On Life and Conduct

1The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;
         He turns it wherever He wishes.

2Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
         But the LORD weighs the hearts.

3To do righteousness and justice
         Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice.

4Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
         The lamp of the wicked, is sin.

5The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage,
         But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

6The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
         Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.

7The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
         Because they refuse to act with justice.

8The way of a guilty man is crooked,
         But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

9It is better to live in a corner of a roof
         Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

10The soul of the wicked desires evil;
         His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11When the scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise;
         But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
         Turning the wicked to ruin.

13He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor
         Will also cry himself and not be answered.

14A gift in secret subdues anger,
         And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.

15The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
         But is terror to the workers of iniquity.

16A man who wanders from the way of understanding
         Will rest in the assembly of the dead.

17He who loves pleasure will become a poor man;
         He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

18The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
         And the treacherous is in the place of the upright.

19It is better to live in a desert land
         Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

20There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,
         But a foolish man swallows it up.

21He who pursues righteousness and loyalty
         Finds life, righteousness and honor.

22A wise man scales the city of the mighty
         And brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

23He who guards his mouth and his tongue,
         Guards his soul from troubles.

24“Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names,
         Who acts with insolent pride.

25The desire of the sluggard puts him to death,
         For his hands refuse to work;

26All day long he is craving,
         While the righteous gives and does not hold back.

27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
         How much more when he brings it with evil intent!

28A false witness will perish,
         But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.

29A wicked man displays a bold face,
         But as for the upright, he makes his way sure.

30There is no wisdom and no understanding
         And no counsel against the LORD.

31The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
         But victory belongs to the LORD.

NASB ©1995

American Standard Version
The king's heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever he will.

Douay-Rheims Bible
As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: whithersoever he will he shall turn it.

Darby Bible Translation
The king's heart in the hand of Jehovah is as brooks of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

English Revised Version
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD as the watercourses: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

Webster's Bible Translation
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

World English Bible
The king's heart is in Yahweh's hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires.

Young's Literal Translation
Rivulets of waters is the heart of a king in the hand of Jehovah, Wherever He pleaseth He inclineth it.Definition of Actual Grace
1. GENERAL NOTION OF GRACE.--The best way to arrive at a correct definition of actual grace is by the synthetic method. We therefore begin with the general notion of grace. Like "nature,"(3) grace (gratia, {GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI}{GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH OXIA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO}{GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA}{GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA}) is a word of wide reach, used in a great variety of senses. Habert(4) enumerates no less than fourteen; which, however, may be reduced to four. a) Subjectively, …
Joseph Pohle—Grace, Actual and Habitual

Epistle xxi. To Constantina Augusta .
To Constantina Augusta [1593] . Gregory to Constantina, &c. Almighty God, who holds in His right hand the heart of your Piety, both protects us through you and prepares for you rewards of eternal remuneration for temporal deeds. For I have learnt from the letters of the deacon Sabinianus my responsalis with what justice your Serenity is interested in the cause of the blessed Prince of the apostles Peter against certain persons who are proudly humble and feignedly kind. And I trust in the bounty …
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Epistle Cvi. To Syagrius, Ætherius, virgilius, and Desiderius, Bishops .
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Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

How the Slothful and the Hasty are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 16.) Differently to be admonished are the slothful and the hasty. For the former are to be persuaded not to lose, by putting it off, the good they have to do; but the latter are to be admonished lest, while they forestall the time of good deeds by inconsiderate haste, they change their meritorious character. To the slothful therefore it is to be intimated, that often, when we will not do at the right time what we can, before long, when we will, we cannot. For the very indolence of …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

How those are to be Admonished who Desire not the Things of Others, but Keep their Own; and those who Give of their Own, yet Seize
(Admonition 22.) Differently to be admonished are those who neither desire what belongs to others nor bestow what is their own, and those who give of what they have, and yet desist not from seizing on what belongs to others. Those who neither desire what belongs to others nor bestow what is their own are to be admonished to consider carefully that the earth out of which they are taken is common to all men, and therefore brings forth nourishment for all in common. Vainly, then, do those suppose …
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Ahaz
The accession of Ahaz to the throne brought Isaiah and his associates face to face with conditions more appalling than any that had hitherto existed in the realm of Judah. Many who had formerly withstood the seductive influence of idolatrous practices were now being persuaded to take part in the worship of heathen deities. Princes in Israel were proving untrue to their trust; false prophets were arising with messages to lead astray; even some of the priests were teaching for hire. Yet the leaders …
Ellen Gould White—The Story of Prophets and Kings

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John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

"And the Life. " How Christ is the Life.
This, as the former, being spoken indefinitely, may be universally taken, as relating both to such as are yet in the state of nature, and to such as are in the state of grace, and so may be considered in reference to both, and ground three points of truth, both in reference to the one, and in reference to the other; to wit, 1. That our case is such as we stand in need of his help, as being the Life. 2. That no other way but by him, can we get that supply of life, which we stand in need of, for he …
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How Christ is the Way in General, "I am the Way. "
We come now to speak more particularly to the words; and, first, Of his being a way. Our design being to point at the way of use-making of Christ in all our necessities, straits, and difficulties which are in our way to heaven; and particularly to point out the way how believers should make use of Christ in all their particular exigencies; and so live by faith in him, walk in him, grow up in him, advance and march forward toward glory in him. It will not be amiss to speak of this fulness of Christ …
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An Analysis of Augustin's Writings against the Donatists.
The object of this chapter is to present a rudimentary outline and summary of all that Augustin penned or spoke against those traditional North African Christians whom he was pleased to regard as schismatics. It will be arranged, so far as may be, in chronological order, following the dates suggested by the Benedictine edition. The necessary brevity precludes anything but a very meagre treatment of so considerable a theme. The writer takes no responsibility for the ecclesiological tenets of the …
St. Augustine—writings in connection with the donatist controversy.

Paul's Departure and Crown;
OR, AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. IV. 6-8 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR How great and glorious is the Christian's ultimate destiny--a kingdom and a crown! Surely it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what ear never heard, nor mortal eye ever saw? the mansions of the blest--the realms of glory--'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' For whom can so precious an inheritance be intended? How are those treated in this world who are entitled to so glorious, so exalted, so eternal, …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

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