no one enough power to describe what he has done, and no one can investigate it completely.


book: Sir
contenido:
We cannot add to them; we cannot subtract from them. There is no way to comprehend the marvelous things the Lord has done.


book: Sir
contenido:
Human Beings Are Nothing
What are human beings? Of what use are we? The good that we do—the evil that we do—what does it all mean?


book: Sir
contenido:
but compared with all eternity, those years are like a drop of water in the ocean, like a single grain of sand.


book: Sir
contenido:
We can show compassion to someone we know, but the Lord shows compassion for all humanity. He corrects us; he disciplines us; he teaches us. Like a shepherd tending sheep, he brings us back to himself.


book: Sir
contenido:
He will have compassion on us if we accept his guidance and are eager for him to show us where we are wrong.


book: Sir
contenido:
Kindness and Charity
My child, when you help someone, don't reprimand him at the same time. When you make a gift, don't say anything that hurts.


book: Sir
contenido:
Your words count for more than what you give. Even dew gives some relief during a spell of hot weather.


book: Sir
contenido:
Yes, kind words are more effective than the best of gifts, and if you are really concerned, you will give both.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is stupid to be unkind and insulting. No one's eyes are going to sparkle at a gift that you resent giving.


book: Sir
contenido:
Self-examination
Know what you are talking about before you speak, and give attention to your health before you get sick.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you make a promise to the Lord, keep it as soon as you can. Don't wait until you are about to die to set things straight.


book: Sir
contenido:
Think! Do you want him to be angry with you on the day you die? When you face his judgment, do you want him to turn his back on you?


book: Sir
contenido:
If you are wise, you will be careful in everything you do. When sin is all around you, be especially careful that you do not become guilty.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you appreciate wisdom when you hear it, you will become wise yourself, and your words will be a source of wisdom for others.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't make yourself a beggar by borrowing for expensive banquets when you don't have enough money of your own.


book: Sir
contenido:
19 If you do, you will never get rich; if you don't pay attention to small matters, you will gradually ruin yourself.


book: Sir
contenido:
Wine and women make sensible men do foolish things. A man who goes to prostitutes gets more and more careless,


book: Sir
contenido:
If you hear that a friend has done something wrong, ask him about it. Maybe it isn't true. If it is true, he won't do it again.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you hear that a neighbor has said something he shouldn't, ask him about it. Maybe he didn't say it. If he did, he won't say it again.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you hear something bad about a friend, ask him about it. It might be a lie. Don't believe everything you hear.


book: Sir
contenido:
A person may say something carelessly and not really mean it. Everyone has sinned in this way at one time or another.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you hear something that makes you angry with your neighbor, ask him about it before you threaten him. Leave the matter to the Law of the Most High.


book: Sir
contenido:
You may know everything there is to know about wickedness, but that does not make you wise. It is not sensible to follow the advice of sinners.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is possible to use cleverness for wicked purposes, but some people act like fools because they don't know any better.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is possible to be marvelously clever and still be dishonest, or to get what you want by being absurdly polite.


book: Sir
contenido:
Then there are those wicked people who go about looking very solemn and mournful, but who are only trying to deceive you.


book: Sir
contenido:
They will turn their faces away and pretend not to hear you, but they'll take advantage of you when you least expect it.


book: Sir
contenido:
You can know people by their appearance. The first time you look at them, you can tell if they have good sense.


book: Sir
contenido:
Knowing When to Talk
A person can be rebuked in the wrong way; it may be wiser to keep quiet than to speak.


book: Sir
contenido:
Some people are thought to be wise because they don't talk much; others are disliked because they talk too much.


book: Sir
contenido:
Some people keep quiet because they don't have anything to say; others keep quiet because they know the right time to speak.


book: Sir
contenido:
A wise person will not speak until the right moment, but a bragging fool doesn't know when that time is.


book: Sir
contenido:
Sudden Changes of Fortune
Bad luck can sometimes lead to success, and a stroke of good luck can sometimes lead to loss.


book: Sir
contenido:
Honor can be followed by disgrace, but there are people who have risen from obscurity to places of honor.


book: Sir
contenido:
When a person with good judgment speaks, he wins friends. A stupid person, though, can shower compliments on everybody, and it won't help him a bit.


book: Sir
contenido:
If such a person gives you something, it won't do any good; it won't be as valuable as he thinks it is.


book: Sir
contenido:
He isn't generous with anything but criticism, which he will shout for all the world to hear. If he lends you something today, he'll want it back tomorrow. (Don't you hate people like that?)


book: Sir
contenido:
Then that fool will say,
Nobody likes me. Nobody appreciates what I do for them. They'll take what I give them, but then talk about me behind my back.


book: Sir
contenido:
Inappropriate Talk
A slip of the tongue is worse than a slip on the pavement; the wicked will go to ruin just as suddenly as a person slips and falls.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you promise a friend something because you are too bashful to say no, you're needlessly making an enemy.


book: Sir
contenido:
Stewardship of Wisdom
Speak wisely, and you will get ahead in the world. Influential people appreciate good sense.


book: Sir
contenido:
Gifts and bribes make even the wise blind to the truth, and prevent them from being honest in their criticism.


book: Sir
contenido:
Sin
My child, have you sinned? Don't do it again, and pray for forgiveness for what you have already done.


book: Sir
contenido:
Avoid sin as if it were a snake. If you get too near, it will sink its teeth into your soul like a lion, and destroy you.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you refuse to accept correction, you are committing a sin; and if you fear the Lord, you will make a sincere change in your ways.


book: Sir
contenido:
A group of people who have no respect for the Law is like a pile of kindling; they will meet a fiery end.


book: Sir
contenido:
Wisdom and Foolishness
Whoever wants to keep the Law must learn what the Law means. If you fear the Lord in every sense of the term, you will have wisdom.


book: Sir
contenido:
You have to be intelligent to learn anything; but there is such a thing as just pretending to be intelligent, which only makes people bitter.


book: Sir
contenido:
A wise person's knowledge is like a river that never runs dry, like an everflowing stream of good advice.


book: Sir
contenido:
A fool, on the other hand, has a mind like a jar with a hole in it; anything he learns is soon lost.


book: Sir
contenido:
When an educated person hears something that shows insight, it stimulates his mind and leads him on to other ideas. But when someone who is satisfied with ignorance hears it, he won't like it, and will forget it as soon as he can.


book: Sir
contenido:
Listening to a foolish person talk is like traveling with a heavy load on your back, but it is a pleasure to hear what intelligent people have to say.


book: Sir
contenido:
To an ignorant person, wisdom is as useless as a house gone to ruin. He has never even thought about the things he is so sure of.


book: Sir
contenido:
but to a sensible person, it is like gold bracelets. An intelligent person will smile quietly while a fool roars with laughter.


book: Sir
contenido:
A stupid person will peep into someone's house through the door and then march right in, but someone with experience and good manners will have enough respect to wait outside.


book: Sir
contenido:
Eavesdropping at doors is bad manners, and anyone with a sense of decency would be ashamed to do it.


book: Sir
contenido:
Presumptuous people talk about things that are none of their business, but the wise will consider the consequences of what they say.


book: Sir
contenido:
Laziness and Foolishness
Lazy people are no better than dung; they are repulsive, and no one wants to get near them.


book: Sir
contenido:
A girl with no sense of propriety will disgrace both her husband and her father; neither will have any respect for her.


book: Sir
contenido:
Lecturing your children can sometimes be as out of place as singing to people in mourning, but a whipping is a wise choice of discipline at any time.


book: Sir
contenido:
Trying to teach a fool is like gluing a broken pot back together, like waking someone out of a deep sleep.


book: Sir
contenido:
Explaining something to a fool is like explaining it to a sleepy person; when you have finished, he'll say,
What was that again?


book: Sir
contenido:
We mourn for the dead because they have no access to light. We ought to mourn for fools, because they have no access to intelligence. In fact, we should go into deeper mourning for fools, because the life they lead is worse than death. The dead are at least at rest.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't visit stupid people or spend a lot of time talking with them. Avoid them; then they can't contaminate you, and you can live in peace without being troubled or worn down by their foolishness.


book: Sir
contenido:
A wooden beam can be put into a building so firmly that an earthquake cannot shake it loose; a person can be trained to use reason and good sense so well that he keeps his head when a crisis comes.


book: Sir
contenido:
Small stones on top of a wall will not stay put when the wind blows, and a person whose stupid ideas have made him timid will not be able to stand up to frightening situations.


book: Sir
contenido:
Friendship
If you stick something in your eye, tears will flow; and if you hurt a person deeply, you will discover his true feelings.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you throw rocks at birds, you will scare them away; and if you insult a friend, you will break up the friendship.


book: Sir
contenido:
Even if you have a violent argument with a friend, and speak sharply, all is not lost. You can still make up with him. But any friend will leave you if you insult him, if you are arrogant, if you reveal his secrets, or if you turn on him unexpectedly.


book: Sir
contenido:
Gain the confidence of your neighbor if he is poor; then you can share his happiness if he becomes successful. Stand by him when he is in trouble if you want to share with him when better times come his way.


book: Sir
contenido:
A Prayer for Help against Sin
I wish that a guard could be placed at my mouth, that my lips could be wisely sealed. It would keep me from making mistakes and prevent me from destroying myself with my own tongue!


book: Sir
contenido:
O Lord, my Father and Master of my life, do not leave me at the mercy of my own words; don't let them cause my downfall.


book: Sir
contenido:
I wish I could be whipped for my thoughts, so that Wisdom could discipline my mind. I would not want to be spared when I am wrong; I would not want a single sin to be overlooked!


book: Sir
contenido:
Then I would not keep on sinning, making one mistake after another. I could not fall to my enemies and be humiliated by them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Keep me from being overcome by greed or lust; do not leave me at the mercy of these shameless passions.


book: Sir
contenido:
Taking Oaths
My children, listen to what I have to say about proper speech; do as I teach you and you will never get trapped.


book: Sir
contenido:
A slave who is constantly beaten will never be free of bruises; someone who is always taking an oath by the Holy Name will never be free of sin.


book: Sir
contenido:
Anyone who takes oaths all the time is sinful to the core, and punishment is never far away from his household. If he fails to fulfill his oath, he is guilty. If he ignores his oath, he is twice as guilty. If his oath was insincere in the first place, he cannot be pardoned and will have a house full of trouble.


book: Sir
contenido:
Filthy Talk
There is one way of speaking that is like death itself—may no Israelite ever be guilty of it! Devout people do not wallow in such sin, and they will keep away from such behavior.


book: Sir
contenido:
You might forget yourself while in the company of important people and make a fool of yourself with some foul word that comes to you naturally. Think how your parents would feel! You would curse the day you were born and wish you were dead!


book: Sir
contenido:
If you fall into the habit of using offensive language, you will never break yourself of it as long as you live.


book: Sir
contenido:
Sexual Sins
There are any number of ways to sin and bring down the Lord's anger, but sexual passion is a hot, blazing fire that cannot be put out at will; it can only burn itself out. A man who lives for nothing but sexual enjoyment will keep on until that fire destroys him.


book: Sir
contenido:
The man who is unfaithful to his wife thinks to himself,
No one will ever know. It's dark in here, and no one sees me. I have nothing to worry about. As for the Most High, he won't even notice.


book: Sir
contenido:
This man is only afraid of other people. He doesn't realize that the eyes of the Lord are 10,000 times brighter than the sun, that he sees everything we do, even when we try to hide it.


book: Sir
contenido:
The same is true of a woman who is unfaithful to her husband and presents him with a child by another man.


book: Sir
contenido:
In the first place, she has broken the Law of the Most High. In the second place, she has wronged her husband. And in the third place, she has made a whore of herself by committing adultery and bearing the child of a man not her husband.


book: Sir
contenido:
The children will suffer for her sin. They will not be able to find a place in society or establish families. She herself will be brought before the assembly


book: Sir
contenido:
everyone will realize that nothing is better than fearing the Lord, nothing is sweeter than keeping his commands.


book: Sir
contenido:
In Praise of Wisdom
Listen to Wisdom! She proudly sings her own praises among the Israelites, her own people,


book: Sir
contenido:
Then my Creator, who created the universe,
told me where I was to live.
Make your home in Israel, he said.
The descendants of Jacob will be your people.


book: Sir
contenido:
like the palm trees of Engedi,
like the roses of Jericho,
like beautiful olive trees in the fields,
like plane trees growing by the water.


book: Sir
contenido:
My breath was the spicy smell of cinnamon,
of sweet perfume and finest myrrh,
of stacte, onycha, and galbanum,
the fragrant incense in the Sacred Tent.


book: Sir
contenido:
Obey me, and you will never have cause for embarrassment;
do as I say, and you will be safe from sin.


book: Sir
contenido:
Wisdom and the Law
Wisdom is the Law, the Law which Moses commanded us to keep, the covenant of God Most High, the inheritance of the synagogues of Israel.


book: Sir
contenido:
The first human being ever created never knew Wisdom completely, and the last person on earth will be no more successful.


book: Sir
contenido:
The possibilities of Wisdom are vaster than the ocean; her resources are more profound than the deepest waters beneath the earth.


book: Sir
contenido:
I only intended to water my orchard and flower beds, but the canal soon became a river, and the river became a sea.


book: Sir
contenido:
And so I present you with my learning; I hold it high, so that its light can be seen everywhere, like that of the rising sun.


book: Sir
contenido:
Like an inspired prophet, I pour out my teachings, so that future generations can benefit from them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Please realize that I have not done all this hard work for myself alone, but to help anyone who wants to be wise.


book: Sir
contenido:
People Who Deserve Praise
There are three things in which I take special delight—things that are beautiful to the Lord and people alike:
brothers who get along with each other,
neighbors who are friends,
and a married couple who are happy together.


book: Sir
contenido:
There are three kinds of people I cannot stand, whose behavior I find highly offensive:
poor people who are arrogant,
rich people who lie,
and foolish old men who commit adultery.


book: Sir
contenido:
Elderly people wear the crown of long experience, and they can boast of nothing finer than their fear of the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
I will tell you about ten kinds of people that I feel fortunate to know, especially fortunate in the case of the tenth:
someone who takes pride in his children,
someone who lives to see his enemies fall,


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a man fortunate enough to have an understanding wife,
a married couple who are well-matched,
a person who never speaks sinfully,
a person who doesn't have to work for someone less competent than himself,


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;someone fortunate enough to have a real friend,
a person that people are happy to listen to,


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and the really great one: someone who is wise.
But the greatest one of all is the person who fears the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
Advice about Women
No wound is as serious as wounded love. No troubles are as serious as the troubles that women cause.


book: Sir
contenido:
No sufferings are worse than the sufferings caused by people who hate you. No revenge is worse than revenge taken by an enemy.


book: Sir
contenido:
No poison is deadlier than the poison of a snake, and no anger is deadlier than the anger of a woman.


book: Sir
contenido:
Compared with the troubles caused by a woman, any other trouble looks small. May such women suffer the fate of sinners!


book: Sir
contenido:
A bad wife will make her husband gloomy and depressed, and break his heart. Show me a timid man who can never make up his mind, and I will show you a wife who doesn't make her husband happy.


book: Sir
contenido:
There are four things that scare me: vicious rumors spread around town, a gathering mob, false accusations—these are all worse than death.


book: Sir
contenido:
If your daughter is determined to have her own way, keep a close watch on her. If you don't, she'll take advantage of any chance she gets.


book: Sir
contenido:
She'll spread her legs anywhere for any man who wants her, just as a thirsty traveler will drink whatever water is available.


book: Sir
contenido:
Her beautiful face and attractive figure are as lovely as the light from the sacred lampstand in the Temple,


book: Sir
contenido:
Sad Observations
There are two things that make me sad, and a third that makes me angry:
a soldier who has become poor,
intelligent people who are not respected,
and a righteous person who turns to evil.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord will punish such a person with death!
A merchant can hardly avoid doing wrong; every salesman is guilty of sin.


book: Sir
contenido:
27 Many people have sinned while looking for a profit; if you want to be rich you have to keep blinders on your eyes.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is hard to remove a peg that is stuck between two stones of a house, and it is just as hard to remove dishonesty from buying and selling.


book: Sir
contenido:
Speech Reflects True Feelings
Your talk shows your faults; it is like a sieve that separates out the rubbish.


book: Sir
contenido:
The way you think shows your character just as surely as a kiln shows any flaws in the pottery being fired.


book: Sir
contenido:
You can tell how well a tree has been cared for by the fruit it bears, and you can tell a person's feelings by the way he expresses himself.


book: Sir
contenido:
Honesty
If you try to be honest, you can be, and it will improve your character as handsome clothing improves your appearance.


book: Sir
contenido:
Birds come to roost with those of their own kind, and the habit of honesty comes to those who try to be honest.


book: Sir
contenido:
Foolish Talk
When devout people talk, what they say always makes sense, but foolish people are always contradicting themselves.


book: Sir
contenido:
When you find yourself with stupid people, look for some excuse to leave, but when you are with serious-minded people, stay as long as you can.


book: Sir
contenido:
The stories that foolish people tell are offensive, and they make jokes about the worst kinds of sin.


book: Sir
contenido:
When such people curse, it is enough to make your hair stand on end, and when they start arguing among themselves, all you can do is to stop up your ears.


book: Sir
contenido:
Betraying Secrets
If you repeat secrets that have been told to you, you are destroying the confidence others have in you, and you will never have a close friend.


book: Sir
contenido:
Respect your friends, and keep faith with them. If you do betray a friend's confidence, you may as well forget you have a friend.


book: Sir
contenido:
Your friend is gone. You can no more get him back than you can get a bird to come back to your hand once you let it go.


book: Sir
contenido:
Hypocrisy
When someone starts winking at you, he has something bad in mind, and nothing can stop him from going through with it.


book: Sir
contenido:
When he's with you, his talk is so nice! He compliments you on every word you say. But behind your back it's a different story; he will take what you have said and turn it against you.


book: Sir
contenido:
Throw a stone straight up in the air and it will come down on your head. Strike a blow, and you yourself will be wounded.


book: Sir
contenido:
Arrogant people insult others and make fun of them, but someone is waiting like a lion for a chance to take revenge on them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Those who are happy to witness the downfall of devout people are going to fall into a trap and die a painful death.


book: Sir
contenido:
28 The Lord is taking note of your sins, and if you take vengeance on someone, the Lord will take vengeance on you.


book: Sir
contenido:
You yourself are a sinner, and if you won't forgive another person, you have no right to pray that the Lord will forgive your sins.


book: Sir
contenido:
Think about it! Some day you will die, and your body will decay. So give up hate and live by the Lord's commands,


book: Sir
contenido:
the commands in the covenant of the Most High. Instead of getting upset over your neighbor's faults, overlook them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Arguments
If you stay out of arguments, you will not sin so much, because a hot temper gets them started.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is sinful to break up a friendship by creating hostility among people who get along well together.


book: Sir
contenido:
The more fuel, the hotter the fire. The more stubbornness, the hotter the argument. And the stronger or richer people are, the angrier they can afford to become.


book: Sir
contenido:
You can blow on a spark to make it glow, or you can spit on it to put it out. Either way, you do it with your mouth.


book: Sir
contenido:
Vicious Talk
Gossips and liars deserve to be cursed, because they have been the ruin of many people who were minding their own business.


book: Sir
contenido:
Many have had their lives ruined and have been driven from their homes because of people who meddled in their business. Such unwanted interference has resulted in the destruction of strong cities and the homes of respected people.


book: Sir
contenido:
Count yourself lucky if you have been spared the experience of having irresponsible talk directed against you—if you have never had that iron yoke around your neck or those heavy chains on your legs.


book: Sir
contenido:
Its victims are those who have abandoned the Lord; once the fire of slander has been lit among them, it cannot be put out. Slander will pounce on them like a lion and tear them to pieces like a leopard.


book: Sir
contenido:
Someone may be waiting for you to slip, and if you are not careful, you will stumble over your own words and fall down in front of him.


book: Sir
contenido:
Loans and Repayment
Be kind enough to lend to your neighbor when he needs help. You are keeping the Lord's commands if you help him.


book: Sir
contenido:
Many people treat a loan as something they found and can keep, causing embarrassment to those who helped them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Some people will speak politely, bow, and scrape until they get the loan they want, but when the time comes to pay it back, they'll put it off, say that it's inconvenient, and make a lot of worthless excuses.


book: Sir
contenido:
If the lender insists on being paid, he can count himself lucky to get back half. If he doesn't insist, the borrower has robbed him and made an unnecessary enemy. All the lender will get from him are curses, insults, and disrespect, but never any gratitude.


book: Sir
contenido:
Many people refuse to lend at all, not because they are stingy, but because they don't want to be cheated if they can avoid it.


book: Sir
contenido:
Generosity
Nevertheless, be understanding with those who are poor. Don't keep them waiting for your generosity.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is better to lose your money by helping a relative or a friend than to lose it by letting it rust away under a rock somewhere.


book: Sir
contenido:
Use your wealth as the Most High has commanded; this will do you more good than keeping your money for yourself.


book: Sir
contenido:
Count among your treasures the fact that you give to the poor. It will save you from all kinds of trouble


book: Sir
contenido:
Guaranteeing Debts
A good man is willing to guarantee his neighbor's debts. Only someone who has lost all sense of decency would refuse to do so.


book: Sir
contenido:
There are some ungrateful sinners who abandon those who stand behind them, and they cause them loss of property.


book: Sir
contenido:
A sinner who hopes to make a profit by guaranteeing a loan is going to find himself involved in lawsuits.


book: Sir
contenido:
Home and Hospitality
The necessities of life are water, food, clothing, and a home where you can have privacy.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is better to be poor and live under your own crude roof than to enjoy lavish banquets in other people's homes.


book: Sir
contenido:
Be happy with what you have, even if it isn't very much, and don't listen to anyone who would insult your home and family.


book: Sir
contenido:
You welcome the guests and pour the drinks, and nobody thanks you. Instead, people humiliate you by saying things like:


book: Sir
contenido:
Being denied hospitality or having a moneylender hound you—these are hard things for any sensitive person to endure.


book: Sir
contenido:
Bringing up Children
A father who loves his son will whip him often, so that he can be proud of him later.


book: Sir
contenido:
Anyone who gives good guidance to his son cannot only take pride in him among his friends, but he can make his enemies jealous.


book: Sir
contenido:
While the father is alive, the sight of his son makes him happy, and when he dies, he has no regrets. He is not really dead, because his son is like him.


book: Sir
contenido:
But anyone who spoils his son will have to bandage his wounds. His heart will stop every time he hears a shout.


book: Sir
contenido:
Whip him while he is still a child, and make him respect your authority. If you don't, he will be stubborn and disobedient and cause you nothing but sorrow.


book: Sir
contenido:
The finest food means nothing if you are too sick to eat it; it might as well be offered to an idol.


book: Sir
contenido:
But there is no point in offering food to an idol; it can't eat it or smell it. It is just the same with someone whom the Lord has afflicted.


book: Sir
contenido:
Enjoy yourself and be happy; don't worry all the time. Worry never did anybody any good, and it has destroyed many people.


book: Sir
contenido:
Do you know anyone like that? If so, we will congratulate him for performing a miracle that no one else has ever been able to do.


book: Sir
contenido:
If anyone has ever passed this test, he can well be proud. Has anyone ever known that he could get away with cheating someone, and not taken advantage of it?


book: Sir
contenido:
Behavior at Dinner Parties
When you sit down at a fancy banquet, don't let your mouth hang open, and don't say,
Look at all that food!


book: Sir
contenido:
It is impolite to have a greedy eye; remember that. Nothing in creation is greedier than the eye; that is why it sheds tears so often.


book: Sir
contenido:
A little bit is plenty for anyone with good manners. Besides, you won't be short of breath when you go to bed.


book: Sir
contenido:
People who eat too much get stomach aches and cannot sleep. If you don't overeat, you can get a good night's sleep and wake up early the next morning feeling fine.


book: Sir
contenido:
My child, if you listen to what I am saying and put it into practice, one of these days you will thank me for it. Be moderate in everything you do, and you will never get sick.


book: Sir
contenido:
But everybody in town will complain about a host who is stingy with food, and their complaints are justified.


book: Sir
contenido:
An arrogant person's character shows through when he is in a drunken argument, in the same way that iron is tested when it is heated red-hot and then dipped in water.


book: Sir
contenido:
Wine can put new life into you if you drink it in moderation. What would life be like without it? Wine was created to make us happy.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you drink it in moderation and at the right time, it can lift your spirits and make you cheerful,


book: Sir
contenido:
A drunken fool can lose his temper and hurt himself. His drinking makes him weak and an easy target for angry blows.


book: Sir
contenido:
Never rebuke a person when you have both been drinking. Don't hurt his feelings while he is having a good time. It's not the time to criticize anyone, or to ask him to pay back a debt.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you are chosen to preside at a banquet, don't put on airs. Just be like everyone else. Look after the guests before you sit down.


book: Sir
contenido:
After you have performed your duties, you can sit down and enjoy yourself with the others. They will respect you for doing a good job.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you are older than most of the guests, you may talk; that is your right. But you should know what you are talking about and not interrupt the music.


book: Sir
contenido:
If entertainment is being provided, don't keep up a steady conversation; it's the wrong time to show off your wit.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you are young, don't speak unless you have to, but never more than twice, and only if someone speaks to you first.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't treat important people as if you were their equal and don't make a nuisance of yourself by asking them a lot of questions.


book: Sir
contenido:
Leave the party at the right time and never be the last to go. Don't linger at the door; just go straight home.


book: Sir
contenido:
Interpreting the Law
If you fear the Lord, you will accept his correction. He will bless those who get up early in the morning to pray.


book: Sir
contenido:
Study his Law, and you will master it, unless you are insincere about it, in which case you will fail.


book: Sir
contenido:
Sensible people will consider every opinion, but arrogant people will let nothing stand in their way.


book: Sir
contenido:
Never do anything without thinking it through, and once you have done something, don't look back and wish you had done something else.


book: Sir
contenido:
33 No evil will ever come to a person who fears the Lord; however often danger comes, the Lord will come to the rescue.


book: Sir
contenido:
A person who has no use for the Law doesn't have good sense, and anyone who is insincere about it is going to be tossed about like a boat in a storm.


book: Sir
contenido:
Prepare what you are going to say and people will listen to you. Use what you have learned before you start talking.


book: Sir
contenido:
People Are Not Alike
Why are some days holier than others, even though the same sun rises on every day of the year?


book: Sir
contenido:
It is because the Lord made them different by setting them apart as religious holidays and festivals.


book: Sir
contenido:
He blessed some, making them honored and holy, keeping them near him. Others he cursed, humbling them and removing them from their positions.


book: Sir
contenido:
Just as clay is in the potter's hands for him to shape as he pleases, so we are in the hands of our Creator for him to do with as he wishes.


book: Sir
contenido:
Good is the opposite of evil, life is the opposite of death, and sin is the opposite of devotion to the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
Think about it: the Most High has made everything in pairs, each thing the opposite of something else.


book: Sir
contenido:
As for me, I have been the last to come on duty, as if going through vineyards to gather whatever the grape-pickers had left behind. But the Lord blessed me, and I did well, like a grape-picker who has filled the wine press.


book: Sir
contenido:
But I want you to know that I have not done all this work for myself alone, but for everyone who wants to learn.


book: Sir
contenido:
Be Independent
Never, as long as you live, give anyone power over you—whether son, wife, brother, or friend. Don't give your property to anyone; you might change your mind and have to ask for it back.


book: Sir
contenido:
Wait until the last moment of your life, when you are breathing your last, and then divide your property among your heirs.


book: Sir
contenido:
Treatment of Slaves
A donkey should be given its fodder and its burden, and it should be beaten. A slave should be given food and work, and should be disciplined.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you make your slave work, you can set your mind at ease. If you don't keep him busy, he will be looking for freedom.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you have a slave, treat him as you would want to be treated; you bought him with your hard-earned money.


book: Sir
contenido:
Treat him as a brother; you need him as you need yourself. If you mistreat him and he runs away, where are you going to look for him?


book: Sir
contenido:
A person who pays any attention at all to dreams is like someone who tries to catch shadows or chase the wind.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Law is complete without such falsehood. Wisdom, as spoken by the righteous, is also complete without it.


book: Sir
contenido:
I have been in danger of death many times, but I have always been able to escape by relying on past experience.


book: Sir
contenido:
Fear the Lord
Those who fear the Lord will live, because they have put their trust in the one who can save them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Fear the Lord, and you will have nothing else to fear. If your trust is in him, you will never act like a coward.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord watches over those who love him; he is their strong protection and firm support. He shelters them from the heat, shades them from the noonday sun, and keeps them from stumbling and falling.


book: Sir
contenido:
Offering Sacrifices
If you offer as a sacrifice an animal that you have obtained dishonestly, it is defective and unacceptable.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Most High gets no pleasure from sacrifices made by ungodly people; no amount of sacrifices can make up for their sins.


book: Sir
contenido:
Anyone who steals an animal from the poor to offer as a sacrifice is like someone who kills a boy before his father's eyes.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you touch a dead body and then purify yourself by washing, but then go and touch it again, what good did the washing do?


book: Sir
contenido:
If you fast because of your sins, and then go out and commit the same sins over again, what have you gained by going without food? Who do you think is going to listen to your prayers?


book: Sir
contenido:
When someone righteous offers a sacrifice and the fat drips down on the altar, a pleasant smell rises to the Most High.


book: Sir
contenido:
But don't try to bribe him or rely on offerings that you have obtained dishonestly. He will not accept them.
God's Justice
The Lord is fair and does not show partiality.


book: Sir
contenido:
The tears running down a widow's cheek cry out in accusation against the one who has caused her distress.


book: Sir
contenido:
The prayer of a humble person goes past the clouds and keeps on going until it reaches the Lord Most High, where it stays until he answers by seeing that justice is done and that the guilty are punished.


book: Sir
contenido:
And the Lord will act quickly. He will show no patience with wicked people. He will take vengeance by crushing the heathen. He will completely wipe out the merciless and the arrogant, and will destroy the authority of the wicked.


book: Sir
contenido:
He will give each of us what our thoughts and actions deserve. Because of the Lord's mercy, his people will be happy when he has judged their case.


book: Sir
contenido:
Bring on that appointed time when everyone can talk about the great things you do. Pour out your furious, flaming anger, and let none of our enemies survive. Destroy those who have oppressed your people.


book: Sir
contenido:
Gather the tribes of Israel together again, and give them back their land as you gave it to them long ago.


book: Sir
contenido:
Lord, have mercy on Israel, the people who are known by your name, whom you called your first-born son.


book: Sir
contenido:
Testify for your people, whom you created in the beginning; fulfill the prophecies that have been spoken in your name.


book: Sir
contenido:
You have always been gracious to your people; listen to your servants as we pray. Then everyone on earth will recognize that you are the Lord, the God of the ages.


book: Sir
contenido:
And just as the tongue can distinguish the flavors of different kinds of meat, so a sharp mind can detect lies.


book: Sir
contenido:
If property is not fenced in, thieves will wander in and help themselves. And if a man has no wife, he is a sighing wanderer;


book: Sir
contenido:
people have no more trust in a homeless person who sleeps in a different place every night than they have in a wandering thief who goes from town to town.


book: Sir
contenido:
This evil impulse we have! Why was it ever formed? How did it manage to cover the earth with deceit?


book: Sir
contenido:
Some people will be your friend as long as things are going well, but they will turn against you when trouble comes.


book: Sir
contenido:
Be careful when somebody offers you advice. Find out first what his interest in the matter is, because you can be sure that he is thinking primarily of himself. Why should he come out on top instead of you?


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't ask advice of anyone who doesn't trust you, and don't give advice to anyone who is jealous of you.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't ask a woman for advice about a rival of hers,
a coward about war,
a merchant about a bargain,
a buyer about selling,
a stingy person about gratitude,
a cruel person about kindness,
a lazy person about work,
a casual worker about finishing a job,
a lazy slave about a difficult task.


book: Sir
contenido:
Pay no attention to any advice they may give.
Instead, rely on someone who is religious and known to keep the Lord's commands, someone who is sympathetic with you, who will be sorry to see you fail.


book: Sir
contenido:
The mind concerns itself with four things: these are good and evil, life and death. They all begin in the mind, but the tongue is their absolute ruler.


book: Sir
contenido:
Anyone who really is wise will be the teacher of his people, and they can be certain that what he teaches is the truth.


book: Sir
contenido:
A person's life has only a limited number of days, but the life of Israel cannot be measured in days at all.


book: Sir
contenido:
Controlling the Appetite
My child, as you go through life, keep your appetite under control, and don't eat anything that you know is bad for you.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't feel that you just have to have all sorts of fancy food, and don't be a glutton over any food.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you eat too much, you'll get sick; if you do it all the time, you'll always have stomach trouble.


book: Sir
contenido:
He gave medical knowledge to human beings, so that we would praise him for the miracles he performs.


book: Sir
contenido:
The druggist mixes these medicines, and the doctor will use them to cure diseases and ease pain. There is no end to the activities of the Lord, who gives health to the people of the world.


book: Sir
contenido:
The doctor's prayer is that the Lord will make him able to ease his patients' pain and make them well again.


book: Sir
contenido:
Mourning for the Dead
My child, when someone dies, you should mourn. Weep and wail to show how deeply you feel the loss. Prepare the body in the proper way, and be present at the burial.


book: Sir
contenido:
Weep bitterly and passionately; observe the proper period of mourning for the person. Mourn for a whole day or maybe two, to keep people from talking, but then pull yourself together and reconcile yourself to the loss.


book: Sir
contenido:
Grief lingers on after the death of a loved one, but it is not wise to let it lead you into poverty.


book: Sir
contenido:
There is no way to bring the dead person back. All your sorrow does him no good, and it hurts you. Don't forget that.


book: Sir
contenido:
When the dead have been laid to rest, let the memory of them fade. Once they are gone, take courage.


book: Sir
contenido:
Scholarship and Other Occupations
Scholars must have time to study if they are going to be wise; they must be relieved of other responsibilities.


book: Sir
contenido:
How can a farm hand gain knowledge, when his only ambition is to drive the oxen and make them work, when all he knows to talk about is livestock?


book: Sir
contenido:
He takes great pains to plow a straight furrow and will work far into the night to feed the animals.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is the same with the artist and the craftsman, who work night and day engraving precious stones, carefully working out new designs. They take great pains to produce a lifelike image, and will work far into the night to finish the work.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is the same with the blacksmith at his anvil, planning what he will make from a piece of iron. The heat from the fire sears his skin as he sweats away at the forge. The clanging of the hammer deafens him as he carefully watches the object he is working take shape. He takes great pains to complete his task, and will work far into the night to bring it to perfection.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is the same with the potter, sitting at his wheel and turning it with his feet, always concentrating on his work, concerned with how many objects he can produce.


book: Sir
contenido:
He works the clay with his feet until he can shape it with his hands; then he takes great pains to glaze it properly, and will work far into the night to clean out the kiln.


book: Sir
contenido:
Without such people there could be no cities; no one would live or visit where these services were not available.


book: Sir
contenido:
These people are not sought out to serve on the public councils, and they never attain positions of great importance. They do not serve as judges, and they do not understand legal matters. They have no education and are not known for their wisdom. You never hear them quoting proverbs.


book: Sir
contenido:
But the work they do holds this world together. When they do their work, it is the same as offering prayer.


book: Sir
contenido:
But it is different with the person who devotes himself to studying the Law of the Most High. He examines the wisdom of all the ancient writers and concerns himself with the prophecies.


book: Sir
contenido:
Great people call on him for his services, and he is seen in the company of rulers. He travels to foreign lands in his efforts to learn about human good and evil.


book: Sir
contenido:
It is his practice to get up early and pray aloud to the Lord his Creator, asking the Most High to forgive his sins.


book: Sir
contenido:
Then, if the great Lord is willing, he will be filled with understanding. He will pour out a stream of wise sayings, and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.


book: Sir
contenido:
He will have knowledge to share and good advice to give, as well as insight into the Lord's secrets.


book: Sir
contenido:
He will demonstrate his learning in what he teaches, and his pride will be in the Lord's Law and covenant.


book: Sir
contenido:
He will be widely praised for his wisdom, and it will never be lost, because people for generations to come will remember him.


book: Sir
contenido:
If he lives to old age, he will die famous, but if he is laid to rest before he is famous, he will be content.


book: Sir
contenido:
Bloom like a sweet-smelling lily, and send your fragrance into the air like incense. Sing the Lord's praises, and thank him for all that he has done.


book: Sir
contenido:
No one should ask why things are as they are;
these questions will be answered at the right time.
He commanded, and the water piled up high,
great walls of water arose when he spoke.


book: Sir
contenido:
The basic needs of life are these:
water, fire, iron, and salt,
flour, honey, and milk,
wine, clothing, and oil.


book: Sir
contenido:
There are winds that were created to bring punishment,
fierce enough to move mountains.
In times of judgment, they unleash their strength
and calm the anger of their maker.


book: Sir
contenido:
Vicious animals, scorpions, and snakes;
the sword that destroys the wicked;
fire, hail, famine, and disease;
these have all been created as punishments.


book: Sir
contenido:
They are all glad to obey the Lord's command
and are ready to serve him here on earth.
When their times of duty come,
they never disobey.


book: Sir
contenido:
No one can claim that some things are worse than others,
for everything is good in its proper place.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Misery of Human Life
Every person has been given a great deal of work to do. A heavy burden lies on all of us from the day of our birth until the day we go back to the earth, the mother of us all.


book: Sir
contenido:
all of us from the king on his splendid throne wearing royal robes and a crown, to the humblest person dressed in burlap and living in poverty.


book: Sir
contenido:
All through our lives we meet anger, jealousy, and trouble. Things disturb us; we live with furious conflicts and with the fear of death. Even when we go to bed, we think up new troubles in our sleep.


book: Sir
contenido:
We get little rest, if any at all. When we sleep, it is as if we were awake, disturbed by our imaginations. If we dream that we are running from an enemy,


book: Sir
contenido:
just as we are about to be caught, we wake up and are relieved to find there is nothing to be afraid of.


book: Sir
contenido:
Here is what all creatures, both human and animal, must face (but it is seven times worse for sinners):


book: Sir
contenido:
The Results of Evil
Nothing that comes from bribery or injustice will last, but the effects of loyalty will remain forever.


book: Sir
contenido:
The children of ungodly people will not leave large families; they are like plants trying to take root on rock,


book: Sir
contenido:
The Joys of Human Life
Being independently wealthy or working for a living—both can make life pleasant, but it is better to find a treasure.


book: Sir
contenido:
Your name can be preserved if you have children or if you establish a city, but finding Wisdom is a better way.
Owning livestock and orchards will make you famous, but it is better to have a wife you love.


book: Sir
contenido:
Relatives and helpers are good to have in times of trouble, but it will be an even greater help if you have made a practice of giving to the poor.


book: Sir
contenido:
Wealth and strength give confidence, but the fear of the Lord can give you even greater confidence. When you fear the Lord you need nothing more; it is all the support you need.


book: Sir
contenido:
The fear of the Lord is like a rich garden of blessings; you could not want a more glorious shelter.


book: Sir
contenido:
If you have to depend on someone else for your food, you are not really living your own life. You pollute yourself by accepting food from another. Begging is torture to the soul of any sensitive person.


book: Sir
contenido:
Death
Death! The very thought of it is bitter to someone who is prosperous, living peacefully with his possessions, free of worries, and still able to enjoy his food.


book: Sir
contenido:
Death! Its sentence is welcome to someone living in poverty, with failing health, very old, burdened with worries, blind, and without hope.


book: Sir
contenido:
Do not be afraid of death's decree. Remember that it came to those before you and will come to those after you.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord has decreed it for every living creature. Who are you to object to what the Most High wishes? In the world of the dead no one will care whether you lived ten years, a hundred, or a thousand.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Fate of the Wicked
The children of sinners, brought up in ungodly surroundings, turn out to be hateful people.


book: Sir
contenido:
When you have children, disaster will strike them and you will be left with nothing but sorrow. There will be great joy whenever you stumble, and even after your death you will be cursed.


book: Sir
contenido:
What comes into being from nothing will return to nothing; so it will be with the godless, doomed to extinction.


book: Sir
contenido:
A Sense of Decency
My children, do as I teach you and live at peace. Wisdom that is not expressed is like a treasure that has been hidden—both are useless.


book: Sir
contenido:
My children, listen and I will teach you the circumstances when it is proper to be ashamed. Sometimes it is entirely out of place.


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Before your parents, be ashamed of immoral behavior.
Before a ruler or an important person, be ashamed of a lie.


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Before a judge, be ashamed of criminal behavior.
Before a public assembly, be ashamed of breaking the law.
Before a friend or partner, be ashamed of dishonesty.


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Before your neighbors, be ashamed of theft.
Be ashamed of breaking a promise,
of leaning on the dinner table with your elbows,
of stinginess when you are asked for something,


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;of not returning a greeting,
of staring at a prostitute,


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;of turning down a relative's request,
of depriving someone of what is rightly his,
of staring at another man's wife,


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;of playing around with his slave woman (keep away from her bed!)
of insulting your friends,
of following up your gifts with criticism,


book: Sir
contenido:
These are times when it is proper for you to be ashamed, and people will respect you for it.
A Sense of Pride
On the other hand, it is possible to sin by giving in to other people too much. Here are some things you should not be ashamed of:


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Law of the Most High and his covenant,
judging even godless people fairly,


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;sharing expenses with a business partner or a traveling companion,
sharing an inheritance,


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;making a profit, whether great or small,
bargaining with a merchant,
disciplining your children often,
beating a disloyal slave until the blood flows.


book: Sir
contenido:
Don't hesitate to correct someone who is acting foolishly or an old man who goes around with prostitutes. All of this is worthwhile advice, and if you follow it, everyone will approve of your behavior.


book: Sir
contenido:
Fathers and Daughters
Although he will not let his daughter know it, a father will lie awake at night worrying about her. If she is young, he worries that she might not get married. If she is already married, he worries about her happiness.


book: Sir
contenido:
If she is a virgin, he worries that she might be seduced and become pregnant while living in his house. If she is married, he worries that she might be unfaithful, or that she might not be able to have children.


book: Sir
contenido:
Keep a close watch over your daughter if she is determined to have her own way. If you don't, she may make a fool of you in front of your enemies. You will be a constant joke to everyone in town, a public disgrace. Make sure that her room has no windows or any place where she can look out to the entrance of the house.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Glory of God in Nature
Now I will remind you of the works of the Lord
and describe the things I have seen.
The words of the Lord brought his works into being,
and the whole creation obeys his commands.


book: Sir
contenido:
Not even to his holy angels has the Lord given power
to describe all his mighty deeds,
even though he has given them power
to stand unharmed in his glorious presence.


book: Sir
contenido:
He sees into the oceans and into the human heart,
and he knows the secrets of both.
The Most High knows everything that can be known
and understands the signs of the ages.


book: Sir
contenido:
The orderly world shows the greatness of his wisdom;
he is the same forever and ever.
Nothing can be added to him, and nothing taken away;
he needs no one to give him advice.


book: Sir
contenido:
The setting sun sets fire to the hilltops,
like a metal furnace glowing from the heat.
It sends out fiery rays,
blinding the eyes with its brightness.


book: Sir
contenido:
The month is named after the moon,
marvelous to watch as it grows fuller each night,
a signal light for the heavenly armies,
shining out in the dome of the sky.


book: Sir
contenido:
He speaks, and thunder twists the earth in pain;
the mountains are shaken by his strength.
Whenever he wishes, the south wind blows,
whirlwinds come, and windstorms from the north.
He sends the snow fluttering down like birds,
like locusts lighting on the ground.


book: Sir
contenido:
He sends the cold north wind blowing
and the water hardens into ice;
every lake and pond freezes over,
putting on a coat of icy armor.


book: Sir
contenido:
Though you do your best to praise him,
he is greater than you can ever express.
Though you honor him tirelessly and with all your strength,
you still cannot praise him enough.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Glory of God in History
So let us now give praise to godly men,
our ancestors of generations past,


book: Sir
contenido:
those whom the Lord honored with great glory,
in whom his greatness has been seen
from the beginning of time.


book: Sir
contenido:
There were some who ruled kingdoms,
and some who were known for their strength.
Some were wise advisers,
and some spoke prophecies.


book: Sir
contenido:
There were statesmen whose policies governed the people,
rulers who issued decrees,
scholars who spoke wise words,
and those who used pointed proverbs,


book: Sir
contenido:
There are others who are not remembered,
as if they had never lived,
who died and were forgotten,
they, and their children after them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Their descendants continue to keep the covenant
and always will, because of what their ancestors did.


book: Sir
contenido:
Enoch
Enoch pleased the Lord and was taken up into heaven. He became an inspiration for repentance for all time to come.


book: Sir
contenido:
Noah
Noah was a perfectly righteous man. After destruction came, he gave the human race a new start. Because of him there were people left on earth when the flood was over.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord made an eternal covenant with him, promising that life would never again be destroyed by a flood.


book: Sir
contenido:
He kept the Law of the Most High and made a covenant with him, a covenant marked on his body. When he was put to the test, he was found faithful.


book: Sir
contenido:
And so the Lord made him a solemn promise that his descendants would be a blessing to the world; that their number would be countless, like the dust of the earth; that they would be honored more than any other people on earth; and that their land would extend from sea to sea, from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.


book: Sir
contenido:
Isaac and Jacob
The Lord renewed that covenant with Isaac, and then again with Jacob, repeating the promise that Abraham's descendants would be a blessing to the whole human race. The Lord assured Jacob that he would bless him; he gave him the land that would be his, dividing it into twelve parts, one for each of the tribes.


book: Sir
contenido:
Moses
From Jacob's descendants the Lord raised up a godly man who won the favor of everyone, loved by God and people alike. This man was Moses, whose very memory is a blessing.


book: Sir
contenido:
There in Egypt at his command the disaster struck. The Lord made kings hold him in respect. The Lord gave him his commands for his people and showed him the dazzling light of his presence.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord chose Moses out of the whole human race and consecrated him because of his loyalty and humility.


book: Sir
contenido:
He let him hear his voice and led him into the dark cloud, where, face-to-face, he gave him the commandments, the Law that gives life and knowledge, so that Moses might teach the covenant regulations to the Israelites.


book: Sir
contenido:
He made an eternal covenant with him, giving him the privilege of serving as priest to the Lord's people. He honored him by clothing him with magnificent robes and fine ornaments,


book: Sir
contenido:
perfect in their splendor. He granted him the symbols of authority: the linen shorts, the shirt, and the robe with the pomegranates around the hem.


book: Sir
contenido:
Gold bells were also around its hem, so that when he walked, their ringing would be heard in the Temple, and the Lord would remember his people.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord gave Aaron the sacred robe with the gold, blue, and purple embroidery; the breastpiece with the Urim and Thummim;


book: Sir
contenido:
the red yarn, spun by an expert; the precious stones with names engraved on them, mounted in a gold setting by a jeweler, placed on the breastpiece to remind the Lord of the twelve tribes of Israel.


book: Sir
contenido:
He gave him the turban with the gold ornament engraved with the words
Dedicated to the Lord. It was expertly crafted, a beautiful work of art, and it was a high honor to wear it.


book: Sir
contenido:
Before Aaron's time such beautiful things were never seen. No one but Aaron and his descendants ever wore them, or ever will.


book: Sir
contenido:
Moses ordained Aaron to office by pouring the sacred anointing oil over his head. An eternal covenant was made with him and his descendants, that they would serve the Lord as his priests and bless the people in the Lord's name.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord chose Aaron out of the whole human race to offer sacrifices, to burn fragrant incense to remind the Lord of his people, and to take away their sins.


book: Sir
contenido:
He entrusted the commandments to Aaron's keeping and gave him the authority to make legal decisions and to teach Israel the Law.


book: Sir
contenido:
Once, while the people were in the wilderness, an angry group of jealous outsiders conspired against Moses. These were Dathan, Abiram, and Korah with their supporters.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord saw what they were doing and became angry, so furious that he performed a miracle and destroyed them in a blazing fire.


book: Sir
contenido:
Then he rewarded Aaron again, giving him a special honor: the right to the offerings of the first produce, so that the priests should have enough to eat.


book: Sir
contenido:
But Aaron, unlike the rest of the people, was to inherit no land, no special portion of his own. The Lord himself would be all he needed.


book: Sir
contenido:
Phinehas
Only Moses and Aaron were more famous for their intense devotion to the Lord than Phinehas son of Eleazar. He brought about forgiveness for Israel's sin by standing firm in brave determination when everyone else was in rebellion.


book: Sir
contenido:
And so the Lord made a covenant with him, valid for all time to come, that he should be in charge of the sanctuary and of his people, that he and his descendants should hold the office of High Priest forever.


book: Sir
contenido:
Unlike the covenant made with David son of Jesse, from the tribe of Judah, where the kingship passed only from father to son, the priesthood was to pass from Aaron to all his descendants.


book: Sir
contenido:
Now praise the Lord, who is good, who has crowned you with glory! May he give you wisdom to judge his people fairly, so that their success and your authority may continue for all time to come.


book: Sir
contenido:
Joshua
Joshua son of Nun was a great soldier and the next of the prophets after Moses. He lived up to the meaning of his name as the great deliverer of the Lord's chosen people. He defeated the enemies that attacked them, so that Israel could claim its land.


book: Sir
contenido:
When his enemies were threatening him from every side, he prayed to the mighty Lord Most High, and his prayer was answered with a hailstorm of devastating force.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord hurled the hail down on the enemy and destroyed them at the pass at Beth Horon, so that the nations would realize how strong Joshua was, since he was fighting as a devoted follower of the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
Caleb
Joshua was loyal as long as Moses lived, both he and Caleb son of Jephunneh. They stood up to the whole community, made them stop their ungrateful complaining, and kept them from sinning.


book: Sir
contenido:
Out of the 600,000 Israelites who marched through the wilderness, these two were the only ones spared and allowed to enter the rich and fertile land that was to be theirs.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord made Caleb strong, and when he was an old man, he was still strong enough to go up into the hill country and capture it for himself and his descendants.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Judges
Then there were the judges, each of them famous in their own right, who never fell into idolatry and never abandoned the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
May their memory be honored! May these whom we honor spring from the grave to new life in their descendants!


book: Sir
contenido:
Samuel
Samuel was loved by the Lord. As the Lord's prophet he established the kingdom and appointed rulers for the people.


book: Sir
contenido:
Because Samuel was faithful, he was accepted as a true prophet. People trusted him as a seer because of his words.


book: Sir
contenido:
When his enemies were threatening him from every side, he called upon the mighty Lord and offered him a young lamb as a sacrifice.


book: Sir
contenido:
When Samuel was about to die, he gave assurances before the Lord and the anointed king that he had never taken anyone's property, not even so much as a pair of shoes, and no one contradicted him.


book: Sir
contenido:
Even after he died, he prophesied to King Saul how he would die. Out of the grave he spoke as a prophet, to blot out his people's wickedness.


book: Sir
contenido:
David
As the choice fat portion of the fellowship offering is reserved for the Lord, so David was chosen from among the Israelites.


book: Sir
contenido:
When he was still a boy, he killed a giant to rescue his people. He put a stone in his sling, took aim, and put an end to Goliath's bragging.


book: Sir
contenido:
He prayed to the Lord, the Most High, and was given the strength to kill that famous soldier, so that the nations would have respect for the power of his people.


book: Sir
contenido:
The people honored him for killing his tens of thousands, and when he was crowned king, they praised him for being chosen by the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
He wiped out all his enemies and permanently crushed the Philistines, so that they never again became a threat.


book: Sir
contenido:
In everything David did, he gave thanks and praise to the Holy Lord, the Most High. He loved his Creator and sang praises to him with all his heart.


book: Sir
contenido:
He set the times of the festivals throughout the year and made them splendid occasions; the Temple rang with the Lord's praises all day long.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Lord forgave David's sin and established his power forever. He made a covenant with him that he and his descendants would reign in splendor over Israel.


book: Sir
contenido:
There was no war while Solomon was king. God gave him peace on all his borders, so that he could build for the Lord a Temple which would stand forever.


book: Sir
contenido:
Nations around the world held you in admiration for your songs, proverbs, parables, and witty sayings.


book: Sir
contenido:
You stained your reputation and that of your descendants. They suffered punishment for that foolishness of yours, which caused them so much grief.


book: Sir
contenido:
But the Lord will always be merciful and keep all his promises. He will never destroy the descendants of David, whom he chose and who loved him. So for Israel's sake he allowed David's family to survive.


book: Sir
contenido:
Rehoboam and Jeroboam
Solomon followed his ancestors in death and left one of his sons to rule after him. This was Rehoboam, a man of little intelligence and great foolishness, whose policies caused a rebellion.
There was also the unspeakable Jeroboam, who led northern Israel in sinful ways.


book: Sir
contenido:
Speaking in the name of the Lord, he kept the rain from coming, and on three occasions he called down fire.


book: Sir
contenido:
The scripture says that you are ready to appear at the designated time, to cool God's anger before it breaks out in fury; that you
will bring parents and children together again, and restore the tribes of Israel.


book: Sir
contenido:
Fortunate are those who live to see you come, as well as those who have already died in love, for we too shall live.


book: Sir
contenido:
Elisha
When Elijah was hidden by the whirlwind, Elisha was filled with his spirit. As long as he lived, he was not afraid of rulers, and they could not make him do as they wished.


book: Sir
contenido:
But in spite of all this, the people did not abandon their sinful ways until they were taken from their land as prisoners and scattered all over the world. This left the nation few in number, but those who remained were still ruled by the descendants of David.


book: Sir
contenido:
Hezekiah
Hezekiah prepared his city to resist a siege and provided it with a water supply. He had a tunnel built through solid rock with iron tools and had cisterns built to hold the water.


book: Sir
contenido:
During his reign Sennacherib attacked the city and sent his chief official from Lachish. He challenged Jerusalem and boasted arrogantly.


book: Sir
contenido:
But they prayed to the merciful Lord, the Holy One in heaven, who quickly answered their prayers and sent Isaiah to save them.


book: Sir
contenido:
Yes, Hezekiah did what was pleasing to the Lord and firmly followed the example of his ancestor David. This was what was commanded by the great prophet Isaiah, whose visions were trusted.


book: Sir
contenido:
and he predicted what was to happen before the end of time, hidden things that had not yet occurred.


book: Sir
contenido:
Josiah
The memory of Josiah is as sweet as the fragrance of expertly blended incense, sweet as honey to the taste, like music with wine at a banquet.


book: Sir
contenido:
Jeremiah
All the kings, except David, Hezekiah, and Josiah, were terrible sinners, because they abandoned the Law of the Most High to the very end of the kingdom.


book: Sir
contenido:
Jeremiah had been badly treated, even though he was chosen as a prophet before he was born,
to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, but also
to build and to plant.


book: Sir
contenido:
Ezekiel
It was Ezekiel who was shown the vision of the divine glory over the chariot and the living creatures.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Twelve Prophets
May the bones of the twelve prophets rise to new life, because these men encouraged the people of Israel and saved them with confident hope.


book: Sir
contenido:
Zerubbabel and Joshua
How can we praise Zerubbabel? He was like a signet ring on the Lord's right hand,


book: Sir
contenido:
Nehemiah
The memory of Nehemiah is also great. He rebuilt the ruined walls of Jerusalem, installing the gates and bars. He rebuilt our homes.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Patriarchs
No one else like Enoch has ever walked the face of the earth, for he was taken up from the earth.


book: Sir
contenido:
Shem, Seth, and Enosh were highly honored, but Adam's glory was above that of any other living being.


book: Sir
contenido:
Simon Son of Onias
The greatest of his brothers and the pride of his people was the High Priest Simon son of Onias, who repaired the Temple


book: Sir
contenido:
He made plans to protect his people from attack and fortified the city so that it could withstand a siege.


book: Sir
contenido:
like the sun shining on the Temple of the Most High, like the rainbow gleaming in glory against the clouds,


book: Sir
contenido:
When Simon put on his magnificent robe and went up to the holy altar dressed in perfect splendor, he made the Temple courtyard a majestic sight.


book: Sir
contenido:
When the priests handed him the portions of the sacrifice as he stood beside the altar with his assistants circling him like a wreath, he was like a young cedar of Lebanon surrounded by palm trees.


book: Sir
contenido:
Those were the descendants of Aaron in their splendid garments, standing before the whole assembly of Israel, holding in their hands the offering made to the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
When he had finished the service at the altar and had arranged the sacrifice to the Most High, the Almighty,


book: Sir
contenido:
he reached for a cup and poured out sweet-smelling wine at the foot of the altar as an offering to the Most High, the universal King.


book: Sir
contenido:
Then the priests shouted and blew their trumpets of hammered silver. They made a loud noise that the Most High would hear.


book: Sir
contenido:
All the people immediately bowed down with their faces to the ground to worship their Lord, the Almighty, the Most High.


book: Sir
contenido:
The people kept praying to the merciful Lord Most High until the service of worship had come to a close.


book: Sir
contenido:
Then Simon came down from the altar, raised his hands over the whole assembly of Israel, and reverently pronounced the blessing from the Lord,


book: Sir
contenido:
A Benediction
Now then, give praise to the God of the universe, who has done great things everywhere, who brings us up from the time we are born, and deals with us mercifully.


book: Sir
contenido:
Three Hated Nations
There are two nations that I detest, and a third that does not even deserve to be called a nation.


book: Sir
contenido:
The Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
I, Jesus son of Sirach Eleazar of Jerusalem, put all my wisdom into writing this book to provide instruction and knowledge for others.


book: Sir
contenido:
May God bless everyone who gives attention to these teachings. Whoever takes them to heart will become wise.


book: Sir
contenido:
Whoever lives by them will be strong enough for any occasion, because he will be walking in the light of the Lord.


book: Sir
contenido:
A Song of Thanksgiving
I give you thanks, O Lord and King;
I praise you as my God and Savior.
I give you thanks,


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;for you have helped me and protected me.
You have rescued me from death,
from dangerous lies and slander.


book: Sir
contenido:
You helped me when no one else would;
in your great mercy you saved me
from the many troubles I have known:
from the glaring hatred of my enemies,
who wanted to put an end to my life;


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;enemies surrounded me everywhere.
I looked for someone to help me,
but there was no one there.


book: Sir
contenido:
But then, O Lord, I remembered how merciful you are
and what you had done in times past.
I remembered that you rescue those who rely on you,
that you save them from their enemies.


book: Sir
contenido:
I prayed,
O Lord, you are my father;
do not abandon me to my troubles
when I am helpless against arrogant enemies.


book: Sir
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and saved me from the threat of destruction.
And so I thank you and praise you.
O Lord, I praise you!


book: Sir
contenido:
The Search for Wisdom
When I was still young, before I started out on my travels, I boldly prayed for Wisdom.


book: Sir
contenido:
From my blossoming youth to my ripe old age she has been my delight. I have followed directly in her path ever since I was young.


book: Sir
contenido:
I received Wisdom as soon as I began listening for her, and I have been rewarded with great knowledge.


book: Sir
contenido:
I fought for Wisdom and was strict in my conduct. When I prayed, I sadly confessed how far short of Wisdom I fell.


book: Sir
contenido:
But I was determined to have her, and I found her by keeping myself free from sin. I have grown in Wisdom since first I found her, and I will never be without her.


book: Sir
contenido:
Do your duty at the proper time, and the Lord, at the time he thinks proper, will give you your reward.


book: Isa
contenido:
This book contains the messages about Judah and Jerusalem which God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Reprimands His People
The Lord said, “Earth and sky, listen to what I am saying! The children I brought up have rebelled against me.


book: Isa
contenido:
Cattle know who owns them, and donkeys know where their master feeds them. But that is more than my people Israel know. They don't understand at all.”


book: Isa
contenido:
You are doomed, you sinful nation, you corrupt and evil people! Your sins drag you down! You have rejected the Lord, the holy God of Israel, and have turned your backs on him.


book: Isa
contenido:
Why do you keep on rebelling? Do you want to be punished even more? Israel, your head is already covered with wounds, and your heart and mind are sick.


book: Isa
contenido:
From head to foot there is not a healthy spot on your body. You are covered with bruises and sores and open wounds. Your wounds have not been cleaned or bandaged. No medicine has been put on them.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your country has been devastated, and your cities have been burned to the ground. While you look on, foreigners take over your land and bring everything to ruin.


book: Isa
contenido:
Jerusalem alone is left, a city under siege—as defenseless as a guard's hut in a vineyard or a shed in a cucumber field.


book: Isa
contenido:
If the Lord Almighty had not let some of the people survive, Jerusalem would have been totally destroyed, just as Sodom and Gomorrah were.


book: Isa
contenido:
Jerusalem, your rulers and your people are like those of Sodom and Gomorrah. Listen to what the Lord is saying to you. Pay attention to what our God is teaching you.


book: Isa
contenido:
He says, “Do you think I want all these sacrifices you keep offering to me? I have had more than enough of the sheep you burn as sacrifices and of the fat of your fine animals. I am tired of the blood of bulls and sheep and goats.


book: Isa
contenido:
Who asked you to bring me all this when you come to worship me? Who asked you to do all this tramping around in my Temple?


book: Isa
contenido:
It's useless to bring your offerings. I am disgusted with the smell of the incense you burn. I cannot stand your New Moon Festivals, your Sabbaths, and your religious gatherings; they are all corrupted by your sins.


book: Isa
contenido:
“When you lift your hands in prayer, I will not look at you. No matter how much you pray, I will not listen, for your hands are covered with blood.


book: Isa
contenido:
and learn to do right. See that justice is done—help those who are oppressed, give orphans their rights, and defend widows.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says, “Now, let's settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be as white as wool.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Sinful City
The city that once was faithful is behaving like a whore! At one time it was filled with righteous people, but now only murderers remain.


book: Isa
contenido:
Jerusalem, you were once like silver, but now you are worthless; you were like good wine, but now you are only water.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your leaders are rebels and friends of thieves; they are always accepting gifts and bribes. They never defend orphans in court or listen when widows present their case.


book: Isa
contenido:
So now, listen to what the Lord Almighty, Israel's powerful God, is saying: “I will take revenge on you, my enemies, and you will cause me no more trouble.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will take action against you. I will purify you the way metal is refined, and will remove all your impurity.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will give you rulers and advisers like those you had long ago. Then Jerusalem will be called the righteous, faithful city.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Just as straw is set on fire by a spark, so powerful people will be destroyed by their own evil deeds, and no one will be able to stop the destruction.


book: Isa
contenido:
Everlasting Peace
Here is the message which God gave to Isaiah son of Amoz about Judah and Jerusalem:


book: Isa
contenido:
In days to come
the mountain where the Temple stands
will be the highest one of all,
towering above all the hills.
Many nations will come streaming to it,


book: Isa
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and their people will say,
“Let us go up the hill of the Lord,
to the Temple of Israel's God.
He will teach us what he wants us to do;
we will walk in the paths he has chosen.
For the Lord's teaching comes from Jerusalem;
from Zion he speaks to his people.”


book: Isa
contenido:
He will settle disputes among great nations.
They will hammer their swords into plows
and their spears into pruning knives.
Nations will never again go to war,
never prepare for battle again.


book: Isa
contenido:
Arrogance Will Be Destroyed
O God, you have forsaken your people, the descendants of Jacob! The land is full of magic practices from the East and from Philistia. The people follow foreign customs.


book: Isa
contenido:
Their land is full of silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses, and there is no end to their chariots.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will hide in caves in the rocky hills or dig holes in the ground to try to escape from the Lord's anger and to hide from his power and glory!


book: Isa
contenido:
A day is coming when human pride will be ended and human arrogance destroyed. Then the Lord alone will be exalted.


book: Isa
contenido:
On that day the Lord Almighty will humble everyone who is powerful, everyone who is proud and conceited.


book: Isa
contenido:
Human pride will be ended, and human arrogance will be destroyed. Idols will completely disappear, and the Lord alone will be exalted on that day.


book: Isa
contenido:
People will hide in caves in the rocky hills or dig holes in the ground to try to escape from the Lord's anger and to hide from his power and glory, when he comes to shake the earth.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that day comes, they will throw away the gold and silver idols they have made, and abandon them to the moles and the bats.


book: Isa
contenido:
When the Lord comes to shake the earth, people will hide in holes and caves in the rocky hills to try to escape from his anger and to hide from his power and glory.


book: Isa
contenido:
Chaos in Jerusalem
Now the Lord, the Almighty Lord, is about to take away from Jerusalem and Judah everything and everyone that the people depend on. He is going to take away their food and their water,


book: Isa
contenido:
their heroes and their soldiers, their judges and their prophets, their fortunetellers and their statesmen,


book: Isa
contenido:
their military and civilian leaders, their politicians and everyone who uses magic to control events.


book: Isa
contenido:
Everyone will take advantage of everyone else. Young people will not respect their elders, and worthless people will not respect their superiors.


book: Isa
contenido:
A time will come when the members of a clan will choose one of their number and say to him, “You at least have something to wear, so be our leader in this time of trouble.”


book: Isa
contenido:
But he will answer, “Not me! I can't help you. I don't have any food or clothes either. Don't make me your leader!”


book: Isa
contenido:
Yes, Jerusalem is doomed! Judah is collapsing! Everything they say and do is against the Lord; they openly insult God himself.


book: Isa
contenido:
Their prejudices will be held against them. They sin as openly as the people of Sodom did. They are doomed, and they have brought it on themselves.


book: Isa
contenido:
The righteous will be happy, and things will go well for them. They will get to enjoy what they have worked for.


book: Isa
contenido:
Moneylenders oppress my people, and their creditors cheat them.
My people, your leaders are misleading you, so that you do not know which way to turn.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord is bringing the elders and leaders of his people to judgment. He makes this accusation: “You have plundered vineyards, and your houses are full of what you have taken from the poor.


book: Isa
contenido:
You have no right to crush my people and take advantage of the poor. I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, have spoken.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A Warning to the Women of Jerusalem
The Lord said, “Look how proud the women of Jerusalem are! They walk along with their noses in the air. They are always flirting. They take dainty little steps, and the bracelets on their ankles jingle.


book: Isa
contenido:
A day is coming when the Lord will take away from the women of Jerusalem everything they are so proud of—the ornaments they wear on their ankles, on their heads, on their necks,


book: Isa
contenido:
their revealing garments, their linen handkerchiefs, and the scarves and long veils they wear on their heads.


book: Isa
contenido:
Instead of using perfumes, they will stink; instead of fine belts, they will wear coarse ropes; instead of having beautiful hair, they will be bald; instead of fine clothes, they will be dressed in rags; their beauty will be turned to shame!


book: Isa
contenido:
The city gates will mourn and cry, and the city itself will be like a woman sitting on the ground, stripped naked.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that time comes, seven women will grab hold of one man and say, “We can feed and clothe ourselves, but please let us say you are our husband, so that we won't have to endure the shame of being unmarried.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Jerusalem Will Be Restored
The time is coming when the Lord will make every plant and tree in the land grow large and beautiful. All the people of Israel who survive will take delight and pride in the crops that the land produces.


book: Isa
contenido:
By his power the Lord will judge and purify the nation and wash away the guilt of Jerusalem and the blood that has been shed there.


book: Isa
contenido:
Then over Mount Zion and over all who are gathered there, the Lord will send a cloud in the daytime and smoke and a bright flame at night. God's glory will cover and protect the whole city.


book: Isa
contenido:
His glory will shade the city from the heat of the day and make it a place of safety, sheltered from the rain and storm.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Song of the Vineyard
Listen while I sing you this song,
a song of my friend and his vineyard:
My friend had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.


book: Isa
contenido:
He dug the soil and cleared it of stones;
he planted the finest vines.
He built a tower to guard them,
dug a pit for treading the grapes.
He waited for the grapes to ripen,
but every grape was sour.


book: Isa
contenido:
So now my friend says, “You people who live in Jerusalem and Judah, judge between my vineyard and me.


book: Isa
contenido:
Is there anything I failed to do for it? Then why did it produce sour grapes and not the good grapes I expected?


book: Isa
contenido:
“Here is what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge around it, break down the wall that protects it, and let wild animals eat it and trample it down.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will let it be overgrown with weeds. I will not trim the vines or hoe the ground; instead, I will let briers and thorns cover it. I will even forbid the clouds to let rain fall on it.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel is the vineyard of the Lord Almighty;
the people of Judah are the vines he planted.
He expected them to do what was good,
but instead they committed murder.
He expected them to do what was right,
but their victims cried out for justice.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Evil That People Do
You are doomed! You buy more houses and fields to add to those you already have. Soon there will be no place for anyone else to live, and you alone will live in the land.


book: Isa
contenido:
The grapevines growing on five acres of land will yield only five gallons of wine. Ten bushels of seed will produce only one bushel of grain.”


book: Isa
contenido:
You are doomed! You get up early in the morning to start drinking, and you spend long evenings getting drunk.


book: Isa
contenido:
At your feasts you have harps and tambourines and flutes—and wine. But you don't understand what the Lord is doing,


book: Isa
contenido:
and so you will be carried away as prisoners. Your leaders will starve to death, and the common people will die of thirst.


book: Isa
contenido:
The world of the dead is hungry for them, and it opens its mouth wide. It gulps down the nobles of Jerusalem along with the noisy crowd of common people.


book: Isa
contenido:
But the Lord Almighty shows his greatness by doing what is right, and he reveals his holiness by judging his people.


book: Isa
contenido:
You say, “Let the Lord hurry up and do what he says he will, so that we can see it. Let Israel's holy God carry out his plans; let's see what he has in mind.”


book: Isa
contenido:
You are doomed! You call evil good and call good evil. You turn darkness into light and light into darkness. You make what is bitter sweet, and what is sweet you make bitter.


book: Isa
contenido:
So now, just as straw and dry grass shrivel and burn in the fire, your roots will rot and your blossoms will dry up and blow away, because you have rejected what the Lord Almighty, Israel's holy God, has taught us.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord is angry with his people and has stretched out his hand to punish them. The mountains will shake, and the bodies of those who die will be left in the streets like rubbish. Yet even then the Lord's anger will not be ended, but his hand will still be stretched out to punish.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord gives a signal to call for a distant nation. He whistles for them to come from the ends of the earth. And here they come, swiftly, quickly!


book: Isa
contenido:
None of them grow tired; none of them stumble. They never doze or sleep. Not a belt is loose; not a sandal strap is broken.


book: Isa
contenido:
Their arrows are sharp, and their bows are ready to shoot. Their horses' hoofs are as hard as flint, and their chariot wheels turn like a whirlwind.


book: Isa
contenido:
The soldiers roar like lions that have killed an animal and are carrying it off where no one can take it away from them.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that day comes, they will roar over Israel as loudly as the sea. Look at this country! Darkness and distress! The light is swallowed by darkness.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Calls Isaiah to Be a Prophet
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on his throne, high and exalted, and his robe filled the whole Temple.


book: Isa
contenido:
Around him flaming creatures were standing, each of which had six wings. Each creature covered its face with two wings, and its body with two, and used the other two for flying.


book: Isa
contenido:
They were calling out to each other:
“Holy, holy, holy!
The Lord Almighty is holy!
His glory fills the world.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The sound of their voices made the foundation of the Temple shake, and the Temple itself became filled with smoke.


book: Isa
contenido:
I said, “There is no hope for me! I am doomed because every word that passes my lips is sinful, and I live among a people whose every word is sinful. And yet, with my own eyes I have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Then one of the creatures flew down to me, carrying a burning coal that he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.


book: Isa
contenido:
He touched my lips with the burning coal and said, “This has touched your lips, and now your guilt is gone, and your sins are forgiven.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Then I heard the Lord say, “Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?”
I answered, “I will go! Send me!”


book: Isa
contenido:
So he told me to go and give the people this message: “No matter how much you listen, you will not understand. No matter how much you look, you will not know what is happening.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Then he said to me, “Make the minds of these people dull, their ears deaf, and their eyes blind, so that they cannot see or hear or understand. If they did, they might turn to me and be healed.”


book: Isa
contenido:
I asked, “How long will it be like this, Lord?”
He answered, “Until the cities are ruined and empty—until the houses are uninhabited—until the land itself is a desolate wasteland.


book: Isa
contenido:
Even if one person out of ten remains in the land, he too will be destroyed; he will be like the stump of an oak tree that has been cut down.”
(The stump represents a new beginning for God's people.)


book: Isa
contenido:
A Message for King Ahaz
When King Ahaz, the son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, ruled Judah, war broke out. Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, attacked Jerusalem, but were unable to capture it.


book: Isa
contenido:
When word reached the king of Judah that the armies of Syria were already in the territory of Israel, he and all his people were so terrified that they trembled like trees shaking in the wind.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord said to Isaiah, “Take your son Shear Jashub, and go to meet King Ahaz. You will find him on the road where the cloth makers work, at the end of the ditch that brings water from the upper pool.


book: Isa
contenido:
Tell him to keep alert, to stay calm, and not to be frightened or disturbed. The anger of King Rezin and his Syrians and of King Pekah is no more dangerous than the smoke from two smoldering sticks of wood.


book: Isa
contenido:
They intend to invade Judah, terrify the people into joining their side, and then put Tabeel's son on the throne.


book: Isa
contenido:
Why? Because Syria is no stronger than Damascus, its capital city, and Damascus is no stronger than King Rezin. As for Israel, within sixty-five years it will be too shattered to survive as a nation.


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel is no stronger than Samaria, its capital city, and Samaria is no stronger than King Pekah.
“If your faith is not enduring, you will not endure.”


book: Isa
contenido:
“Ask the Lord your God to give you a sign. It can be from deep in the world of the dead or from high up in heaven.”


book: Isa
contenido:
To that Isaiah replied, “Listen, now, descendants of King David. It's bad enough for you to wear out the patience of people—do you have to wear out God's patience too?


book: Isa
contenido:
Well then, the Lord himself will give you a sign: a young woman who is pregnant will have a son and will name him ‘Immanuel.’


book: Isa
contenido:
By the time he is old enough to make his own decisions, people will be drinking milk and eating honey.


book: Isa
contenido:
“The Lord is going to bring on you, on your people, and on the whole royal family, days of trouble worse than any that have come since the kingdom of Israel separated from Judah—he is going to bring the king of Assyria.


book: Isa
contenido:
“When that time comes, the Lord will whistle as a signal for the Egyptians to come like flies from the farthest branches of the Nile, and for the Assyrians to come from their land like bees.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will swarm in the rugged valleys and in the caves in the rocks, and they will cover every thorn bush and every pasture.


book: Isa
contenido:
“When that time comes, the Lord will hire a barber from across the Euphrates—the emperor of Assyria!—and he will shave off your beards and the hair on your heads and your bodies.


book: Isa
contenido:
they will give so much milk that he will have all he needs. Yes, the few survivors left in the land will have milk and honey to eat.


book: Isa
contenido:
“When that time comes, the fine vineyards, each with a thousand vines and each worth a thousand pieces of silver, will be overgrown with thorn bushes and briers.


book: Isa
contenido:
People will go hunting there with bows and arrows. Yes, the whole country will be full of briers and thorn bushes.


book: Isa
contenido:
All the hills where crops were once planted will be so overgrown with thorns that no one will go there. It will be a place where cattle and sheep graze.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Isaiah's Son as a Sign to the People
The Lord said to me, “Take a large piece of writing material and write on it in large letters: ‘Quick Loot, Fast Plunder.’


book: Isa
contenido:
Some time later my wife became pregnant. When our son was born, the Lord said to me, “Name him ‘Quick-Loot-Fast-Plunder.’


book: Isa
contenido:
Before the boy is old enough to say ‘Mamma’ and ‘Daddy,’ all the wealth of Damascus and all the loot of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.”


book: Isa
contenido:
He said, “Because these people have rejected the quiet waters of Shiloah Brook and tremble before King Rezin and King Pekah,


book: Isa
contenido:
I, the Lord, will bring the emperor of Assyria and all his forces to attack Judah. They will advance like the flood waters of the Euphrates River, overflowing all its banks.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will sweep through Judah in a flood, rising shoulder high and covering everything.”
God is with us! His outspread wings protect the land.


book: Isa
contenido:
Gather together in fear, you nations! Listen, you distant parts of the earth. Get ready to fight, but be afraid! Yes, get ready, but be afraid!


book: Isa
contenido:
Make your plans! But they will never succeed. Talk all you want to! But it is all useless, because God is with us.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Warns the Prophet
With his great power the Lord warned me not to follow the road which the people were following. He said,


book: Isa
contenido:
Because of my awesome holiness I am like a stone that people stumble over; I am like a trap that will catch the people of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel and the people of Jerusalem.


book: Isa
contenido:
Warning against Consulting the Dead
You, my disciples, are to guard and preserve the messages that God has given me.


book: Isa
contenido:
Here I am with the children the Lord has given me. The Lord Almighty, whose throne is on Mount Zion, has sent us as living messages to the people of Israel.


book: Isa
contenido:
But people will tell you to ask for messages from fortunetellers and mediums, who chirp and mutter. They will say, “After all, people should ask for messages from the spirits and consult the dead on behalf of the living.”


book: Isa
contenido:
You are to answer them, “Listen to what the Lord is teaching you! Don't listen to mediums—what they tell you cannot keep trouble away.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A Time of Trouble
The people will wander through the land, discouraged and hungry. In their hunger and their anger they will curse their king and their God. They may look up to the sky


book: Isa
contenido:
or stare at the ground, but they will see nothing but trouble and darkness, terrifying darkness into which they are being driven.


book: Isa
contenido:
There will be no way for them to escape from this time of trouble.
The Future King
The land of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali was once disgraced, but the future will bring honor to this region, from the Mediterranean eastward to the land on the other side of the Jordan, and even to Galilee itself, where the foreigners live.


book: Isa
contenido:
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
They lived in a land of shadows,
but now light is shining on them.


book: Isa
contenido:
You have given them great joy, Lord;
you have made them happy.
They rejoice in what you have done,
as people rejoice when they harvest grain
or when they divide captured wealth.


book: Isa
contenido:
For you have broken the yoke that burdened them
and the rod that beat their shoulders.
You have defeated the nation
that oppressed and exploited your people,
just as you defeated the army of Midian long ago.


book: Isa
contenido:
A child is born to us!
A son is given to us!
And he will be our ruler.
He will be called, “Wonderful Counselor,”
“Mighty God,” “Eternal Father,”
“Prince of Peace.”


book: Isa
contenido:
His royal power will continue to grow;
his kingdom will always be at peace.
He will rule as King David's successor,
basing his power on right and justice,
from now until the end of time.
The Lord Almighty is determined to do all this.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Will Punish Israel
The Lord has pronounced judgment on the kingdom of Israel, on the descendants of Jacob.


book: Isa
contenido:
All the people of Israel, everyone who lives in the city of Samaria, will know that he has done this. Now they are proud and arrogant. They say,


book: Isa
contenido:
“The brick buildings have fallen down, but we will replace them with stone buildings. The beams of sycamore wood have been cut down, but we will replace them with the finest cedar.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Syria on the east and Philistia on the west have opened their mouths to devour Israel. Yet even so the Lord's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.


book: Isa
contenido:
The people of Israel have not repented; even though the Lord Almighty has punished them, they have not returned to him.


book: Isa
contenido:
In a single day the Lord will punish Israel's leaders and its people; he will cut them off, head and tail.


book: Isa
contenido:
And so the Lord will not let any of the young men escape, and he will not show pity on any of the widows and orphans, because all the people are godless and wicked and everything they say is evil. Yet even so the Lord's anger will not be ended, but his hand will still be stretched out to punish.


book: Isa
contenido:
The wickedness of the people burns like a fire that destroys thorn bushes and thistles. It burns like a forest fire that sends up columns of smoke.


book: Isa
contenido:
Because the Lord Almighty is angry, his punishment burns like a fire throughout the land and destroys the people, and it is each of us for ourselves.


book: Isa
contenido:
Everywhere in the country people snatch and eat any bit of food they can find, but their hunger is never satisfied. They even eat their own children!


book: Isa
contenido:
The people of Manasseh and the people of Ephraim attack each other, and together they attack Judah. Yet even so the Lord's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.


book: Isa
contenido:
That is how you keep the poor from having their rights and from getting justice. That is how you take the property that belongs to widows and orphans.


book: Isa
contenido:
What will you do when God punishes you? What will you do when he brings disaster on you from a distant country? Where will you run to find help? Where will you hide your wealth?


book: Isa
contenido:
You will be killed in battle or dragged off as prisoners. Yet even so the Lord's anger will not be ended; his hand will still be stretched out to punish.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Emperor of Assyria as the Instrument of God
The Lord said, “Assyria! I use Assyria like a club to punish those with whom I am angry.


book: Isa
contenido:
I sent Assyria to attack a godless nation, people who have made me angry. I sent them to loot and steal and trample the people like dirt in the streets.”


book: Isa
contenido:
But the Assyrian emperor has his own violent plans in mind. He is determined to destroy many nations.


book: Isa
contenido:
I conquered the cities of Calno and Carchemish, the cities of Hamath and Arpad. I conquered Samaria and Damascus.


book: Isa
contenido:
I reached out to punish those kingdoms that worship idols, idols more numerous than those of Jerusalem and Samaria.


book: Isa
contenido:
I have destroyed Samaria and all its idols, and I will do the same to Jerusalem and the images that are worshiped there.”


book: Isa
contenido:
But the Lord says, “When I finish what I am doing on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, I will punish the emperor of Assyria for all his boasting and all his pride.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The emperor of Assyria boasts, “I have done it all myself. I am strong and wise and clever. I wiped out the boundaries between nations and took the supplies they had stored. Like a bull I have trampled the people who live there.


book: Isa
contenido:
The nations of the world were like a bird's nest, and I gathered their wealth as easily as gathering eggs. Not a wing fluttered to scare me off; no beak opened to scream at me!”


book: Isa
contenido:
But the Lord says, “Can an ax claim to be greater than the one who uses it? Is a saw more important than the one who saws with it? A club doesn't lift up a person; a person lifts up a club.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Almighty is going to send disease to punish those who are now well-fed. In their bodies there will be a fire that burns and burns.


book: Isa
contenido:
God, the light of Israel, will become a fire. Israel's holy God will become a flame, which in a single day will burn up everything, even the thorns and thistles.


book: Isa
contenido:
The rich forests and farmlands will be totally destroyed, in the same way that a fatal sickness destroys someone.


book: Isa
contenido:
A Few Will Come Back
A time is coming when the people of Israel who have survived will not rely any more on the nation that almost destroyed them. They will truly put their trust in the Lord, Israel's holy God.


book: Isa
contenido:
Even though now there are as many people of Israel as there are grains of sand by the sea, only a few will come back. Destruction is in store for the people, and it is fully deserved.


book: Isa
contenido:
Yes, throughout the whole country the Sovereign Lord Almighty will bring destruction, as he said he would.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Will Punish Assyria
The Sovereign Lord Almighty says to his people who live in Zion, “Do not be afraid of the Assyrians, even though they oppress you as the Egyptians used to do.


book: Isa
contenido:
I, the Lord Almighty, will beat them with my whip as I did the people of Midian at Oreb Rock. I will punish Assyria as I punished Egypt.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that time comes, I will free you from the power of Assyria, and their yoke will no longer be a burden on your shoulders.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Invader Attacks
The enemy army has captured the city of Ai! They have passed through Migron! They left their supplies at Michmash!


book: Isa
contenido:
They have crossed the pass and are spending the night at Geba! The people in the town of Ramah are terrified, and the people in King Saul's hometown of Gibeah have run away.


book: Isa
contenido:
Today the enemy are in the town of Nob, and there they are shaking their fists at Mount Zion, at the city of Jerusalem.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Almighty will bring them crashing down like branches cut off a tree. The proudest and highest of them will be cut down and humiliated.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will cut them down as trees in the heart of the forest are cut down with an ax, as even the finest trees of Lebanon fall!


book: Isa
contenido:
The Peaceful Kingdom
The royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout from a stump, so a new king will arise from among David's descendants.


book: Isa
contenido:
The spirit of the Lord will give him wisdom
and the knowledge and skill to rule his people.
He will know the Lord's will and honor him,


book: Isa
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and find pleasure in obeying him.
He will not judge by appearance or hearsay;


book: Isa
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;he will judge the poor fairly
and defend the rights of the helpless.
At his command the people will be punished,
and evil persons will die.


book: Isa
contenido:
Wolves and sheep will live together in peace,
and leopards will lie down with young goats.
Calves and lion cubs will feed together,
and little children will take care of them.


book: Isa
contenido:
Cows and bears will eat together,
and their calves and cubs will lie down in peace.
Lions will eat straw as cattle do.


book: Isa
contenido:
On Zion, God's sacred hill,
there will be nothing harmful or evil.
The land will be as full of knowledge of the Lord
as the seas are full of water.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Exiled People Will Return
A day is coming when the new king from the royal line of David will be a symbol to the nations. They will gather in his royal city and give him honor.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that day comes, the Lord will once again use his power and bring back home those of his people who are left in Assyria and Egypt, in the lands of Pathros, Ethiopia, Elam, Babylonia, and Hamath, and in the coastlands and on the islands of the sea.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will raise a signal flag to show the nations that he is gathering together again the scattered people of Israel and Judah and bringing them back from the four corners of the earth.


book: Isa
contenido:
The kingdom of Israel will not be jealous of Judah any more, and Judah will not be the enemy of Israel.


book: Isa
contenido:
Together they will attack the Philistines on the west and plunder the people who live to the east. They will conquer the people of Edom and Moab, and the people of Ammon will obey them.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will dry up the Gulf of Suez, and he will bring a hot wind to dry up the Euphrates, leaving only seven tiny streams, so that anyone can walk across.


book: Isa
contenido:
There will be a highway out of Assyria for those of his people Israel who have survived there, just as there was for their ancestors when they left Egypt.


book: Isa
contenido:
Hymn of Thanksgiving
A day is coming when people will sing,
“I praise you, Lord! You were angry with me,
but now you comfort me and are angry no longer.


book: Isa
contenido:
God is my savior;
I will trust him and not be afraid.
The Lord gives me power and strength;
he is my savior.


book: Isa
contenido:
A day is coming when people will sing,
“Give thanks to the Lord! Call for him to help you!
Tell all the nations what he has done!
Tell them how great he is!


book: Isa
contenido:
Let everyone who lives in Zion shout and sing!
Israel's holy God is great,
and he lives among his people.”


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Punish Babylon
This is a message about Babylon, which Isaiah son of Amoz received from God.


book: Isa
contenido:
On the top of a barren hill raise the battle flag! Shout to the soldiers and raise your arm as the signal for them to attack the gates of the proud city.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord has called out his proud and confident soldiers to fight a holy war and punish those he is angry with.


book: Isa
contenido:
Listen to the noise on the mountains—the sound of a great crowd of people, the sound of nations and kingdoms gathering. The Lord of Armies is preparing his troops for battle.


book: Isa
contenido:
They are coming from far-off countries at the ends of the earth. In his anger the Lord is coming to devastate the whole country.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will all be terrified and overcome with pain, like the pain of a woman in labor. They will look at each other in fear, and their faces will burn with shame.


book: Isa
contenido:
The day of the Lord is coming—that cruel day of his fierce anger and fury. The earth will be made a wilderness, and every sinner will be destroyed.


book: Isa
contenido:
Every star and every constellation will stop shining, the sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will give no light.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says, “I will bring disaster on the earth and punish all wicked people for their sins. I will humble everyone who is proud and punish everyone who is arrogant and cruel.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place on that day when I, the Lord Almighty, show my anger.


book: Isa
contenido:
“The foreigners living in Babylon will run away to their homelands, scattering like deer escaping from hunters, like sheep without a shepherd.


book: Isa
contenido:
While they look on helplessly, their babies will be battered to death, their houses will be looted, and their wives will be raped.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says, “I am stirring up the Medes to attack Babylon. They care nothing for silver and are not tempted by gold.


book: Isa
contenido:
With their bows and arrows they will kill the young men. They will show no mercy to babies and take no pity on children.


book: Isa
contenido:
Babylonia is the most beautiful kingdom of all; it is the pride of its people. But I, the Lord, will overthrow Babylon as I did Sodom and Gomorrah!


book: Isa
contenido:
No one will ever live there again. No wandering Arab will ever pitch a tent there, and no shepherd will ever pasture a flock there.


book: Isa
contenido:
It will be a place where desert animals live and where owls build their nests. Ostriches will live there, and wild goats will prance through the ruins.


book: Isa
contenido:
The towers and palaces will echo with the cries of hyenas and jackals. Babylon's time has come! Her days are almost over.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Return from Exile
The Lord will once again be merciful to his people Israel and choose them as his own. He will let them live in their own land again, and foreigners will come and live there with them.


book: Isa
contenido:
Many nations will help the people of Israel return to the land which the Lord gave them, and there the nations will serve Israel as slaves. Those who once captured Israel will now be captured by Israel, and the people of Israel will rule over those who once oppressed them.


book: Isa
contenido:
The King of Babylon in the World of the Dead
The Lord will give the people of Israel relief from their pain and suffering and from the hard work they were forced to do.


book: Isa
contenido:
When he does this, they are to mock the king of Babylon and say:
“The cruel king has fallen! He will never oppress anyone again!


book: Isa
contenido:
The cypress trees and the cedars of Lebanon rejoice over the fallen king, because there is no one to cut them down, now that he is gone!


book: Isa
contenido:
“The world of the dead is getting ready to welcome the king of Babylon. The ghosts of those who were powerful on earth are stirring about. The ghosts of kings are rising from their thrones.


book: Isa
contenido:
You used to be honored with the music of harps, but now here you are in the world of the dead. You lie on a bed of maggots and are covered with a blanket of worms.’”


book: Isa
contenido:
King of Babylon, bright morning star, you have fallen from heaven! In the past you conquered nations, but now you have been thrown to the ground.


book: Isa
contenido:
You were determined to climb up to heaven and to place your throne above the highest stars. You thought you would sit like a king on that mountain in the north where the gods assemble.


book: Isa
contenido:
The dead will stare and gape at you. They will ask, “Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble?


book: Isa
contenido:
Is this the man who destroyed cities and turned the world into a desert? Is this the man who never freed his prisoners or let them go home?”


book: Isa
contenido:
but you have no tomb, and your corpse is thrown out to rot. It is covered by the bodies of soldiers killed in battle, thrown with them into a rocky pit, and trampled down.


book: Isa
contenido:
Because you ruined your country and killed your own people, you will not be buried like other kings. None of your evil family will survive.


book: Isa
contenido:
Let the slaughter begin! The sons of this king will die because of their ancestors' sins. None of them will ever rule the earth or cover it with cities.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Destroy Babylon
The Lord Almighty says, “I will attack Babylon and bring it to ruin. I will leave nothing—no children, no survivors at all. I, the Lord, have spoken.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will turn Babylon into a marsh, and owls will live there. I will sweep Babylon with a broom that will sweep everything away. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken.”


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Destroy the Assyrians
The Lord Almighty has sworn an oath: “What I have planned will happen. What I have determined to do will be done.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will destroy the Assyrians in my land of Israel and trample them on my mountains. I will free my people from the Assyrian yoke and from the burdens they have had to bear.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Almighty is determined to do this; he has stretched out his arm to punish, and no one can stop him.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Destroy the Philistines
This is a message that was proclaimed in the year that King Ahaz died.


book: Isa
contenido:
People of Philistia, the rod that beat you is broken, but you have no reason to be glad. When one snake dies, a worse one comes in its place. A snake's egg hatches a flying dragon.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will be a shepherd to the poor of his people and will let them live in safety. But he will send a terrible famine on you Philistines, and it will not leave any of you alive.


book: Isa
contenido:
Howl and cry for help, all you Philistine cities! Be terrified, all of you! A cloud of dust is coming from the north—it is an army with no cowards in its ranks.


book: Isa
contenido:
How shall we answer the messengers that come to us from Philistia? We will tell them that the Lord has established Zion and that his suffering people will find safety there.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Destroy Moab
This is a message about Moab.
The cities of Ar and Kir are destroyed in a single night, and silence covers the land of Moab.


book: Isa
contenido:
The people of Dibon climb the hill to weep at the shrine. The people of Moab wail in grief over the cities of Nebo and Medeba; they have shaved their heads and their beards in grief.


book: Isa
contenido:
The people in the streets are dressed in sackcloth; in the city squares and on the rooftops people mourn and cry.


book: Isa
contenido:
The people of Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, and their cry can be heard as far away as Jahaz. Even the soldiers tremble; their courage is gone.


book: Isa
contenido:
My heart cries out for Moab! The people have fled to the town of Zoar, and to Eglath Shelishiyah. Some climb the road to Luhith, weeping as they go; some escape to Horonaim, grieving loudly.


book: Isa
contenido:
Everywhere at Moab's borders the sound of crying is heard. It is heard at the towns of Eglaim and Beerelim.


book: Isa
contenido:
At the town of Dibon the river is red with blood, and God has something even worse in store for the people there. Yes, there will be a bloody slaughter of everyone left in Moab.


book: Isa
contenido:
Moab's Hopeless Situation
From the city of Sela in the desert the people of Moab send a lamb as a present to the one who rules in Jerusalem.


book: Isa
contenido:
They wait on the banks of the Arnon River and move aimlessly back and forth, like birds driven from their nest.


book: Isa
contenido:
They say to the people of Judah, “Tell us what to do. Protect us like a tree that casts a cool shadow in the heat of noon, and let us rest in your shade. We are refugees; hide us where no one can find us.


book: Isa
contenido:
Let us stay in your land. Protect us from those who want to destroy us.”
(Oppression and destruction will end, and those who are devastating the country will be gone.


book: Isa
contenido:
Then one of David's descendants will be king, and he will rule the people with faithfulness and love. He will be quick to do what is right, and he will see that justice is done.)


book: Isa
contenido:
The people of Judah say, “We have heard how proud the people of Moab are. We know that they are arrogant and conceited, but their boasts are empty.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The people of Moab will weep because of the troubles they suffer. They will all weep when they remember the fine food they used to eat in the city of Kir Heres. They will be driven to despair.


book: Isa
contenido:
The farms near Heshbon and the vineyards of Sibmah are destroyed—those vineyards whose wine used to make the rulers of the nations drunk. At one time the vines spread as far as the city of Jazer, and eastward into the desert, and westward to the other side of the Dead Sea.


book: Isa
contenido:
Now I weep for Sibmah's vines as I weep for Jazer. My tears fall for Heshbon and Elealeh, because there is no harvest to make the people glad.


book: Isa
contenido:
No one is happy now in the fertile fields. No one shouts or sings in the vineyards. No one tramples grapes to make wine; the shouts of joy are ended.


book: Isa
contenido:
The people of Moab wear themselves out going to their mountain shrines and to their temples to pray, but it will do them no good.


book: Isa
contenido:
And now the Lord says, “In exactly three years Moab's great wealth will disappear. Of its many people, only a few will survive, and they will be weak.”


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Punish Syria and Israel
The Lord said, “Damascus will not be a city any longer; it will be only a pile of ruins.


book: Isa
contenido:
The cities of Syria will be deserted forever. They will be a pasture for sheep and cattle, and no one will drive them away.


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel will be defenseless, and Damascus will lose its independence. Those Syrians who survive will be in disgrace like the people of Israel. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord said, “A day is coming when Israel's greatness will come to an end, and its wealth will be replaced by poverty.


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel will be like a field where the grain has been cut and harvested, as desolate as a field in Rephaim Valley when it has been picked bare.


book: Isa
contenido:
Only a few people will survive, and Israel will be like an olive tree from which all the olives have been picked except two or three at the very top, or a few that are left on the lower branches. I, the Lord God of Israel, have spoken.”


book: Isa
contenido:
They will no longer rely on the altars they made with their own hands, or trust in their own handiwork—symbols of the goddess Asherah and altars for burning incense.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that day comes, well-defended cities will be deserted and left in ruins like the cities that the Hivites and the Amorites abandoned as they fled from the people of Israel.


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel, you have forgotten the God who rescues you and protects you like a mighty rock. Instead, you plant sacred gardens in order to worship a foreign god.


book: Isa
contenido:
But even if they sprouted and blossomed the very morning you planted them, there would still be no harvest. There would be only trouble and incurable pain.


book: Isa
contenido:
Enemy Nations Are Defeated
Powerful nations are in commotion with a sound like the roar of the sea, like the crashing of huge waves.


book: Isa
contenido:
The nations advance like rushing waves, but God reprimands them and they retreat, driven away like dust on a mountainside, like straw in a whirlwind.


book: Isa
contenido:
At evening they cause terror, but by morning they are gone. That is the fate of everyone who plunders our land.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Punish Ethiopia
Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia there is a land where the sound of wings is heard.


book: Isa
contenido:
From that land ambassadors come down the Nile in boats made of reeds. Go back home, swift messengers! Take a message back to your land divided by rivers, to your strong and powerful nation, to your tall and smooth-skinned people, who are feared all over the world.


book: Isa
contenido:
Listen, everyone who lives on earth! Look for a signal flag to be raised on the mountaintops! Listen for the blowing of the bugle!


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord said to me, “I will look down from heaven as quietly as the dew forms in the warm nights of harvest time, as serenely as the sun shines in the heat of the day.


book: Isa
contenido:
Before the grapes are gathered, when the blossoms have all fallen and the grapes are ripening, the enemy will destroy the Ethiopians as easily as a knife cuts branches from a vine.


book: Isa
contenido:
The corpses of their soldiers will be left exposed to the birds and the wild animals. In summer the birds will feed on them, and in winter, the animals.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A time is coming when the Lord Almighty will receive offerings from this land divided by rivers, this strong and powerful nation, this tall and smooth-skinned people, who are feared all over the world. They will come to Mount Zion, where the Lord Almighty is worshiped.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Punish Egypt
This is a message about Egypt.
The Lord is coming to Egypt, riding swiftly on a cloud. The Egyptian idols tremble before him, and the people of Egypt lose their courage.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says, “I will stir up civil war in Egypt and turn brother against brother and neighbor against neighbor. Rival cities will fight each other, and rival kings will struggle for power.


book: Isa
contenido:
I am going to frustrate the plans of the Egyptians and destroy their morale. They will ask their idols to help them, and they will go and consult mediums and ask the spirits of the dead for advice.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will hand the Egyptians over to a tyrant, to a cruel king who will rule them. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Everyone who earns a living by fishing in the Nile will groan and cry; their hooks and their nets will be useless.


book: Isa
contenido:
The leaders of the city of Zoan are fools! Egypt's wisest people give stupid advice! How do they dare to tell the king that they are successors to the ancient scholars and kings?


book: Isa
contenido:
King of Egypt, where are those clever advisers of yours? Perhaps they can tell you what plans the Lord Almighty has for Egypt.


book: Isa
contenido:
The leaders of Zoan and Memphis are fools. They were supposed to lead the nation, but they have misled it.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord has made them give confusing advice. As a result, Egypt does everything wrong and staggers like a drunk slipping on his own vomit.


book: Isa
contenido:
Egypt Will Worship the Lord
A time is coming when the people of Egypt will be as timid as women. They will tremble in terror when they see that the Lord Almighty has stretched out his hand to punish them.


book: Isa
contenido:
The people of Egypt will be terrified of Judah every time they are reminded of the fate that the Lord Almighty has prepared for them.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that time comes, the Hebrew language will be spoken in five Egyptian cities. The people there will take their oaths in the name of the Lord Almighty. One of the cities will be called, “City of the Sun.”


book: Isa
contenido:
When that time comes, there will be an altar to the Lord in the land of Egypt and a stone pillar dedicated to him at the Egyptian border.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will be symbols of the Lord Almighty's presence in Egypt. When the people there are oppressed and call out to the Lord for help, he will send someone to rescue them.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will reveal himself to the Egyptian people, and then they will acknowledge and worship him, and bring him sacrifices and offerings. They will make solemn promises to him and do what they promise.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will punish the Egyptians, but then he will heal them. They will turn to him, and he will hear their prayers and heal them.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that time comes, there will be a highway between Egypt and Assyria. The people of these two countries will travel back and forth between them, and the two nations will worship together.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that time comes, Israel will rank with Egypt and Assyria, and these three nations will be a blessing to all the world.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Almighty will bless them and say, “I will bless you, Egypt, my people; you, Assyria, whom I created; and you, Israel, my chosen people.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Sign of the Naked Prophet
Under the orders of Emperor Sargon of Assyria, the commander-in-chief of the Assyrian army attacked the Philistine city of Ashdod.


book: Isa
contenido:
Three years earlier the Lord had told Isaiah son of Amoz to take off his sandals and the sackcloth he was wearing. He obeyed and went around naked and barefoot.


book: Isa
contenido:
When Ashdod was captured, the Lord said, “My servant Isaiah has been going around naked and barefoot for three years. This is a sign of what will happen to Egypt and Ethiopia.


book: Isa
contenido:
The emperor of Assyria will lead away naked the prisoners he captures from those two countries. Young and old, they will walk barefoot and naked, with their buttocks exposed, bringing shame on Egypt.


book: Isa
contenido:
Those who have put their trust in Ethiopia and have boasted about Egypt will be disillusioned, their hopes shattered.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that time comes, the people who live along the coast of Philistia will say, ‘Look at what has happened to the people we relied on to protect us from the emperor of Assyria! How will we ever survive?’”


book: Isa
contenido:
A Vision of the Fall of Babylon
This is a message about Babylonia.
Like a whirlwind sweeping across the desert, disaster will come from a terrifying land.


book: Isa
contenido:
I have seen a vision of cruel events, a vision of betrayal and destruction.
Army of Elam, attack! Army of Media, lay siege to the cities! God will put an end to the suffering which Babylon has caused.


book: Isa
contenido:
What I saw and heard in the vision has filled me with terror and pain, pain like that of a woman in labor.


book: Isa
contenido:
My head is spinning, and I am trembling with fear. I had been longing for evening to come, but it has brought me nothing but terror.


book: Isa
contenido:
In the vision a banquet is ready; rugs are spread for the guests to sit on. They are eating and drinking. Suddenly the command rings out: “Officers! Prepare your shields!”


book: Isa
contenido:
If he sees riders coming on horseback, two by two, and riders on donkeys and camels, he is to observe them carefully.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Suddenly, here they come! Riders on horseback, two by two. The sentry gives the news, “Babylon has fallen! All the idols they worshiped lie shattered on the ground.”


book: Isa
contenido:
My people Israel, you have been threshed like wheat, but now I have announced to you the good news that I have heard from the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel.


book: Isa
contenido:
A Message about Edom
This is a message about Edom.
Someone calls to me from Edom, “Sentry, how soon will the night be over? Tell me how soon it will end.”


book: Isa
contenido:
I answer, “Morning is coming, but night will come again. If you want to ask again, come back and ask.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A Message about Arabia
This is a message about Arabia.
People of Dedan, you whose caravans camp in the barren country of Arabia,


book: Isa
contenido:
give water to the thirsty people who come to you. You people of the land of Tema, give food to the refugees.


book: Isa
contenido:
People are fleeing to escape from swords that are ready to kill them, from bows that are ready to shoot, from all the dangers of war.


book: Isa
contenido:
Then the Lord said to me, “In exactly one year the greatness of the tribes of Kedar will be at an end.


book: Isa
contenido:
The archers are the bravest warriors of Kedar, but few of them will be left. I, the Lord God of Israel, have spoken.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A Message about Jerusalem
This is a message about the Valley of Vision.
What is happening? Why are all the people of the city celebrating on the roofs of the houses?


book: Isa
contenido:
The whole city is in an uproar, filled with noise and excitement.
Your people who died in this war did not die fighting.


book: Isa
contenido:
Now leave me alone to weep bitterly over all those of my people who have died. Don't try to comfort me.


book: Isa
contenido:
This is a time of panic, defeat, and confusion in the Valley of Vision, and the Sovereign Lord Almighty has sent it on us. The walls of our city have been battered down, and cries for help have echoed among the hills.


book: Isa
contenido:
The soldiers from the land of Elam came riding on horseback, armed with bows and arrows. Soldiers from the land of Kir had their shields ready.


book: Isa
contenido:
The fertile valleys of Judah were filled with chariots; soldiers on horseback stood in front of Jerusalem's gates.


book: Isa
contenido:
You found the places where the walls of Jerusalem needed repair. You inspected all the houses in Jerusalem and tore some of them down to get stones to repair the city walls. In order to store water,


book: Isa
contenido:
you built a reservoir inside the city to hold the water flowing down from the old pool. But you paid no attention to God, who planned all this long ago and who caused it to happen.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Sovereign Lord Almighty was calling you then to weep and mourn, to shave your heads and wear sackcloth.


book: Isa
contenido:
Instead, you laughed and celebrated. You killed sheep and cattle to eat, and you drank wine. You said, “We might as well eat and drink! Tomorrow we'll be dead.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Sovereign Lord Almighty himself spoke to me and said, “This evil will never be forgiven them as long as they live. I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, have spoken.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A Warning to Shebna
The Sovereign Lord Almighty told me to go to Shebna, the manager of the royal household, and say to him,


book: Isa
contenido:
“Who do you think you are? What right do you have to carve a tomb for yourself out of the rocky hillside?


book: Isa
contenido:
He will pick you up like a ball and throw you into a much larger country. You will die there beside the chariots you were so proud of. You are a disgrace to your master's household.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will put your official robe and belt on him and give him all the authority you have had. He will be like a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will give him complete authority under the king, the descendant of David. He will have the keys of office; what he opens, no one will shut, and what he shuts, no one will open.


book: Isa
contenido:
“But all his relatives and dependents will become a burden to him. They will hang on him like pots and bowls hanging from a peg!


book: Isa
contenido:
When that happens, the peg that was firmly fastened will pull loose and fall. And that will be the end of everything that was hanging on it.” The Lord has spoken.


book: Isa
contenido:
A Message about Phoenicia
This is a message about Tyre.
Howl with grief, you sailors out on the ocean! Your home port of Tyre has been destroyed; its houses and its harbor are in ruins. As your ships return from Cyprus, you learn the news.


book: Isa
contenido:
across the sea to buy and sell the grain that grew in Egypt and to do business with all the nations.


book: Isa
contenido:
City of Sidon, you are disgraced! The sea and the great ocean depths disown you and say, “I never had any children. I never raised sons or daughters.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Can this be the joyful city of Tyre, founded so long ago? Is this the city that sent settlers across the sea to establish colonies?


book: Isa
contenido:
Who was it that planned to bring all this on Tyre, that imperial city, whose merchant princes were the most honored men on earth?


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Almighty planned it. He planned it in order to put an end to their pride in what they had done and to humiliate their honored ones.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord has stretched out his hand over the sea and overthrown kingdoms. He has commanded that the Phoenician centers of commerce be destroyed.


book: Isa
contenido:
City of Sidon, your happiness has ended, and your people are oppressed. Even if they escape to Cyprus, they will still not be safe.


book: Isa
contenido:
(It was the Babylonians, not the Assyrians, who let the wild animals overrun Tyre. It was the Babylonians who put up siege towers, tore down the fortifications of Tyre, and left the city in ruins.)


book: Isa
contenido:
A time is coming when Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the lifetime of a king. When those years are over, Tyre will be like the prostitute in the song:


book: Isa
contenido:
Take your harp, go round the town,
you poor forgotten whore!
Play and sing your songs again
to bring men back once more.


book: Isa
contenido:
When the seventy years are over, the Lord will let Tyre go back to her old trade, and she will hire herself out to all the kingdoms of the world.


book: Isa
contenido:
The money she earns by commerce will be dedicated to the Lord. She will not store it away, but those who worship the Lord will use her money to buy the food and the clothing they need.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Will Punish the Earth
The Lord is going to devastate the earth and leave it desolate. He will twist the earth's surface and scatter its people.


book: Isa
contenido:
Everyone will meet the same fate—the priests and the people, slaves and masters, buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, rich and poor.


book: Isa
contenido:
The people have defiled the earth by breaking God's laws and by violating the covenant he made to last forever.


book: Isa
contenido:
So God has pronounced a curse on the earth. Its people are paying for what they have done. Fewer and fewer remain alive.


book: Isa
contenido:
People shout in the streets because there is no more wine. Happiness is gone forever; it has been banished from the land.


book: Isa
contenido:
This is what will happen in every nation all over the world. It will be like the end of harvest, when the olives have been beaten off every tree and the last grapes picked from the vines.


book: Isa
contenido:
and those in the East will praise him. The people who live along the sea will praise the Lord, the God of Israel.


book: Isa
contenido:
From the most distant parts of the world we will hear songs in praise of Israel, the righteous nation.
But there is no hope for me! I am wasting away! Traitors continue to betray, and their treachery grows worse and worse.


book: Isa
contenido:
Anyone who tries to escape from the terror will fall in a pit, and anyone who escapes from the pit will be caught in a trap. Torrents of rain will pour from the sky, and earth's foundations will shake.


book: Isa
contenido:
The earth itself will stagger like a drunk, sway like a hut in a storm. The world is weighed down by its sins; it will collapse and never rise again.


book: Isa
contenido:
God will crowd kings together like prisoners in a pit. He will shut them in prison until the time of their punishment comes.


book: Isa
contenido:
The moon will grow dark, and the sun will no longer shine, for the Lord Almighty will be king. He will rule in Jerusalem on Mount Zion, and the leaders of the people will see his glory.


book: Isa
contenido:
A Hymn of Praise
Lord, you are my God;
I will honor you and praise your name.
You have done amazing things;
you have faithfully carried out
the plans you made long ago.


book: Isa
contenido:
You have turned cities into ruins
and destroyed their fortifications.
The palaces which our enemies built
are gone forever.


book: Isa
contenido:
The poor and the helpless have fled to you
and have been safe in times of trouble.
You give them shelter from storms
and shade from the burning heat.
Cruel enemies attack like a winter storm,


book: Isa
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;like drought in a dry land.
But you, Lord, have silenced our enemies;
you silence the shouts of cruel people,
as a cloud cools a hot day.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Prepares a Banquet
Here on Mount Zion the Lord Almighty will prepare a banquet for all the nations of the world—a banquet of the richest food and the finest wine.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Sovereign Lord will destroy death forever! He will wipe away the tears from everyone's eyes and take away the disgrace his people have suffered throughout the world. The Lord himself has spoken.


book: Isa
contenido:
When it happens, everyone will say, “He is our God! We have put our trust in him, and he has rescued us. He is the Lord! We have put our trust in him, and now we are happy and joyful because he has saved us.”


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Punish Moab
The Lord will protect Mount Zion, but the people of Moab will be trampled down the way straw is trampled in manure.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will reach out their hands as if they were trying to swim, but God will humiliate them, and their hands will sink helplessly.


book: Isa
contenido:
He will destroy the fortresses of Moab with their high walls and bring them tumbling down into the dust.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Give His People Victory
A day is coming when the people will sing this song in the land of Judah:
Our city is strong!
God himself defends its walls!


book: Isa
contenido:
He has humbled those who were proud;
he destroyed the strong city they lived in,
and sent its walls crashing into the dust.


book: Isa
contenido:
At night I long for you with all my heart;
when you judge the earth and its people,
they will all learn what justice is.


book: Isa
contenido:
Even though you are kind to the wicked,
they never learn to do what is right.
Even here in a land of righteous people
they still do wrong;
they refuse to recognize your greatness.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your enemies do not know that you will punish them.
Lord, put them to shame and let them suffer;
let them suffer the punishment you have prepared.
Show them how much you love your people.


book: Isa
contenido:
Now they are dead and will not live again;
their ghosts will not rise,
for you have punished them and destroyed them.
No one remembers them any more.


book: Isa
contenido:
Lord, you have made our nation grow,
enlarging its territory on every side;
and this has brought you honor.


book: Isa
contenido:
We were in pain and agony,
but we gave birth to nothing.
We have won no victory for our land;
we have accomplished nothing.


book: Isa
contenido:
Those of our people who have died will live again!
Their bodies will come back to life.
All those sleeping in their graves
will wake up and sing for joy.
As the sparkling dew refreshes the earth,
so the Lord will revive those who have long been dead.


book: Isa
contenido:
Judgment and Restoration
Go into your houses, my people, and shut the door behind you. Hide yourselves for a little while until God's anger is over.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord is coming from his heavenly dwelling place to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The murders that were secretly committed on the earth will be revealed, and the ground will no longer hide those who have been killed.


book: Isa
contenido:
On that day the Lord will use his powerful and deadly sword to punish Leviathan, that wriggling, twisting dragon, and to kill the monster that lives in the sea.


book: Isa
contenido:
I am no longer angry with the vineyard. If there were thorns and briers to fight against, I would burn them up completely.


book: Isa
contenido:
But if the enemies of my people want my protection, let them make peace with me. Yes, let them make peace with me.”


book: Isa
contenido:
In the days to come the people of Israel, the descendants of Jacob, will take root like a tree, and they will blossom and bud. The earth will be covered with the fruit they produce.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord punished his people by sending them into exile. He took them away with a cruel wind from the east.


book: Isa
contenido:
But Israel's sins will be forgiven only when the stones of pagan altars are ground up like chalk, and no more incense altars or symbols of the goddess Asherah are left.


book: Isa
contenido:
The fortified city lies in ruins. It is deserted like an empty wilderness. It has become a pasture for cattle, where they can rest and graze.


book: Isa
contenido:
The branches of the trees are withered and broken, and women gather them for firewood. Because the people have understood nothing, God their Creator will not pity them or show them any mercy.


book: Isa
contenido:
On that day, from the Euphrates to the Egyptian border, the Lord will gather his people one by one, as threshing separates the wheat from the chaff.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that day comes, a trumpet will be blown to call back from Assyria and Egypt all the Israelites who are in exile there. They will come and worship the Lord in Jerusalem, on his sacred hill.


book: Isa
contenido:
A Warning to the Northern Kingdom
The kingdom of Israel is doomed! Its glory is fading like the crowns of flowers on the heads of its drunken leaders. Their proud heads are well perfumed, but there they lie, dead drunk.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord has someone strong and powerful ready to attack them, someone who will come like a hailstorm, like a torrent of rain, like a rushing, overpowering flood, and will overwhelm the land.


book: Isa
contenido:
The fading glory of those proud leaders will disappear like the first figs of the season, picked and eaten as soon as they are ripe.


book: Isa
contenido:
A day is coming when the Lord Almighty will be like a glorious crown of flowers for his people who survive.


book: Isa
contenido:
He will give a sense of justice to those who serve as judges, and courage to those who defend the city gates from attack.


book: Isa
contenido:
Isaiah and the Drunken Prophets of Judah
Even the prophets and the priests are so drunk that they stagger. They have drunk so much wine and liquor that they stumble in confusion. The prophets are too drunk to understand the visions that God sends, and the priests are too drunk to decide the cases that are brought to them.


book: Isa
contenido:
They complain about me. They say, “Who does that man think he's teaching? Who needs his message? It's only good for babies that have just stopped nursing!


book: Isa
contenido:
If you won't listen to me, then God will use foreigners speaking some strange-sounding language to teach you a lesson.


book: Isa
contenido:
That is why the Lord is going to teach you letter by letter, line by line, lesson by lesson. Then you will stumble with every step you take. You will be wounded, trapped, and taken prisoner.


book: Isa
contenido:
A Cornerstone for Zion
Now you arrogant leaders who rule here in Jerusalem over this people, listen to what the Lord is saying.


book: Isa
contenido:
You boast that you have made a treaty with death and reached an agreement with the world of the dead. You are certain that disaster will spare you when it comes, because you depend on lies and deceit to keep you safe.


book: Isa
contenido:
This, now, is what the Sovereign Lord says: “I am placing in Zion a foundation that is firm and strong. In it I am putting a solid cornerstone on which are written the words, ‘Faith that is firm is also patient.’


book: Isa
contenido:
Justice will be the measuring line for the foundation, and honesty will be its plumb line.”
Hailstorms will sweep away all the lies you depend on, and floods will destroy your security.


book: Isa
contenido:
The treaty you have made with death will be abolished, and your agreement with the world of the dead will be canceled. When disaster sweeps down, you will be overcome.


book: Isa
contenido:
It will strike you again and again, morning after morning. You will have to bear it day and night. Each new message from God will bring new terror!


book: Isa
contenido:
You will be like the person in the proverb, who tries to sleep in a bed too short to stretch out on, with a blanket too narrow to wrap himself in.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will fight as he did at Mount Perazim and in the valley of Gibeon, in order to do what he intends to do—strange as his actions may seem. He will complete his work, his mysterious work.


book: Isa
contenido:
Don't laugh at the warning I am giving you! If you do, it will be even harder for you to escape. I have heard the Lord Almighty's decision to destroy the whole country.


book: Isa
contenido:
Once they have prepared the soil, they plant the seeds of herbs such as dill and cumin. They plant rows of wheat and barley, and at the edges of their fields they plant other grain.


book: Isa
contenido:
They never use a heavy club to beat out dill seeds or cumin seeds; instead they use light sticks of the proper size.


book: Isa
contenido:
They do not ruin the wheat by threshing it endlessly, and they know how to thresh it by driving a cart over it without bruising the grains.


book: Isa
contenido:
All this wisdom comes from the Lord Almighty. The plans God makes are wise, and they always succeed.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Fate of Jerusalem
God's altar, Jerusalem itself, is doomed! The city where David camped is doomed! Let another year or two come and go, with its feasts and festivals,


book: Isa
contenido:
and then God will bring disaster on the city that is called “God's altar.” There will be weeping and wailing, and the whole city will be like an altar covered with blood.


book: Isa
contenido:
Jerusalem will be like a ghost struggling to speak from under the ground, a muffled voice coming from the dust.


book: Isa
contenido:
Jerusalem, all the foreigners who attack you will be blown away like dust, and their terrifying armies will fly away like straw. Suddenly and unexpectedly


book: Isa
contenido:
the Lord Almighty will rescue you with violent thunderstorms and earthquakes. He will send windstorms and raging fire;


book: Isa
contenido:
then all the armies of the nations attacking the city of God's altar, all their weapons and equipment—everything—will vanish like a dream, like something imagined in the night.


book: Isa
contenido:
All the nations that assemble to attack Jerusalem will be like a starving person who dreams he is eating and wakes up hungry, or like someone dying of thirst who dreams he is drinking and wakes with a dry throat.


book: Isa
contenido:
Disregarded Warnings
Go ahead and be stupid! Go ahead and be blind! Get drunk without any wine! Stagger without drinking a drop!


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord has made you drowsy, ready to fall into a deep sleep. The prophets should be the eyes of the people, but God has blindfolded them.


book: Isa
contenido:
The meaning of every prophetic vision will be hidden from you; it will be like a sealed scroll. If you take it to someone who knows how to read and ask him to read it to you, he will say he can't because it is sealed.


book: Isa
contenido:
If you give it to someone who can't read and ask him to read it to you, he will answer that he doesn't know how.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord said, “These people claim to worship me, but their words are meaningless, and their hearts are somewhere else. Their religion is nothing but human rules and traditions, which they have simply memorized.


book: Isa
contenido:
So I will startle them with one unexpected blow after another. Those who are wise will turn out to be fools, and all their cleverness will be useless.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Hope for the Future
Those who try to hide their plans from the Lord are doomed! They carry out their schemes in secret and think no one will see them or know what they are doing.


book: Isa
contenido:
They turn everything upside down. Which is more important, the potter or the clay? Can something you have made say, “You didn't make me”? Or can it say, “You don't know what you are doing”?


book: Isa
contenido:
As the saying goes, before long the dense forest will become farmland, and the farmland will go back to forest.


book: Isa
contenido:
When that day comes, the deaf will be able to hear a book being read aloud, and the blind, who have been living in darkness, will open their eyes and see.


book: Isa
contenido:
Poor and humble people will once again find the happiness which the Lord, the holy God of Israel, gives.


book: Isa
contenido:
It will be the end of those who oppress others and show contempt for God. Every sinner will be destroyed.


book: Isa
contenido:
God will destroy those who slander others, those who prevent the punishment of criminals, and those who tell lies to keep honest people from getting justice.


book: Isa
contenido:
So now the Lord, the God of Israel, who rescued Abraham from trouble, says, “My people, you will not be disgraced any longer, and your faces will no longer be pale with shame.


book: Isa
contenido:
When you see the children that I will give you, then you will acknowledge that I am the holy God of Israel. You will honor me and stand in awe of me.


book: Isa
contenido:
Foolish people will learn to understand, and those who are always grumbling will be glad to be taught.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A Useless Treaty with Egypt
The Lord has spoken: “Those who rule Judah are doomed because they rebel against me. They follow plans that I did not make, and sign treaties against my will, piling one sin on another.


book: Isa
contenido:
They go to Egypt for help without asking for my advice. They want Egypt to protect them, so they put their trust in Egypt's king.


book: Isa
contenido:
the people of Judah will regret that they ever trusted that unreliable nation, a nation that fails them when they expect help.”


book: Isa
contenido:
This is God's message about the animals of the southern desert: “The ambassadors travel through dangerous country, where lions live and where there are poisonous snakes and flying dragons. They load their donkeys and camels with expensive gifts for a nation that cannot give them any help.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Disobedient People
God told me to write down in a book what the people are like, so that there would be a permanent record of how evil they are.


book: Isa
contenido:
They are always rebelling against God, always lying, always refusing to listen to the Lord's teachings.


book: Isa
contenido:
They tell the prophets to keep quiet. They say, “Don't talk to us about what's right. Tell us what we want to hear. Let us keep our illusions.


book: Isa
contenido:
Get out of our way and stop blocking our path. We don't want to hear about your holy God of Israel.”


book: Isa
contenido:
But this is what the holy God of Israel says: “You ignore what I tell you and rely on violence and deceit.


book: Isa
contenido:
You will be shattered like a clay pot, so badly broken that there is no piece big enough to pick up hot coals with or to dip water from a cistern.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says to the people, “Come back and quietly trust in me. Then you will be strong and secure.” But you refuse to do it.


book: Isa
contenido:
Instead, you plan to escape from your enemies by riding fast horses. And you are right—escape is what you will have to do! You think your horses are fast enough, but those who pursue you will be faster!


book: Isa
contenido:
A thousand of you will run away when you see one enemy soldier, and five soldiers will be enough to make you all run away. Nothing will be left of your army except a lonely flagpole on the top of a hill.


book: Isa
contenido:
And yet the Lord is waiting to be merciful to you. He is ready to take pity on you because he always does what is right. Happy are those who put their trust in the Lord.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Bless His People
You people who live in Jerusalem will not weep any more. The Lord is compassionate, and when you cry to him for help, he will answer you.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will make you go through hard times, but he himself will be there to teach you, and you will not have to search for him any more.


book: Isa
contenido:
If you wander off the road to the right or the left, you will hear his voice behind you saying, “Here is the road. Follow it.”


book: Isa
contenido:
You will take your idols plated with silver and your idols covered with gold, and will throw them away like filth, shouting, “Out of my sight!”


book: Isa
contenido:
Whenever you plant your crops, the Lord will send rain to make them grow and will give you a rich harvest, and your livestock will have plenty of pasture.


book: Isa
contenido:
On the day when the forts of your enemies are captured and their people are killed, streams of water will flow from every mountain and every hill.


book: Isa
contenido:
The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter than usual, like the light of seven days in one. This will all happen when the Lord bandages and heals the wounds he has given his people.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Punish Assyria
The Lord's power and glory can be seen in the distance. Fire and smoke show his anger. He speaks, and his words burn like fire.


book: Isa
contenido:
He sends the wind in front of him like a flood that carries everything away. It sweeps nations to destruction and puts an end to their evil plans.


book: Isa
contenido:
But you, God's people, will be happy and sing as you do on the night of a sacred festival. You will be as happy as those who walk to the music of flutes on their way to the Temple of the Lord, the defender of Israel.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will let everyone hear his majestic voice and feel the force of his anger. There will be flames, cloudbursts, hailstones, and torrents of rain.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Assyrians will be terrified when they hear the Lord's voice and feel the force of his punishment.


book: Isa
contenido:
As the Lord strikes them again and again, his people will keep time with the music of drums and harps. God himself will fight against the Assyrians.


book: Isa
contenido:
Long ago a place was prepared where a huge fire will burn the emperor of Assyria. It is deep and wide, and piled high with wood. The Lord will breathe out a stream of flame to set it on fire.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Protect Jerusalem
Those who go to Egypt for help are doomed! They are relying on Egypt's vast military strength—horses, chariots, and soldiers. But they do not rely on the Lord, the holy God of Israel, or ask him for help.


book: Isa
contenido:
He knows what he is doing! He sends disaster. He carries out his threats to punish evil people and those who protect them.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Egyptians are not gods—they are only human. Their horses are not supernatural. When the Lord acts, the strong nation will crumble, and the weak nation it helped will fall. Both of them will be destroyed.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord said to me, “No matter how shepherds yell and shout, they can't scare away a lion from an animal that it has killed; in the same way, there is nothing that can keep me, the Lord Almighty, from protecting Mount Zion.


book: Isa
contenido:
Just as a bird hovers over its nest to protect its young, so I, the Lord Almighty, will protect Jerusalem and defend it.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Assyria will be destroyed in war, but not by human power. The Assyrians will run from battle, and their young men will be made slaves.


book: Isa
contenido:
Their emperor will run away in terror, and the officers will be so frightened that they will abandon their battle flags.” The Lord has spoken—the Lord who is worshiped in Jerusalem and whose fire burns there for sacrifices.


book: Isa
contenido:
A King with Integrity
Some day there will be a king who rules with integrity, and national leaders who govern with justice.


book: Isa
contenido:
Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind and a place to hide from storms. They will be like streams flowing in a desert, like the shadow of a giant rock in a barren land.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will not be impatient any longer, but they will act with understanding and will say what they mean.


book: Isa
contenido:
A fool speaks foolishly and thinks up evil things to do. What he does and what he says are an insult to the Lord, and he never feeds the hungry or gives thirsty people anything to drink.


book: Isa
contenido:
A stupid person is evil and does evil things; he plots to ruin the poor with lies and to keep them from getting their rights.


book: Isa
contenido:
Judgment and Restoration
You women who live an easy life, free from worries, listen to what I am saying.


book: Isa
contenido:
You may be satisfied now, but this time next year you will be in despair because there will be no grapes for you to gather.


book: Isa
contenido:
You have been living an easy life, free from worries; but now, tremble with fear! Strip off your clothes and tie rags around your waist.


book: Isa
contenido:
and thorn bushes and briers are growing on my people's land. Weep for all the houses where people were happy and for the city that was full of life.


book: Isa
contenido:
Even the palace will be abandoned and the capital city totally deserted. Homes and the forts that guarded them will be in ruins forever. Wild donkeys will roam there, and sheep will find pasture there.


book: Isa
contenido:
But once more God will send us his spirit. The wasteland will become fertile, and fields will produce rich crops.


book: Isa
contenido:
How happy everyone will be with plenty of water for the crops and safe pasture everywhere for the donkeys and cattle.


book: Isa
contenido:
A Prayer for Help
Our enemies are doomed! They have robbed and betrayed, although no one has robbed them or betrayed them. But their time to rob and betray will end, and they themselves will become victims of robbery and treachery.


book: Isa
contenido:
Lord, have mercy on us. We have put our hope in you. Protect us day by day and save us in times of trouble.


book: Isa
contenido:
and give stability to the nation. He always protects his people and gives them wisdom and knowledge. Their greatest treasure is their reverence for the Lord.


book: Isa
contenido:
The highways are so dangerous that no one travels on them. Treaties are broken and agreements are violated. No one is respected any more.


book: Isa
contenido:
The land lies idle and deserted. The forests of Lebanon have withered, the fertile valley of Sharon is like a desert, and in Bashan and on Mount Carmel the leaves are falling from the trees.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Warns His Enemies
The Lord says to the nations, “Now I will act. I will show how powerful I am.


book: Isa
contenido:
You make worthless plans and everything you do is useless. My spirit is like a fire that will destroy you.


book: Isa
contenido:
The sinful people of Zion are trembling with fright. They say, “God's judgment is like a fire that burns forever. Can any of us survive a fire like that?”


book: Isa
contenido:
You can survive if you say and do what is right. Don't use your power to cheat the poor and don't accept bribes. Don't join with those who plan to commit murder or to do other evil things.


book: Isa
contenido:
Then you will be safe; you will be as secure as if in a strong fortress. You will have food to eat and water to drink.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Glorious Future
Once again you will see a king ruling in splendor over a land that stretches in all directions.


book: Isa
contenido:
Look at Zion, the city where we celebrate our religious festivals. Look at Jerusalem! What a safe place it will be to live in! It will be like a tent that is never moved, whose pegs are never pulled up and whose ropes never break.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will show us his glory. We will live beside broad rivers and streams, but hostile ships will not sail on them.


book: Isa
contenido:
All the rigging on those ships is useless; the sails cannot be spread! We will seize all the wealth of enemy armies, and there will be so much that even the lame can get a share. The Lord himself will be our king; he will rule over us and protect us.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Punish His Enemies
Come, people of all nations! Gather around and listen. Let the whole earth and everyone living on it come here and listen.


book: Isa
contenido:
Their corpses will not be buried, but will lie there rotting and stinking; and the mountains will be red with blood.


book: Isa
contenido:
The sun, moon, and stars will crumble to dust. The sky will disappear like a scroll being rolled up, and the stars will fall like leaves dropping from a vine or a fig tree.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord has prepared his sword in heaven, and now it will strike Edom, those people whom he has condemned to destruction.


book: Isa
contenido:
His sword will be covered with their blood and fat, like the blood and fat of lambs and goats that are sacrificed. The Lord will offer this sacrifice in the city of Bozrah; he will make this a great slaughter in the land of Edom.


book: Isa
contenido:
The people will fall like wild oxen and young bulls, and the earth will be red with blood and covered with fat.


book: Isa
contenido:
The rivers of Edom will turn into tar, and the soil will turn into sulfur. The whole country will burn like tar.


book: Isa
contenido:
It will burn day and night, and smoke will rise from it forever. The land will lie waste age after age, and no one will ever travel through it again.


book: Isa
contenido:
Owls and ravens will take over the land. The Lord will make it a barren waste again, as it was before the creation.


book: Isa
contenido:
Thorns and thistles will grow up in all the palaces and walled towns, and jackals and owls will live in them.


book: Isa
contenido:
Wild animals will roam there, and demons will call to each other. The night monster will come there looking for a place to rest.


book: Isa
contenido:
Owls will build their nests, lay eggs, hatch their young, and care for them there. Vultures will gather there, one after another.


book: Isa
contenido:
Search in the Lord's book of living creatures and read what it says. Not one of these creatures will be missing, and not one will be without its mate. The Lord has commanded it to be so; he himself will bring them together.


book: Isa
contenido:
It is the Lord who will divide the land among them and give each of them a share. They will live in the land age after age, and it will belong to them forever.


book: Isa
contenido:
The desert will sing and shout for joy;
it will be as beautiful as the Lebanon Mountains
and as fertile as the fields of Carmel and Sharon.
Everyone will see the Lord's splendor,
see his greatness and power.


book: Isa
contenido:
Tell everyone who is discouraged,
“Be strong and don't be afraid!
God is coming to your rescue,
coming to punish your enemies.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The lame will leap and dance,
and those who cannot speak will shout for joy.
Streams of water will flow through the desert;


book: Isa
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the burning sand will become a lake,
and dry land will be filled with springs.
Where jackals used to live,
marsh grass and reeds will grow.


book: Isa
contenido:
There will be a highway there,
called “The Road of Holiness.”
No sinner will ever travel that road;
no fools will mislead those who follow it.


book: Isa
contenido:
No lions will be there;
no fierce animals will pass that way.
Those whom the Lord has rescued
will travel home by that road.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will reach Jerusalem with gladness,
singing and shouting for joy.
They will be happy forever,
forever free from sorrow and grief.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Assyrians Threaten Jerusalem
In the fourteenth year that Hezekiah was king of Judah, Sennacherib, the emperor of Assyria, attacked the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.


book: Isa
contenido:
Then he ordered his chief official to go from Lachish to Jerusalem with a large military force to demand that King Hezekiah surrender. The official occupied the road where the cloth makers work, by the ditch that brings water from the upper pool.


book: Isa
contenido:
Three Judeans came out to meet him: the official in charge of the palace, Eliakim son of Hilkiah; the court secretary, Shebna; and the official in charge of the records, Joah son of Asaph.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Assyrian official told them that the emperor wanted to know what made King Hezekiah so confident.


book: Isa
contenido:
You are expecting Egypt to help you, but that would be like using a reed as a walking stick—it would break and would jab your hand. That is what the king of Egypt is like when anyone relies on him.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Assyrian official went on, “Or will you tell me that you are relying on the Lord your God? It was the Lord's shrines and altars that Hezekiah destroyed when he told the people of Judah and Jerusalem to worship at one altar only.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will make a bargain with you in the name of the emperor. I will give you two thousand horses if you can find that many riders.


book: Isa
contenido:
You are no match for even the lowest ranking Assyrian official, and yet you expect the Egyptians to send you chariots and horsemen.


book: Isa
contenido:
Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah told the official, “Speak Aramaic to us. We understand it. Don't speak Hebrew; all the people on the wall are listening.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Then the official stood up and shouted in Hebrew, “Listen to what the emperor of Assyria is telling you.


book: Isa
contenido:
Don't listen to Hezekiah! The emperor of Assyria commands you to come out of the city and surrender. You will all be allowed to eat grapes from your own vines and figs from your own trees, and to drink water from your own wells—


book: Isa
contenido:
until the emperor resettles you in a country much like your own, where there are vineyards to give wine and there is grain for making bread.


book: Isa
contenido:
Don't let Hezekiah fool you into thinking that the Lord will rescue you. Did the gods of any other nations save their countries from the emperor of Assyria?


book: Isa
contenido:
Where are they now, the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Did anyone save Samaria?


book: Isa
contenido:
Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah tore their clothes in grief and went and reported to the king what the Assyrian official had said.


book: Isa
contenido:
This is the message which he told them to give to Isaiah: “Today is a day of suffering; we are being punished and are in disgrace. We are like a woman who is ready to give birth, but is too weak to do it.


book: Isa
contenido:
he sent back this answer: “The Lord tells you not to let the Assyrians frighten you by their claims that he cannot save you.


book: Isa
contenido:
Word reached the Assyrians that the Egyptian army, led by King Tirhakah of Ethiopia, was coming to attack them. When the emperor heard this, he sent a letter to King Hezekiah


book: Isa
contenido:
of Judah to tell him: “The god you are trusting in has told you that you will not fall into my hands, but don't let that deceive you.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Almighty Lord, God of Israel, seated above the winged creatures, you alone are God, ruling all the kingdoms of the world. You created the earth and the sky.


book: Isa
contenido:
Now, Lord, hear us and look at what is happening to us. Listen to all the things that Sennacherib is saying to insult you, the living God.


book: Isa
contenido:
Now, Lord our God, rescue us from the Assyrians, so that all the nations of the world will know that you alone are God.”


book: Isa
contenido:
You sent your servants to boast to me that with all your chariots you had conquered the highest mountains of Lebanon. You boasted that there you cut down the tallest cedars and the finest cypress trees, and that you reached the deepest parts of the forests.


book: Isa
contenido:
You boasted that you dug wells and drank water in foreign lands, and that the feet of your soldiers tramped the Nile River dry.


book: Isa
contenido:
I have received the report of that rage and that pride of yours, and now I will put a hook through your nose and a bit in your mouth and will take you back by the same road you came.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Then Isaiah said to King Hezekiah, “Here is a sign of what will happen. This year and next you will have only wild grain to eat, but the following year you will be able to plant grain and harvest it, and plant vines and eat grapes.


book: Isa
contenido:
There will be people in Jerusalem and on Mount Zion who will survive, because the Lord Almighty is determined to make this happen.


book: Isa
contenido:
An angel of the Lord went to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 soldiers. At dawn the next day there they lay, all dead!


book: Isa
contenido:
One day when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, two of his sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him with their swords and then escaped to the land of Ararat. Another of his sons, Esarhaddon, succeeded him as emperor.


book: Isa
contenido:
King Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
About this time King Hezekiah became sick and almost died. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and said to him, “The Lord tells you that you are to put everything in order because you will not recover. Get ready to die.”


book: Isa
contenido:
“Remember, Lord, that I have served you faithfully and loyally, and that I have always tried to do what you wanted me to.” And he began to cry bitterly.


book: Isa
contenido:
to go back to Hezekiah and say to him, “I, the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will let you live fifteen years longer.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will rescue you and this city of Jerusalem from the emperor of Assyria, and I will continue to protect the city.”


book: Isa
contenido:
On the stairway built by King Ahaz, the Lord will make the shadow go back ten steps.” And the shadow moved back ten steps.


book: Isa
contenido:
I thought that in the prime of life
I was going to the world of the dead,
Never to live out my life.


book: Isa
contenido:
My life was cut off and ended,
Like a tent that is taken down,
Like cloth that is cut from a loom.
I thought that God was ending my life.


book: Isa
contenido:
All night I cried out with pain,
As if a lion were breaking my bones.
I thought that God was ending my life.


book: Isa
contenido:
My voice was thin and weak,
And I moaned like a dove.
My eyes grew tired from looking to heaven.
Lord, rescue me from all this trouble.


book: Isa
contenido:
It is the living who praise you,
As I praise you now.
Parents tell their children how faithful you are.


book: Isa
contenido:
Lord, you have healed me.
We will play harps and sing your praise,
Sing praise in your Temple as long as we live.


book: Isa
contenido:
Messengers from Babylonia
About that same time the king of Babylonia, Merodach Baladan, son of Baladan, heard that King Hezekiah had been sick, so he sent him a letter and a present.


book: Isa
contenido:
Then the prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and asked, “Where did these messengers come from and what did they say to you?”
Hezekiah answered, “They came from a very distant country, from Babylonia.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Encourage the people of Jerusalem.
Tell them they have suffered long enough
and their sins are now forgiven.
I have punished them in full for all their sins.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A voice cries out,
“Prepare in the wilderness a road for the Lord!
Clear the way in the desert for our God!


book: Isa
contenido:
Fill every valley;
level every mountain.
The hills will become a plain,
and the rough country will be made smooth.


book: Isa
contenido:
Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it.
The Lord himself has promised this.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A voice cries out, “Proclaim a message!”
“What message shall I proclaim?” I ask.
“Proclaim that all human beings are like grass;
they last no longer than wild flowers.


book: Isa
contenido:
Grass withers and flowers fade
when the Lord sends the wind blowing over them.
People are no more enduring than grass.


book: Isa
contenido:
Jerusalem, go up on a high mountain
and proclaim the good news!
Call out with a loud voice, Zion;
announce the good news!
Speak out and do not be afraid.
Tell the towns of Judah
that their God is coming!


book: Isa
contenido:
He will take care of his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs together
and carry them in his arms;
he will gently lead their mothers.


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel's Incomparable God
Can anyone measure the ocean by handfuls
or measure the sky with his hands?
Can anyone hold the soil of the earth in a cup
or weigh the mountains and hills on scales?


book: Isa
contenido:
To the Lord the nations are nothing,
no more than a drop of water;
the distant islands are as light as dust.


book: Isa
contenido:
All the animals in the forests of Lebanon
are not enough for a sacrifice to our God,
and its trees are too few to kindle the fire.


book: Isa
contenido:
He is not like an idol that workers make,
that metalworkers cover with gold
and set in a base of silver.


book: Isa
contenido:
Anyone who cannot afford silver or gold
chooses wood that will not rot.
He finds a skillful worker
to make an image that won't fall down.


book: Isa
contenido:
It was made by the one who sits on his throne
above the earth and beyond the sky;
the people below look as tiny as ants.
He stretched out the sky like a curtain,
like a tent in which to live.


book: Isa
contenido:
They are like young plants,
just set out and barely rooted.
When the Lord sends a wind,
they dry up and blow away like straw.


book: Isa
contenido:
Look up at the sky!
Who created the stars you see?
The one who leads them out like an army,
he knows how many there are
and calls each one by name!
His power is so great—
not one of them is ever missing!


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel, why then do you complain
that the Lord doesn't know your troubles
or care if you suffer injustice?


book: Isa
contenido:
Don't you know? Haven't you heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God;
he created all the world.
He never grows tired or weary.
No one understands his thoughts.


book: Isa
contenido:
But those who trust in the Lord for help
will find their strength renewed.
They will rise on wings like eagles;
they will run and not get weary;
they will walk and not grow weak.


book: Isa
contenido:
God's Assurance to Israel
God says,
“Be silent and listen to me, you distant lands!
Get ready to present your case in court;
you will have your chance to speak.
Let us come together to decide who is right.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Who was it that brought the conqueror from the east
and makes him triumphant wherever he goes?
Who gives him victory over kings and nations?
His sword strikes them down as if they were dust.
His arrows scatter them like straw before the wind.


book: Isa
contenido:
Who was it that made this happen?
Who has determined the course of history?
I, the Lord, was there at the beginning,
and I, the Lord, will be there at the end.


book: Isa
contenido:
“The people of distant lands have seen what I have done;
they are frightened and tremble with fear.
So they all assemble and come.


book: Isa
contenido:
The carpenter says to the goldsmith, ‘Well done!’
The one who beats the idol smooth
encourages the one who nails it together.
They say, ‘The soldering is good’—
and they fasten the idol in place with nails.


book: Isa
contenido:
“But you, Israel my servant,
you are the people that I have chosen,
the descendants of Abraham, my friend.


book: Isa
contenido:
I brought you from the ends of the earth;
I called you from its farthest corners
and said to you, ‘You are my servant.’
I did not reject you, but chose you.


book: Isa
contenido:
Do not be afraid—I am with you!
I am your God—let nothing terrify you!
I will make you strong and help you;
I will protect you and save you.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says,
“Small and weak as you are, Israel,
don't be afraid; I will help you.
I, the holy God of Israel, am the one who saves you.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will make you like a threshing board,
with spikes that are new and sharp.
You will thresh mountains and destroy them;
hills will crumble into dust.


book: Isa
contenido:
You will toss them in the air;
the wind will carry them off,
and they will be scattered by the storm.
Then you will be happy because I am your God;
you will praise me, the holy God of Israel.


book: Isa
contenido:
“When my people in their need look for water,
when their throats are dry with thirst,
then I, the Lord, will answer their prayer;
I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will make rivers flow among barren hills
and springs of water run in the valleys.
I will turn the desert into pools of water
and the dry land into flowing springs.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will make cedars grow in the desert,
and acacias and myrtles and olive trees.
Forests will grow in barren land,
forests of pine and juniper and cypress.


book: Isa
contenido:
People will see this and know
that I, the Lord, have done it.
They will come to understand
that Israel's holy God has made it happen.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord's Challenge to False Gods
The Lord, the king of Israel, has this to say:
“You gods of the nations, present your case.
Bring the best arguments you have!


book: Isa
contenido:
Come here and predict what will happen,
so that we will know it when it takes place.
Explain to the court the events of the past,
and tell us what they mean.


book: Isa
contenido:
Tell us what the future holds—
then we will know that you are gods!
Do something good or bring some disaster;
fill us with fear and awe!


book: Isa
contenido:
“I have chosen a man who lives in the east;
I will bring him to attack from the north.
He tramples on rulers as if they were mud,
like a potter trampling clay.


book: Isa
contenido:
Which of you predicted that this would happen,
so that we could say that you were right?
None of you said a word about it;
no one heard you say a thing!


book: Isa
contenido:
I, the Lord, was the first to tell Zion the news;
I sent a messenger to Jerusalem to say,
‘Your people are coming! They are coming home!’


book: Isa
contenido:
When I looked among the gods,
none of them had a thing to say;
not one could answer the questions I asked.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord's Servant
The Lord says,
“Here is my servant, whom I strengthen—
the one I have chosen, with whom I am pleased.
I have filled him with my Spirit,
and he will bring justice to every nation.


book: Isa
contenido:
He will not break off a bent reed
nor put out a flickering lamp.
He will bring lasting justice to all.


book: Isa
contenido:
He will not lose hope or courage;
he will establish justice on the earth.
Distant lands eagerly wait for his teaching.”


book: Isa
contenido:
God created the heavens and stretched them out;
he fashioned the earth and all that lives there;
he gave life and breath to all its people.
And now the Lord God says to his servant,


book: Isa
contenido:
“I, the Lord, have called you and given you power
to see that justice is done on earth.
Through you I will make a covenant with all peoples;
through you I will bring light to the nations.


book: Isa
contenido:
“I alone am the Lord your God.
No other god may share my glory;
I will not let idols share my praise.


book: Isa
contenido:
The things I predicted have now come true.
Now I will tell you of new things
even before they begin to happen.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A Song of Praise
Sing a new song to the Lord;
sing his praise, all the world!
Praise him, you that sail the sea;
praise him, all creatures of the sea!
Sing, distant lands and all who live there!


book: Isa
contenido:
Let the desert and its towns praise God;
let the people of Kedar praise him!
Let those who live in the city of Sela
shout for joy from the tops of the mountains!


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord goes out to fight like a warrior;
he is ready and eager for battle.
He gives a war cry, a battle shout;
he shows his power against his enemies.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Promises to Help His People
God says,
“For a long time I kept silent;
I did not answer my people.
But now the time to act has come;
I cry out like a woman in labor.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will destroy the hills and mountains
and dry up the grass and trees.
I will turn the river valleys into deserts
and dry up the pools of water.


book: Isa
contenido:
“I will lead my blind people
by roads they have never traveled.
I will turn their darkness into light
and make rough country smooth before them.
These are my promises,
and I will keep them without fail.


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel's Failure to Learn
The Lord says,
“Listen, you deaf people!
Look closely, you that are blind!


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel, you have seen so much,
but what has it meant to you?
You have ears to hear with,
but what have you really heard?”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord is a God who is eager to save,
so he exalted his laws and teachings,
and he wanted his people to honor them.


book: Isa
contenido:
But now his people have been plundered;
they are locked up in dungeons
and hidden away in prisons.
They were robbed and plundered,
with no one to come to their rescue.


book: Isa
contenido:
Who gave Israel up to the looters?
It was the Lord himself, against whom we sinned!
We would not live as he wanted us to live
or obey the teachings he gave us.


book: Isa
contenido:
So he made us feel the force of his anger
and suffer the violence of war.
Like fire his anger burned throughout Israel,
but we never knew what was happening;
we learned nothing at all from it.


book: Isa
contenido:
God Promises to Rescue His People
Israel, the Lord who created you says,
“Do not be afraid—I will save you.
I have called you by name—you are mine.


book: Isa
contenido:
When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you;
your troubles will not overwhelm you.
When you pass through fire, you will not be burned;
the hard trials that come will not hurt you.


book: Isa
contenido:
For I am the Lord your God,
the holy God of Israel, who saves you.
I will give up Egypt to set you free;
I will give up Ethiopia and Seba.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will give up whole nations to save your life,
because you are precious to me
and because I love you and give you honor.


book: Isa
contenido:
Do not be afraid—I am with you!
“From the distant east and the farthest west
I will bring your people home.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will tell the north to let them go
and the south not to hold them back.
Let my people return from distant lands,
from every part of the world.


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel Is the Lord's Witness
God says,
“Summon my people to court.
They have eyes, but they are blind;
they have ears, but they are deaf!


book: Isa
contenido:
Summon the nations to come to the trial.
Which of their gods can predict the future?
Which of them foretold what is happening now?
Let these gods bring in their witnesses
to prove that they are right,
to testify to the truth of their words.


book: Isa
contenido:
“People of Israel, you are my witnesses;
I chose you to be my servant,
so that you would know me and believe in me
and understand that I am the only God.
Besides me there is no other god;
there never was and never will be.


book: Isa
contenido:
I predicted what would happen,
and then I came to your aid.
No foreign god has ever done this;
you are my witnesses.


book: Isa
contenido:
Escape from Babylon
Israel's holy God, the Lord who saves you, says,
“To save you, I will send an army against Babylon;
I will break down the city gates,
and the shouts of her people will turn into crying.


book: Isa
contenido:
He led a mighty army to destruction,
an army of chariots and horses.
Down they fell, never to rise,
snuffed out like the flame of a lamp!


book: Isa
contenido:
Watch for the new thing I am going to do.
It is happening already—you can see it now!
I will make a road through the wilderness
and give you streams of water there.


book: Isa
contenido:
Even the wild animals will honor me;
jackals and ostriches will praise me
when I make rivers flow in the desert
to give water to my chosen people.


book: Isa
contenido:
You did not bring me your burnt offerings of sheep;
you did not honor me with your sacrifices.
I did not burden you by demanding offerings
or wear you out by asking for incense.


book: Isa
contenido:
You didn't buy incense for me
or satisfy me with the fat of your animals.
Instead you burdened me with your sins;
you wore me out with the wrongs you have committed.


book: Isa
contenido:
And yet, I am the God who forgives your sins,
and I do this because of who I am.
I will not hold your sins against you.


book: Isa
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and your rulers profaned my sanctuary.
So I brought destruction on Israel;
I let my own people be insulted.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Is the Only God
The Lord says,
“Listen now, Israel, my servant,
my chosen people, the descendants of Jacob.


book: Isa
contenido:
I am the Lord who created you;
from the time you were born, I have helped you.
Do not be afraid; you are my servant,
my chosen people whom I love.


book: Isa
contenido:
“I will give water to the thirsty land
and make streams flow on the dry ground.
I will pour out my spirit on your children
and my blessing on your descendants.


book: Isa
contenido:
“One by one, people will say, ‘I am the Lord's.’
They will come to join the people of Israel.
They each will mark the name of the Lord on their arms
and call themselves one of God's people.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord, who rules and protects Israel,
the Lord Almighty, has this to say:
“I am the first, the last, the only God;
there is no other god but me.


book: Isa
contenido:
Could anyone else have done what I did?
Who could have predicted all that would happen
from the very beginning to the end of time?


book: Isa
contenido:
Do not be afraid, my people!
You know that from ancient times until now
I have predicted all that would happen,
and you are my witnesses.
Is there any other god?
Is there some powerful god I never heard of?”


book: Isa
contenido:
Idolatry Is Ridiculed
All those who make idols are worthless, and the gods they prize so highly are useless. Those who worship these gods are blind and ignorant—and they will be disgraced.


book: Isa
contenido:
Everyone who worships it will be humiliated. The people who make idols are human beings and nothing more. Let them come and stand trial—they will be terrified and will suffer disgrace.


book: Isa
contenido:
The metalworker takes a piece of metal and works with it over a fire. His strong arm swings a hammer to pound the metal into shape. As he works, he gets hungry, thirsty, and tired.


book: Isa
contenido:
The carpenter measures the wood. He outlines a figure with chalk, carves it out with his tools, and makes it in the form of a man, a handsome human figure, to be placed in his house.


book: Isa
contenido:
He might cut down cedars to use, or choose oak or cypress wood from the forest. Or he might plant a laurel tree and wait for the rain to make it grow.


book: Isa
contenido:
A person uses part of a tree for fuel and part of it for making an idol. With one part he builds a fire to warm himself and bake bread; with the other part he makes a god and worships it.


book: Isa
contenido:
With some of the wood he makes a fire; he roasts meat, eats it, and is satisfied. He warms himself and says, “How nice and warm! What a beautiful fire!”


book: Isa
contenido:
The rest of the wood he makes into an idol, and then he bows down and worships it. He prays to it and says, “You are my god—save me!”


book: Isa
contenido:
Such people are too stupid to know what they are doing. They close their eyes and their minds to the truth.


book: Isa
contenido:
The maker of idols hasn't the wit or the sense to say, “Some of the wood I burned up. I baked some bread on the coals, and I roasted meat and ate it. And the rest of the wood I made into an idol. Here I am bowing down to a block of wood!”


book: Isa
contenido:
It makes as much sense as eating ashes. His foolish ideas have so misled him that he is beyond help. He won't admit to himself that the idol he holds in his hand is not a god at all.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord, the Creator and Savior
The Lord says,
“Israel, remember this;
remember that you are my servant.
I created you to be my servant,
and I will never forget you.


book: Isa
contenido:
Shout for joy, you heavens!
Shout, deep places of the earth!
Shout for joy, mountains, and every tree of the forest!
The Lord has shown his greatness
by saving his people Israel.


book: Isa
contenido:
“I am the Lord, your savior;
I am the one who created you.
I am the Lord, the Creator of all things.
I alone stretched out the heavens;
when I made the earth, no one helped me.


book: Isa
contenido:
I make fools of fortunetellers
and frustrate the predictions of astrologers.
The words of the wise I refute
and show that their wisdom is foolishness.


book: Isa
contenido:
But when my servant makes a prediction,
when I send a messenger to reveal my plans,
I make those plans and predictions come true.
I tell Jerusalem that people will live there again,
and the cities of Judah that they will be rebuilt.
Those cities will rise from the ruins.


book: Isa
contenido:
I say to Cyrus, ‘You are the one who will rule for me;
you will do what I want you to do:
you will order that Jerusalem be rebuilt
and that the foundations of the Temple be laid.’”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Appoints Cyrus
The Lord has chosen Cyrus to be king.
He has appointed him to conquer nations;
he sends him to strip kings of their power;
the Lord will open the gates of cities for him.
To Cyrus the Lord says,


book: Isa
contenido:
“I myself will prepare your way,
leveling mountains and hills.
I will break down bronze gates
and smash their iron bars.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will give you treasures from dark, secret places;
then you will know that I am the Lord
and that the God of Israel has called you by name.


book: Isa
contenido:
I appoint you to help my servant Israel,
the people that I have chosen.
I have given you great honor,
although you do not know me.


book: Isa
contenido:
“I am the Lord; there is no other god.
I will give you the strength you need,
although you do not know me.


book: Isa
contenido:
I do this so that everyone
from one end of the world to the other
may know that I am the Lord
and that there is no other god.


book: Isa
contenido:
I create both light and darkness;
I bring both blessing and disaster.
I, the Lord, do all these things.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will send victory from the sky like rain;
the earth will open to receive it
and will blossom with freedom and justice.
I, the Lord, will make this happen.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord of Creation and History
Does a clay pot dare argue with its maker,
a pot that is like all the others?
Does the clay ask the potter what he is doing?
Does the pot complain that its maker has no skill?


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord, the holy God of Israel,
the one who shapes the future, says:
“You have no right to question me about my children
or to tell me what I ought to do!


book: Isa
contenido:
I am the one who made the earth
and created human beings to live there.
By my power I stretched out the heavens;
I control the sun, the moon, and the stars.


book: Isa
contenido:
I myself have stirred Cyrus to action
to fulfill my purpose and put things right.
I will straighten out every road that he travels.
He will rebuild my city, Jerusalem,
and set my captive people free.
No one has hired him or bribed him to do this.”
The Lord Almighty has spoken.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says to Israel,
“The wealth of Egypt and Ethiopia will be yours,
and the tall men of Seba will be your slaves;
they will follow you in chains.
They will bow down to you and confess,
‘God is with you—he alone is God.


book: Isa
contenido:
But Israel is saved by the Lord,
and her victory lasts forever;
her people will never be disgraced.’”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord created the heavens—
he is the one who is God!
He formed and made the earth—
he made it firm and lasting.
He did not make it a desolate waste,
but a place for people to live.
It is he who says, “I am the Lord,
and there is no other god.


book: Isa
contenido:
I have not spoken in secret
or kept my purpose hidden.
I did not require the people of Israel
to look for me in a desolate waste.
I am the Lord, and I speak the truth;
I make known what is right.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord of the World and the Idols of Babylon
The Lord says,
“Come together, people of the nations,
all who survive the fall of the empire;
present yourselves for the trial!
The people who parade with their idols of wood
and pray to gods that cannot save them—
those people know nothing at all!


book: Isa
contenido:
Come and present your case in court;
let the defendants consult one another.
Who predicted long ago what would happen?
Was it not I, the Lord, the God who saves his people?
There is no other god.


book: Isa
contenido:
My promise is true,
and it will not be changed.
I solemnly promise by all that I am:
Everyone will come and kneel before me
and vow to be loyal to me.


book: Isa
contenido:
“They will say that only through me
are victory and strength to be found;
but all who hate me will suffer disgrace.


book: Isa
contenido:
“This is the end for Babylon's gods!
Bel and Nebo once were worshiped,
but now they are loaded on donkeys,
a burden for the backs of tired animals.


book: Isa
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The idols cannot save themselves;
they are captured and carried away.
This is the end for Babylon's gods!


book: Isa
contenido:
“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob,
all who are left of my people.
I have cared for you from the time you were born.


book: Isa
contenido:
I am your God and will take care of you
until you are old and your hair is gray.
I made you and will care for you;
I will give you help and rescue you.


book: Isa
contenido:
People open their purses and pour out gold;
they weigh out silver on the scales.
They hire a goldsmith to make a god;
then they bow down and worship it.


book: Isa
contenido:
They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;
they put it in place, and there it stands,
unable to move from where it is.
If any pray to it, it cannot answer
or save them from disaster.


book: Isa
contenido:
Remember what happened long ago;
acknowledge that I alone am God
and that there is no one else like me.


book: Isa
contenido:
From the beginning I predicted the outcome;
long ago I foretold what would happen.
I said that my plans would never fail,
that I would do everything I intended to do.


book: Isa
contenido:
I am calling a man to come from the east;
he will swoop down like a hawk
and accomplish what I have planned.
I have spoken, and it will be done.


book: Isa
contenido:
I am bringing the day of victory near—
it is not far away at all.
My triumph will not be delayed.
I will save Jerusalem
and bring honor to Israel there.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Judgment on Babylon
The Lord says,
“Babylon, come down from your throne,
and sit in the dust on the ground.
You were once like a virgin, a city unconquered,
but you are soft and delicate no longer!
You are now a slave!


book: Isa
contenido:
Turn the millstone! Grind the flour!
Off with your veil! Strip off your fine clothes!
Lift up your skirts to cross the streams!


book: Isa
contenido:
People will see you naked;
they will see you humbled and shamed.
I will take vengeance, and no one will stop me.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says to Babylon,
“Sit in silence and darkness;
no more will they call you the queen of nations!


book: Isa
contenido:
I was angry with my people;
I treated them as no longer mine:
I put them in your power,
and you showed them no mercy;
even the aged you treated harshly.


book: Isa
contenido:
You thought you would always be a queen,
and did not take these things to heart
or think how it all would end.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Listen to this, you lover of pleasure,
you that think you are safe and secure.
You claim you are as great as God—
that there is no one else like you.
You thought that you would never be a widow
or suffer the loss of your children.


book: Isa
contenido:
But in a moment, in a single day,
both of these things will happen.
In spite of all the magic you use,
you will lose your husband and children.


book: Isa
contenido:
“You felt sure of yourself in your evil;
you thought that no one could see you.
Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray,
and you said to yourself, ‘I am God—
there is no one else like me.’


book: Isa
contenido:
Disaster will come upon you,
and none of your magic can stop it.
Ruin will come on you suddenly—
ruin you never dreamed of!


book: Isa
contenido:
Keep all your magic spells and charms;
you have used them since you were young.
Perhaps they will be of some help to you;
perhaps you can frighten your enemies.


book: Isa
contenido:
You are powerless in spite of the advice you get.
Let your astrologers come forward and save you—
those people who study the stars,
who map out the zones of the heavens
and tell you from month to month
what is going to happen to you.


book: Isa
contenido:
“They will be like bits of straw,
and a fire will burn them up!
They will not even be able to save themselves—
the flames will be too hot for them,
not a cozy fire to warm themselves by.


book: Isa
contenido:
That is all the good they will do you—
those astrologers you've consulted all your life.
They all will leave you and go their own way,
and none will be left to save you.”


book: Isa
contenido:
God Is Lord of the Future
Listen to this, people of Israel,
you that are descended from Judah:
You swear by the name of the Lord
and claim to worship the God of Israel—
but you don't mean a word you say.


book: Isa
contenido:
And yet you are proud to say
that you are citizens of the holy city
and that you depend on Israel's God,
whose name is the Lord Almighty.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says to Israel,
“Long ago I predicted what would take place;
then suddenly I made it happen.


book: Isa
contenido:
And so I predicted your future long ago,
announcing events before they took place,
to keep you from claiming
that your idols and images made them happen.


book: Isa
contenido:
“All I foretold has now taken place;
you have to admit my predictions were right.
Now I will tell you of new things to come,
events that I did not reveal before.


book: Isa
contenido:
Only now am I making them happen;
nothing like this took place in the past.
If it had, you would claim that you knew all about it.


book: Isa
contenido:
I knew that you couldn't be trusted,
that you have always been known as a rebel.
That is why you never heard of this at all,
why no word of it ever came to your ears.


book: Isa
contenido:
“In order that people will praise my name,
I am holding my anger in check;
I am keeping it back and will not destroy you.


book: Isa
contenido:
I have tested you in the fire of suffering,
as silver is refined in a furnace.
But I have found that you are worthless.


book: Isa
contenido:
What I do is done for my own sake—
I will not let my name be dishonored
or let anyone else share the glory
that should be mine and mine alone.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Cyrus, the Lord's Chosen Leader
The Lord says,
“Listen to me, Israel, the people I have called!
I am God, the first, the last, the only God!


book: Isa
contenido:
My hands made the earth's foundations
and spread the heavens out.
When I summon earth and sky,
they come at once and present themselves.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Assemble and listen, all of you!
None of the gods could predict
that the man I have chosen would attack Babylon;
he will do what I want him to do.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Now come close to me and hear what I say.
From the beginning I have spoken openly
and have always made my words come true.”
(Now the Sovereign Lord has given me his power and sent me.)


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord's Plan for His People
The holy God of Israel,
the Lord who saves you, says:
“I am the Lord your God,
the one who wants to teach you for your own good
and direct you in the way you should go.


book: Isa
contenido:
“If only you had listened to my commands!
Then blessings would have flowed for you
like a stream that never goes dry.
Victory would have come to you
like the waves that roll on the shore.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your descendants would be as numerous as grains of sand,
and I would have made sure they were never destroyed.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Go out from Babylon, go free!
Shout the news gladly; make it known everywhere:
“The Lord has saved his servant Israel!”


book: Isa
contenido:
When the Lord led his people through a hot, dry desert,
they did not suffer from thirst.
He made water come from a rock for them;
he split the rock open, and water flowed out.


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel, A Light to the Nations
Listen to me, distant nations,
you people who live far away!
Before I was born, the Lord chose me
and appointed me to be his servant.


book: Isa
contenido:
He made my words as sharp as a sword.
With his own hand he protected me.
He made me like an arrow,
sharp and ready for use.


book: Isa
contenido:
I said, “I have worked, but how hopeless it is!
I have used up my strength, but have accomplished nothing.”
Yet I can trust the Lord to defend my cause;
he will reward me for what I do.


book: Isa
contenido:
Before I was born, the Lord appointed me;
he made me his servant to bring back his people,
to bring back the scattered people of Israel.
The Lord gives me honor;
he is the source of my strength.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord said to me,
“I have a greater task for you, my servant.
Not only will you restore to greatness
the people of Israel who have survived,
but I will also make you a light to the nations—
so that all the world may be saved.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel's holy God and savior says
to the one who is deeply despised,
who is hated by the nations
and is the servant of rulers:
“Kings will see you released
and will rise to show their respect;
princes also will see it,
and they will bow low to honor you.”
This will happen because the Lord has chosen his servant;
the holy God of Israel keeps his promises.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Restoration of Jerusalem
The Lord says to his people,
“When the time comes to save you, I will show you favor
and answer your cries for help.
I will guard and protect you
and through you make a covenant with all peoples.
I will let you settle once again
in your land that is now laid waste.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will say to the prisoners, ‘Go free!’
and to those who are in darkness,
‘Come out to the light!’
They will be like sheep that graze on the hills;


book: Isa
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;they will never be hungry or thirsty.
Sun and desert heat will not hurt them,
for they will be led by one who loves them.
He will lead them to springs of water.


book: Isa
contenido:
Sing, heavens! Shout for joy, earth!
Let the mountains burst into song!
The Lord will comfort his people;
he will have pity on his suffering people.


book: Isa
contenido:
So the Lord answers,
“Can a woman forget her own baby
and not love the child she bore?
Even if a mother should forget her child,
I will never forget you.


book: Isa
contenido:
Look around and see what is happening!
Your people are assembling—they are coming home!
As surely as I am the living God,
you will be proud of your people,
as proud as a bride is of her jewels.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Your country was ruined and desolate—
but now it will be too small
for those who are coming to live there.
And those who left you in ruins
will be far removed from you.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your people who were born in exile
will one day say to you,
‘This land is too small—
we need more room to live in!’


book: Isa
contenido:
Then you will say to yourself,
‘Who bore all these children for me?
I lost my children and could have no more.
I was exiled and driven away—
who brought these children up?
I was left all alone—
where did these children come from?’”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Sovereign Lord says to his people:
“I will signal to the nations,
and they will bring your children home.


book: Isa
contenido:
Kings will be like fathers to you;
queens will be like mothers.
They will bow low before you and honor you;
they will humbly show their respect for you.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;
no one who waits for my help will be disappointed.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord replies,
“That is just what is going to happen.
The soldier's prisoners will be taken away,
and the tyrant's loot will be seized.
I will fight against whoever fights you,
and I will rescue your children.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will make your oppressors kill each other;
they will be drunk with murder and rage.
Then all people will know that I am the Lord,
the one who saves you and sets you free.
They will know that I am Israel's powerful God.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says,
“Do you think I sent my people away
like a man who divorces his wife?
Where, then, are the papers of divorce?
Do you think I sold you into captivity
like a man who sells his children as slaves?
No, you went away captive because of your sins;
you were sent away because of your crimes.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Why did my people fail to respond
when I went to them to save them?
Why did they not answer when I called?
Am I too weak to save them?
I can dry up the sea with a command
and turn rivers into a desert,
so that the fish in them die for lack of water.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Obedience of the Lord's Servant
The Sovereign Lord has taught me what to say,
so that I can strengthen the weary.
Every morning he makes me eager
to hear what he is going to teach me.


book: Isa
contenido:
I bared my back to those who beat me.
I did not stop them when they insulted me,
when they pulled out the hairs of my beard
and spit in my face.


book: Isa
contenido:
But their insults cannot hurt me
because the Sovereign Lord gives me help.
I brace myself to endure them.
I know that I will not be disgraced,


book: Isa
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;for God is near,
and he will prove me innocent.
Does anyone dare bring charges against me?
Let us go to court together!
Let him bring his accusation!


book: Isa
contenido:
The Sovereign Lord himself defends me—
who, then, can prove me guilty?
All my accusers will disappear;
they will vanish like moth-eaten cloth.


book: Isa
contenido:
All of you that honor the Lord
and obey the words of his servant,
the path you walk may be dark indeed,
but trust in the Lord, rely on your God.


book: Isa
contenido:
All of you that plot to destroy others
will be destroyed by your own plots.
The Lord himself will make this happen;
you will suffer a miserable fate.


book: Isa
contenido:
Words of Comfort to Jerusalem
The Lord says,
“Listen to me, you that want to be saved,
you that come to me for help.
Think of the rock from which you came,
the quarry from which you were cut.


book: Isa
contenido:
Think of your ancestor, Abraham,
and of Sarah, from whom you are descended.
When I called Abraham, he was childless,
but I blessed him and gave him children;
I made his descendants numerous.


book: Isa
contenido:
“I will show compassion to Jerusalem,
to all who live in her ruins.
Though her land is a desert, I will make it a garden,
like the garden I planted in Eden.
Joy and gladness will be there,
and songs of praise and thanks to me.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Listen to me, my people,
listen to what I say:
I give my teaching to the nations;
my laws will bring them light.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will come quickly and save them;
the time of my victory is near.
I myself will rule over the nations.
Distant lands wait for me to come;
they wait with hope for me to save them.


book: Isa
contenido:
Look up at the heavens; look at the earth!
The heavens will disappear like smoke;
the earth will wear out like old clothing,
and all its people will die like flies.
But the deliverance I bring will last forever;
my victory will be final.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Listen to me, you that know what is right,
who have my teaching fixed in your hearts.
Do not be afraid when people taunt and insult you;


book: Isa
contenido:
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;they will vanish like moth-eaten clothing!
But the deliverance I bring will last forever;
my victory will endure for all time.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Wake up, Lord, and help us!
Use your power and save us;
use it as you did in ancient times.
It was you that cut the sea monster Rahab to pieces.


book: Isa
contenido:
It was you also who dried up the sea
and made a path through the water,
so that those you were saving could cross.


book: Isa
contenido:
Those whom you have rescued
will reach Jerusalem with gladness,
singing and shouting for joy.
They will be happy forever,
forever free from sorrow and grief.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says,
“I am the one who strengthens you.
Why should you fear mortals,
who are no more enduring than grass?


book: Isa
contenido:
Have you forgotten the Lord who made you,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the earth's foundations?
Why should you live in constant fear
of the fury of those who oppress you,
of those who are ready to destroy you?
Their fury can no longer touch you.


book: Isa
contenido:
Those who are prisoners will soon be set free;
they will live a long life
and have all the food they need.


book: Isa
contenido:
I stretched out the heavens
and laid the earth's foundations;
I say to Jerusalem, ‘You are my people!
I have given you my teaching,
and I protect you with my hand.’”


book: Isa
contenido:
The End of Jerusalem's Suffering
Jerusalem, wake up!
Rouse yourself and get up!
You have drunk the cup of punishment
that the Lord in his anger gave you to drink;
you drank it down, and it made you stagger.


book: Isa
contenido:
A double disaster has fallen on you:
your land has been devastated by war,
and your people have starved.
There is no one to show you sympathy.


book: Isa
contenido:
At the corner of every street
your people collapse from weakness;
they are like deer caught in a hunter's net.
They have felt the force of God's anger.


book: Isa
contenido:
the Lord your God defends you and says,
“I am taking away the cup
that I gave you in my anger.
You will no longer have to drink
the wine that makes you stagger.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will give it to those who oppressed you,
to those who made you lie down in the streets
and trampled on you as if you were dirt.”


book: Isa
contenido:
God Will Rescue Jerusalem
Jerusalem, be strong and great again!
Holy city of God, clothe yourself with splendor!
The heathen will never enter your gates again.


book: Isa
contenido:
Shake yourself free, Jerusalem!
Rise from the dust and sit on your throne!
Undo the chains that bind you,
captive people of Zion!


book: Isa
contenido:
The Sovereign Lord says to his people, “When you became slaves, no money was paid for you; in the same way nothing will be paid to set you free.


book: Isa
contenido:
When you went to live in Egypt as foreigners, you did so of your own free will; Assyria, however, took you away by force and paid nothing for you.


book: Isa
contenido:
And now in Babylonia the same thing has happened: you are captives, and nothing was paid for you. Those who rule over you boast and brag and constantly show contempt for me.


book: Isa
contenido:
How wonderful it is to see
a messenger coming across the mountains,
bringing good news, the news of peace!
He announces victory and says to Zion,
“Your God is king!”


book: Isa
contenido:
Those who guard the city are shouting,
shouting together for joy.
They can see with their own eyes
the return of the Lord to Zion.


book: Isa
contenido:
Break into shouts of joy,
you ruins of Jerusalem!
The Lord will rescue his city
and comfort his people.


book: Isa
contenido:
Be sure to leave Babylonia,
all you that carry the Temple equipment.
Touch no forbidden thing;
keep yourselves holy and leave.


book: Isa
contenido:
This time you will not have to leave in a hurry;
you will not be trying to escape.
The Lord your God will lead you
and protect you on every side.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Suffering Servant
The Lord says,
“My servant will succeed in his task;
he will be highly honored.


book: Isa
contenido:
But now many nations will marvel at him,
and kings will be speechless with amazement.
They will see and understand
something they had never known.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The people reply,
“Who would have believed what we now report?
Who could have seen the Lord's hand in this?


book: Isa
contenido:
It was the will of the Lord that his servant
grow like a plant taking root in dry ground.
He had no dignity or beauty
to make us take notice of him.
There was nothing attractive about him,
nothing that would draw us to him.


book: Isa
contenido:
We despised him and rejected him;
he endured suffering and pain.
No one would even look at him—
we ignored him as if he were nothing.


book: Isa
contenido:
“But he endured the suffering that should have been ours,
the pain that we should have borne.
All the while we thought that his suffering
was punishment sent by God.


book: Isa
contenido:
But because of our sins he was wounded,
beaten because of the evil we did.
We are healed by the punishment he suffered,
made whole by the blows he received.


book: Isa
contenido:
All of us were like sheep that were lost,
each of us going his own way.
But the Lord made the punishment fall on him,
the punishment all of us deserved.


book: Isa
contenido:
“He was treated harshly, but endured it humbly;
he never said a word.
Like a lamb about to be slaughtered,
like a sheep about to be sheared,
he never said a word.


book: Isa
contenido:
He was arrested and sentenced and led off to die,
and no one cared about his fate.
He was put to death for the sins of our people.


book: Isa
contenido:
He was placed in a grave with those who are evil,
he was buried with the rich,
even though he had never committed a crime
or ever told a lie.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says,
“It was my will that he should suffer;
his death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness.
And so he will see his descendants;
he will live a long life,
and through him my purpose will succeed.


book: Isa
contenido:
After a life of suffering, he will again have joy;
he will know that he did not suffer in vain.
My devoted servant, with whom I am pleased,
will bear the punishment of many
and for his sake I will forgive them.


book: Isa
contenido:
And so I will give him a place of honor,
a place among the great and powerful.
He willingly gave his life
and shared the fate of evil men.
He took the place of many sinners
and prayed that they might be forgiven.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord's Love for Israel
Jerusalem, you have been like a childless woman,
but now you can sing and shout for joy.
Now you will have more children
than a woman whose husband never left her.


book: Isa
contenido:
You will extend your boundaries on all sides;
your people will get back the land
that the other nations now occupy.
Cities now deserted will be filled with people.


book: Isa
contenido:
Do not be afraid—you will not be disgraced again;
you will not be humiliated.
You will forget your unfaithfulness as a young wife,
and your desperate loneliness as a widow.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your Creator will be like a husband to you—
the Lord Almighty is his name.
The holy God of Israel will save you—
he is the ruler of all the world.


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel, you are like a young wife,
deserted by her husband and deeply distressed.
But the Lord calls you back to him and says:


book: Isa
contenido:
I turned away angry for only a moment,
but I will show you my love forever.”
So says the Lord who saves you.


book: Isa
contenido:
“In the time of Noah I promised
never again to flood the earth.
Now I promise not to be angry with you again;
I will not reprimand or punish you.


book: Isa
contenido:
The mountains and hills may crumble,
but my love for you will never end;
I will keep forever my promise of peace.”
So says the Lord who loves you.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Future Jerusalem
The Lord says,
“O Jerusalem, you suffering, helpless city,
with no one to comfort you,
I will rebuild your foundations with precious stones.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will build your towers with rubies,
your gates with stones that glow like fire,
and the wall around you with jewels.


book: Isa
contenido:
“I create the blacksmith,
who builds a fire and forges weapons.
I also create the soldier,
who uses the weapons to kill.


book: Isa
contenido:
But no weapon will be able to hurt you;
you will have an answer for all who accuse you.
I will defend my servants
and give them victory.”
The Lord has spoken.


book: Isa
contenido:
God's Offer of Mercy
The Lord says,
“Come, everyone who is thirsty—
here is water!
Come, you that have no money—
buy grain and eat!
Come! Buy wine and milk—
it will cost you nothing!


book: Isa
contenido:
Why spend money on what does not satisfy?
Why spend your wages and still be hungry?
Listen to me and do what I say,
and you will enjoy the best food of all.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Listen now, my people, and come to me;
come to me, and you will have life!
I will make a lasting covenant with you
and give you the blessings I promised to David.


book: Isa
contenido:
Now you will summon foreign nations;
at one time they did not know you,
but now they will come running to join you!
I, the Lord your God, the holy God of Israel,
will make all this happen;
I will give you honor and glory.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Let the wicked leave their way of life
and change their way of thinking.
Let them turn to the Lord, our God;
he is merciful and quick to forgive.


book: Isa
contenido:
“My word is like the snow and the rain
that come down from the sky to water the earth.
They make the crops grow
and provide seed for planting and food to eat.


book: Isa
contenido:
So also will be the word that I speak—
it will not fail to do what I plan for it;
it will do everything I send it to do.


book: Isa
contenido:
“You will leave Babylon with joy;
you will be led out of the city in peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into singing,
and the trees will shout for joy.


book: Isa
contenido:
Cypress trees will grow where now there are briers;
myrtle trees will come up in place of thorns.
This will be a sign that will last forever,
a reminder of what I, the Lord, have done.”


book: Isa
contenido:
God's People Will Include All Nations
The Lord says to his people, “Do what is just and right, for soon I will save you.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will bless those who always observe the Sabbath and do not misuse it. I will bless those who do nothing evil.”


book: Isa
contenido:
A foreigner who has joined the Lord's people should not say, “The Lord will not let me worship with his people.”
A man who has been castrated should never think that because he cannot have children, he can never be part of God's people.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says to such a man, “If you honor me by observing the Sabbath and if you do what pleases me and faithfully keep my covenant,


book: Isa
contenido:
then your name will be remembered in my Temple and among my people longer than if you had sons and daughters. You will never be forgotten.”


book: Isa
contenido:
And the Lord says to those foreigners who become part of his people, who love him and serve him, who observe the Sabbath and faithfully keep his covenant:


book: Isa
contenido:
“I will bring you to Zion, my sacred hill, give you joy in my house of prayer, and accept the sacrifices you offer on my altar. My Temple will be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Sovereign Lord, who has brought his people Israel home from exile, has promised that he will bring still other people to join them.


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel's Leaders Are Condemned
The Lord has told the foreign nations to come like wild animals and devour his people.


book: Isa
contenido:
He says, “All the leaders, who are supposed to warn my people, are blind! They know nothing. They are like watch dogs that don't bark—they only lie around and dream. How they love to sleep!


book: Isa
contenido:
They are like greedy dogs that never get enough. These leaders have no understanding. They each do as they please and seek their own advantage.


book: Isa
contenido:
‘Let's get some wine,’ these drunkards say, ‘and drink all we can hold! Tomorrow will be even better than today!’”


book: Isa
contenido:
Israel's Idolatry Is Condemned
Good people die, and no one understands or even cares. But when they die, no calamity can hurt them.


book: Isa
contenido:
You worship the fertility gods by having sex under those sacred trees of yours. You offer your children as sacrifices in the rocky caves near stream beds.


book: Isa
contenido:
You take smooth stones from there and worship them as gods. You pour out wine as offerings to them and bring them grain offerings. Do you think I am pleased with all this?


book: Isa
contenido:
You set up your obscene idols just inside your front doors. You forsake me; you take off your clothes and climb in your large beds with your lovers, whom you pay to sleep with you. And there you satisfy your lust.


book: Isa
contenido:
You put on your perfumes and ointments and go to worship the god Molech. To find gods to worship, you send messengers far and wide, even to the world of the dead.


book: Isa
contenido:
You wear yourselves out looking for other gods, but you never give up. You think your obscene idols give you strength, and so you never grow weak.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says, “Who are these gods that make you afraid, so that you tell me lies and forget me completely? Have you stopped honoring me because I have kept silent for so long?


book: Isa
contenido:
You think that what you do is right, but I will expose your conduct, and your idols will not be able to help you.


book: Isa
contenido:
When you cry for help, let those idols of yours save you! A puff of wind will carry them off! But those who trust in me will live in the land and will worship me in my Temple.”


book: Isa
contenido:
God's Promise of Help and Healing
The Lord says, “Let my people return to me. Remove every obstacle from their path! Build the road and make it ready!


book: Isa
contenido:
“I am the high and holy God, who lives forever. I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and repentant, so that I can restore their confidence and hope.


book: Isa
contenido:
I was angry with them because of their sin and greed, and so I punished them and abandoned them. But they were stubborn and kept on going their own way.


book: Isa
contenido:
“I have seen how they acted, but I will heal them. I will lead them and help them, and I will comfort those who mourn.


book: Isa
contenido:
But evil people are like the restless sea, whose waves never stop rolling in, bringing filth and muck.


book: Isa
contenido:
They worship me every day, claiming that they are eager to know my ways and obey my laws. They say they want me to give them just laws and that they take pleasure in worshiping me.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The people ask, “Why should we fast if the Lord never notices? Why should we go without food if he pays no attention?”
The Lord says to them, “The truth is that at the same time you fast, you pursue your own interests and oppress your workers.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your fasting makes you violent, and you quarrel and fight. Do you think this kind of fasting will make me listen to your prayers?


book: Isa
contenido:
When you fast, you make yourselves suffer; you bow your heads low like a blade of grass and spread out sackcloth and ashes to lie on. Is that what you call fasting? Do you think I will be pleased with that?


book: Isa
contenido:
“The kind of fasting I want is this: Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free.


book: Isa
contenido:
Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Then my favor will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed. I will always be with you to save you; my presence will protect you on every side.


book: Isa
contenido:
When you pray, I will answer you. When you call to me, I will respond.
“If you put an end to oppression, to every gesture of contempt, and to every evil word;


book: Isa
contenido:
if you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon.


book: Isa
contenido:
And I will always guide you and satisfy you with good things. I will keep you strong and well. You will be like a garden that has plenty of water, like a spring of water that never goes dry.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your people will rebuild what has long been in ruins, building again on the old foundations. You will be known as the people who rebuilt the walls, who restored the ruined houses.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Reward for Keeping the Sabbath
The Lord says, “If you treat the Sabbath as sacred and do not pursue your own interests on that day; if you value my holy day and honor it by not traveling, working, or talking idly on that day,


book: Isa
contenido:
then you will find the joy that comes from serving me. I will make you honored all over the world, and you will enjoy the land I gave to your ancestor, Jacob. I, the Lord, have spoken.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Prophet Condemns the People's Sins
Don't think that the Lord is too weak to save you or too deaf to hear your call for help!


book: Isa
contenido:
It is because of your sins that he doesn't hear you. It is your sins that separate you from God when you try to worship him.


book: Isa
contenido:
You go to court, but you do not have justice on your side. You depend on lies to win your case. You carry out your plans to hurt others.


book: Isa
contenido:
The evil plots you make are as deadly as the eggs of a poisonous snake. Crush an egg, out comes a snake! But your plots will do you no good—they are as useless as clothing made of cobwebs!


book: Isa
contenido:
You are always planning something evil, and you can hardly wait to do it. You never hesitate to murder innocent people. You leave ruin and destruction wherever you go,


book: Isa
contenido:
and no one is safe when you are around. Everything you do is unjust. You follow a crooked path, and no one who walks that path will ever be safe.


book: Isa
contenido:
The People Confess Their Sin
The people say, “Now we know why God does not save us from those who oppress us. We hope for light to walk by, but there is only darkness,


book: Isa
contenido:
and we grope about like blind people. We stumble at noon, as if it were night, as if we were in the dark world of the dead.


book: Isa
contenido:
We are frightened and distressed. We long for God to save us from oppression and wrong, but nothing happens.


book: Isa
contenido:
We have rebelled against you, rejected you, and refused to follow you. We have oppressed others and turned away from you. Our thoughts are false; our words are lies.


book: Isa
contenido:
Justice is driven away, and right cannot come near. Truth stumbles in the public square, and honesty finds no place there.


book: Isa
contenido:
There is so little honesty that those who stop doing evil find themselves the victims of crime.”
The Lord Prepares to Rescue His People
The Lord has seen this, and he is displeased that there is no justice.


book: Isa
contenido:
He is astonished to see that there is no one to help the oppressed. So he will use his own power to rescue them and to win the victory.


book: Isa
contenido:
He will wear justice like a coat of armor and saving power like a helmet. He will clothe himself with the strong desire to set things right and to punish and avenge the wrongs that people suffer.


book: Isa
contenido:
From east to west everyone will fear him and his great power. He will come like a rushing river, like a strong wind.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says to his people, “I will come to Jerusalem to defend you and to save all of you that turn from your sins.


book: Isa
contenido:
And I make a covenant with you: I have given you my power and my teachings to be yours forever, and from now on you are to obey me and teach your children and your descendants to obey me for all time to come.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Future Glory of Jerusalem
Arise, Jerusalem, and shine like the sun;
The glory of the Lord is shining on you!


book: Isa
contenido:
Other nations will be covered by darkness,
But on you the light of the Lord will shine;
The brightness of his presence will be with you.


book: Isa
contenido:
Look around you and see what is happening:
Your people are gathering to come home!
Your sons will come from far away;
Your daughters will be carried like children.


book: Isa
contenido:
You will see this and be filled with joy;
You will tremble with excitement.
The wealth of the nations will be brought to you;
From across the sea their riches will come.


book: Isa
contenido:
Great caravans of camels will come, from Midian and Ephah.
They will come from Sheba, bringing gold and incense.
People will tell the good news of what the Lord has done!


book: Isa
contenido:
All the sheep of Kedar and Nebaioth
Will be brought to you as sacrifices
And offered on the altar to please the Lord.
The Lord will make his Temple more glorious than ever.


book: Isa
contenido:
They are ships coming from distant lands,
Bringing God's people home.
They bring with them silver and gold
To honor the name of the Lord,
The holy God of Israel,
Who has made all nations honor his people.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says to Jerusalem,
“Foreigners will rebuild your walls,
And their kings will serve you.
In my anger I punished you,
But now I will show you my favor and mercy.


book: Isa
contenido:
“The wood of the pine, the juniper, and the cypress,
The finest wood from the forests of Lebanon,
Will be brought to rebuild you, Jerusalem,
To make my Temple beautiful,
To make my city glorious.


book: Isa
contenido:
The descendants of those who oppressed you will come
And bow low to show their respect.
All who once despised you will worship at your feet.
They will call you ‘The City of the Lord,’
‘Zion, the City of Israel's Holy God.’


book: Isa
contenido:
“You will no longer be forsaken and hated,
A city deserted and desolate.
I will make you great and beautiful,
A place of joy forever and ever.


book: Isa
contenido:
Nations and kings will care for you
As a mother nurses her child.
You will know that I, the Lord, have saved you,
That the mighty God of Israel sets you free.


book: Isa
contenido:
“I will bring you gold instead of bronze,
Silver and bronze instead of iron and wood,
And iron instead of stone.
Your rulers will no longer oppress you;
I will make them rule with justice and peace.


book: Isa
contenido:
The sounds of violence will be heard no more;
Destruction will not shatter your country again.
I will protect and defend you like a wall;
You will praise me because I have saved you.


book: Isa
contenido:
“No longer will the sun be your light by day
Or the moon be your light by night;
I, the Lord, will be your eternal light;
The light of my glory will shine on you.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your days of grief will come to an end.
I, the Lord, will be your eternal light,
More lasting than the sun and moon.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your people will all do what is right,
And will possess the land forever.
I planted them, I made them,
To reveal my greatness to all.


book: Isa
contenido:
Even your smallest and humblest family
Will become as great as a powerful nation.
When the right time comes,
I will make this happen quickly.
I am the Lord!”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Good News of Deliverance
The Sovereign Lord has filled me with his Spirit.
He has chosen me and sent me
To bring good news to the poor,
To heal the broken-hearted,
To announce release to captives
And freedom to those in prison.


book: Isa
contenido:
He has sent me to proclaim
That the time has come
When the Lord will save his people
And defeat their enemies.
He has sent me to comfort all who mourn,


book: Isa
contenido:
To give to those who mourn in Zion
Joy and gladness instead of grief,
A song of praise instead of sorrow.
They will be like trees
That the Lord himself has planted.
They will all do what is right,
And God will be praised for what he has done.


book: Isa
contenido:
My people, foreigners will serve you.
They will take care of your flocks
And farm your land and tend your vineyards.


book: Isa
contenido:
And you will be known as the priests of the Lord,
The servants of our God.
You will enjoy the wealth of the nations
And be proud that it is yours.


book: Isa
contenido:
Your shame and disgrace are ended.
You will live in your own land,
And your wealth will be doubled;
Your joy will last forever.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says,
“I love justice and I hate oppression and crime.
I will faithfully reward my people
And make an eternal covenant with them.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will be famous among the nations;
Everyone who sees them will know
That they are a people whom I have blessed.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Jerusalem rejoices because of what the Lord has done.
She is like a bride dressed for her wedding.
God has clothed her with salvation and victory.


book: Isa
contenido:
As surely as seeds sprout and grow,
The Sovereign Lord will save his people,
And all the nations will praise him.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will speak out to encourage Jerusalem;
I will not be silent until she is saved,
And her victory shines like a torch in the night.


book: Isa
contenido:
Jerusalem, the nations will see you victorious!
All their kings will see your glory.
You will be called by a new name,
A name given by the Lord himself.


book: Isa
contenido:
No longer will you be called “Forsaken,”
Or your land be called “The Deserted Wife.”
Your new name will be “God Is Pleased with Her.”
Your land will be called “Happily Married,”
Because the Lord is pleased with you
And will be like a husband to your land.


book: Isa
contenido:
Like a young man taking a virgin as his bride,
He who formed you will marry you.
As a groom is delighted with his bride,
So your God will delight in you.


book: Isa
contenido:
On your walls, Jerusalem, I have placed sentries;
They must never be silent day or night.
They must remind the Lord of his promises
And never let him forget them.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord has made a solemn promise,
And by his power he will carry it out:
“Your grain will no longer be food for your enemies,
And foreigners will no longer drink your wine.


book: Isa
contenido:
But you that planted and harvested the grain
Will eat the bread and praise the Lord.
You that tended and gathered the grapes
Will drink the wine in the courts of my Temple.”


book: Isa
contenido:
People of Jerusalem, go out of the city
And build a road for your returning people!
Prepare a highway; clear it of stones!
Put up a signal so that the nations can know


book: Isa
contenido:
That the Lord is announcing to all the earth:
“Tell the people of Jerusalem
That the Lord is coming to save you,
Bringing with him the people he has rescued.”


book: Isa
contenido:
You will be called “God's Holy People,”
“The People the Lord Has Saved.”
Jerusalem will be called “The City That God Loves,”
“The City That God Did Not Forsake.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord's Victory over the Nations
“Who is this coming from the city of Bozrah in Edom? Who is this so splendidly dressed in red, marching along in power and strength?”
It is the Lord, powerful to save, coming to announce his victory.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord answers, “I have trampled the nations like grapes, and no one came to help me. I trampled them in my anger, and their blood has stained all my clothing.


book: Isa
contenido:
I was amazed when I looked and saw that there was no one to help me. But my anger made me strong, and I won the victory myself.


book: Isa
contenido:
In my anger I trampled whole nations and shattered them. I poured out their lifeblood on the ground.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord's Goodness to Israel
I will tell of the Lord's unfailing love;
I praise him for all he has done for us.
He has richly blessed the people of Israel
because of his mercy and constant love.


book: Isa
contenido:
from all their suffering. It was not an angel, but the Lord himself who saved them. In his love and compassion he rescued them. He had always taken care of them in the past,


book: Isa
contenido:
but they rebelled against him and made his holy spirit sad. So the Lord became their enemy and fought against them.


book: Isa
contenido:
But then they remembered the past, the days of Moses, the servant of the Lord, and they asked, “Where now is the Lord, who saved the leaders of his people from the sea? Where is the Lord, who gave his spirit to Moses?


book: Isa
contenido:
Where is the Lord, who by his power did great things through Moses, dividing the waters of the sea and leading his people through the deep water, to win everlasting fame for himself?”
Led by the Lord, they were as sure-footed as wild horses, and never stumbled.


book: Isa
contenido:
As cattle are led into a fertile valley, so the Lord gave his people rest. He led his people and brought honor to his name.


book: Isa
contenido:
A Prayer for Mercy and Help
Lord, look upon us from heaven, where you live in your holiness and glory. Where is your great concern for us? Where is your power? Where are your love and compassion? Do not ignore us.


book: Isa
contenido:
You are our father. Our ancestors Abraham and Jacob do not acknowledge us, but you, Lord, are our father, the one who has always rescued us.


book: Isa
contenido:
Why do you let us stray from your ways? Why do you make us so stubborn that we turn away from you? Come back, for the sake of those who serve you, for the sake of the people who have always been yours.


book: Isa
contenido:
We, your holy people, were driven out by our enemies for a little while; they trampled down your sanctuary.


book: Isa
contenido:
They would tremble like water boiling over a hot fire. Come and reveal your power to your enemies, and make the nations tremble at your presence!


book: Isa
contenido:
There was a time when you came and did terrifying things that we did not expect; the mountains saw you and shook with fear.


book: Isa
contenido:
No one has ever seen or heard of a God like you, who does such deeds for those who put their hope in him.


book: Isa
contenido:
You welcome those who find joy in doing what is right, those who remember how you want them to live. You were angry with us, but we went on sinning; in spite of your great anger we have continued to do wrong since ancient times.


book: Isa
contenido:
All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind.


book: Isa
contenido:
No one turns to you in prayer; no one goes to you for help. You have hidden yourself from us and have abandoned us because of our sins.


book: Isa
contenido:
so do not be too angry with us or hold our sins against us forever. We are your people; be merciful to us.


book: Isa
contenido:
and our Temple, the sacred and beautiful place where our ancestors praised you, has been destroyed by fire. All the places we loved are in ruins.


book: Isa
contenido:
Lord, are you unmoved by all this? Are you going to do nothing and make us suffer more than we can endure?


book: Isa
contenido:
God's Punishment of the Rebellious
The Lord said, “I was ready to answer my people's prayers, but they did not pray. I was ready for them to find me, but they did not even try. The nation did not pray to me, even though I was always ready to answer, ‘Here I am; I will help you.’


book: Isa
contenido:
I have always been ready to welcome my people, who stubbornly do what is wrong and go their own way.


book: Isa
contenido:
They shamelessly keep on making me angry. They offer pagan sacrifices at sacred gardens and burn incense on pagan altars.


book: Isa
contenido:
At night they go to caves and tombs to consult the spirits of the dead. They eat pork and drink broth made from meat offered in pagan sacrifices.


book: Isa
contenido:
And then they say to others, ‘Keep away from us; we are too holy for you to touch!’ I cannot stand people like that—my anger against them is like a fire that never goes out.


book: Isa
contenido:
“I have already decided on their punishment, and their sentence is written down. I will not overlook what they have done, but will repay them


book: Isa
contenido:
for their sins and the sins of their ancestors. They have burned incense at pagan hill shrines and spoken evil of me. So I will punish them as their past deeds deserve.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says, “No one destroys good grapes; instead, they make wine with them. Neither will I destroy all my people—I will save those who serve me.


book: Isa
contenido:
I will bless the Israelites who belong to the tribe of Judah, and their descendants will possess my land of mountains. My chosen people, who serve me, will live there.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will worship me and will lead their sheep and cattle to pasture in the Plain of Sharon in the west and in Trouble Valley in the east.


book: Isa
contenido:
“But it will be different for you that forsake me, who ignore Zion, my sacred hill, and worship Gad and Meni, the gods of luck and fate.


book: Isa
contenido:
It will be your fate to die a violent death, because you did not answer when I called you or listen when I spoke. You chose to disobey me and do evil.


book: Isa
contenido:
And so I tell you that those who worship and obey me will have plenty to eat and drink, but you will be hungry and thirsty. They will be happy, but you will be disgraced.


book: Isa
contenido:
My chosen people will use your name as a curse. I, the Sovereign Lord, will put you to death. But I will give a new name to those who obey me.


book: Isa
contenido:
Anyone in the land who asks for a blessing will ask to be blessed by the faithful God. Whoever takes an oath will swear by the name of the faithful God. The troubles of the past will be gone and forgotten.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The New Creation
The Lord says, “I am making a new earth and new heavens. The events of the past will be completely forgotten.


book: Isa
contenido:
Be glad and rejoice forever in what I create. The new Jerusalem I make will be full of joy, and her people will be happy.


book: Isa
contenido:
I myself will be filled with joy because of Jerusalem and her people. There will be no weeping there, no calling for help.


book: Isa
contenido:
Babies will no longer die in infancy, and all people will live out their life span. Those who live to be a hundred will be considered young. To die before that would be a sign that I had punished them.


book: Isa
contenido:
People will build houses and get to live in them—they will not be used by someone else. They will plant vineyards and enjoy the wine—it will not be drunk by others. Like trees, my people will live long lives. They will fully enjoy the things that they have worked for.


book: Isa
contenido:
The work they do will be successful, and their children will not meet with disaster. I will bless them and their descendants for all time to come.


book: Isa
contenido:
Wolves and lambs will eat together; lions will eat straw, as cattle do, and snakes will no longer be dangerous. On Zion, my sacred hill, there will be nothing harmful or evil.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord Judges the Nations
The Lord says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house, then, could you build for me, what kind of place for me to live in?


book: Isa
contenido:
I myself created the whole universe! I am pleased with those who are humble and repentant, who fear me and obey me.


book: Isa
contenido:
“The people do as they please. It's all the same to them whether they kill a bull as a sacrifice or sacrifice a human being; whether they sacrifice a lamb or break a dog's neck; whether they present a grain offering or offer pigs' blood; whether they offer incense or pray to an idol. They take pleasure in disgusting ways of worship.


book: Isa
contenido:
So I will bring disaster upon them—the very things they are afraid of—because no one answered when I called or listened when I spoke. They chose to disobey me and do evil.”


book: Isa
contenido:
Listen to what the Lord says, you that fear him and obey him: “Because you are faithful to me, some of your own people hate you and will have nothing to do with you. They mock you and say, ‘Let the Lord show his greatness and save you, so that we may see you rejoice.’ But they themselves will be disgraced!


book: Isa
contenido:
Listen! That loud noise in the city, that sound in the Temple, is the sound of the Lord punishing his enemies!


book: Isa
contenido:
Has anyone ever seen or heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a day? Zion will not have to suffer long, before the nation is born.


book: Isa
contenido:
Do not think that I will bring my people to the point of birth and not let them be born.” The Lord has spoken.


book: Isa
contenido:
Rejoice with Jerusalem; be glad for her,
all you that love this city!
Rejoice with her now,
all you that have mourned for her!


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says, “I will bring you lasting prosperity; the wealth of the nations will flow to you like a river that never goes dry. You will be like a child that is nursed by its mother, carried in her arms, and treated with love.


book: Isa
contenido:
When you see this happen, you will be glad; it will make you strong and healthy. Then you will know that I, the Lord, help those who obey me, and I show my anger against my enemies.”


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord will come with fire. He will ride on the wings of a storm to punish those he is angry with.


book: Isa
contenido:
By fire and sword he will punish all the people of the world whom he finds guilty—and many will be put to death.


book: Isa
contenido:
The Lord says, “The end is near for those who purify themselves for pagan worship, who go in procession to sacred gardens, and who eat pork and mice and other disgusting foods.


book: Isa
contenido:
I know their thoughts and their deeds. I am coming to gather the people of all the nations. When they come together, they will see what my power can do


book: Isa
contenido:
and will know that I am the one who punishes them.
“But I will spare some of them and send them to the nations and the distant lands that have not heard of my fame or seen my greatness and power: to Spain, Libya, and Lydia, with its skilled archers, and to Tubal and Greece. Among these nations they will proclaim my greatness.


book: Isa
contenido:
They will bring back all your people from the nations as a gift to me. They will bring them to my sacred hill in Jerusalem on horses, mules, and camels, and in chariots and wagons, just as Israelites bring grain offerings to the Temple in ritually clean containers.


book: Isa
contenido:
“Just as the new earth and the new heavens will endure by my power, so your descendants and your name will endure.


book: Isa
contenido:
On every New Moon Festival and every Sabbath people of every nation will come to worship me here in Jerusalem,” says the Lord.


book: Isa
contenido:
“As they leave, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me. The worms that eat them will never die, and the fire that burns them will never be put out. The sight of them will be disgusting to all people.”


book: Jer
contenido:
This book is the account of what was said by Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests of the town of Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.


book: Jer
contenido:
and he spoke to him again when Josiah's son Jehoiakim was king. After that, the Lord spoke to him many times, until the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah. In the fifth month of that year the people of Jerusalem were taken into exile.


book: Jer
contenido:
“I chose you before I gave you life, and before you were born I selected you to be a prophet to the nations.”


book: Jer
contenido:
But the Lord said to me, “Do not say that you are too young, but go to the people I send you to, and tell them everything I command you to say.


book: Jer
contenido:
Then the Lord reached out, touched my lips, and said to me, “Listen, I am giving you the words you must speak.


book: Jer
contenido:
Today I give you authority over nations and kingdoms to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”


book: Jer
contenido:
Two Visions
The Lord asked me, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
I answered, “A branch of an almond tree.”


book: Jer
contenido:
Then the Lord spoke to me again. “What else do you see?” he asked.
I answered, “I see a pot boiling in the north, and it is about to tip over this way.”


book: Jer
contenido:
because I am calling all the nations in the north to come. Their kings will set up their thrones at the gates of Jerusalem and around its walls and also around the other cities of Judah.


book: Jer
contenido:
I will punish my people because they have sinned; they have abandoned me, have offered sacrifices to other gods, and have made idols and worshiped them.


book: Jer
contenido:
Get ready, Jeremiah; go and tell them everything I command you to say. Do not be afraid of them now, or I will make you even more afraid when you are with them.


book: Jer
contenido:
Listen, Jeremiah! Everyone in this land—the kings of Judah, the officials, the priests, and the people—will be against you. But today I am giving you the strength to resist them; you will be like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. They will not defeat you, for I will be with you to protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken.”


book: Jer
contenido:
to proclaim this message to everyone in Jerusalem.
“I remember how faithful you were when you were young,
how you loved me when we were first married;
you followed me through the desert,
through a land that had not been planted.


book: Jer
contenido:
Israel, you belonged to me alone;
you were my sacred possession.
I sent suffering and disaster
on everyone who hurt you.
I, the Lord, have spoken.”


book: Jer
contenido:
The Sin of Israel's Ancestors
Listen to the Lord's message, you descendants of Jacob, you tribes of Israel.


book: Jer
contenido:
The Lord says:
“What accusation did your ancestors bring against me?
What made them turn away from me?
They worshiped worthless idols
and became worthless themselves.


book: Jer
contenido:
They did not care about me,
even though I rescued them from Egypt
and led them through the wilderness:
a land of deserts and sand pits,
a dry and dangerous land
where no one lives
and no one will even travel.


book: Jer
contenido:
I brought them into a fertile land,
to enjoy its harvests and its other good things.
But instead they ruined my land;
they defiled the country I had given them.


book: Jer
contenido:
The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’
My own priests did not know me.
The rulers rebelled against me;
the prophets spoke in the name of Baal
and worshiped useless idols.


