If like me, you have pretty much tried everything you can think of, there comes a time when doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result really is the definition of insanity (like Einstein was supposed to have said.)
James 1:4-6; If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking
Here is my selection of Proverbs for Business. Pour yourself a coffee, get the biscuits and have a read through these...
1:19 Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.
2:3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
3:9 Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
3:13 Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
8:19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice, 21 bestowing
a rich inheritance on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.
10:4 Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.
10:15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
10:22 The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
10:26 Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.
11:11 Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.
11:14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls;
there is safety in having many advisers.
11:24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.
25 The generous will prosper;
those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
11:28 Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.
12:11 A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.
12:14 Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards.
12:24 Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.
13:4 Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.
13:11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.
14:23 Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!
24 Wealth is a crown for the wise;
the effort of fools yields only foolishness.
15:22 Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.
15:31 If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.
15:33 Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.
16:1 We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.
16:3 Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
16:9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
16:16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!
16:21 The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.
16:23 From a wise mind comes wise speech;
the words of the wise are persuasive.
16:31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained by living a godly life.
18:20 Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction.
19:8 To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.
19:17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!
19:21 You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
19:23 Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.
20:22 Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
23 The Lord detests double standards;
he is not pleased by dishonest scales.
21:5 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
6 Wealth created by a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.
21:13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor
will be ignored in their own time of need.
21:17 Those who love pleasure become poor;
those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.
21:20 The wise have wealth and luxury,
but fools spend whatever they get.
21:23 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut,
and you will stay out of trouble.
21:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the Lord.
22:4 True humility and fear of the Lord
lead to riches, honor, and long life.
22:7 Just as the rich rule the poor,
so the borrower is servant to the lender.
22:9 Blessed are those who are generous,
because they feed the poor.
23:4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.
Be wise enough to know when to quit.
23:12 Commit yourself to instruction;
listen carefully to words of knowledge.
24:5 The wise are mightier than the strong,
and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance;
victory depends on having many advisers.
24:16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
24:26 An honest answer
is like a kiss of friendship.
24:30 I walked by the field of a lazy person,
the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
It was covered with weeds,
and its walls were broken down.
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it,
I learned this lesson:
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
27:17 As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend.
27:23 Know the state of your flocks,
and put your heart into caring for your herds,
24 for riches don’t last forever,
and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.
28:9 God detests the prayers
of a person who ignores the law.
28:19 A hard worker has plenty of food,
but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.
20:20 The trustworthy person will get a rich reward,
but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.
28:22 Greedy people try to get rich quick
but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.
28:25 Greed causes fighting;
trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.
28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.
29:18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.
But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
29:23 Pride ends in humiliation,
while humility brings honor.
30:7 O God, I beg two favors from you;
let me have them before I die.
8 First, help me never to tell a lie.
Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
31:6 Alcohol is for the dying,
and wine for those in bitter distress.
7 Let them drink to forget their poverty
and remember their troubles no more.
She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life. 13 She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
14 She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. 16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night. 19 Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
20 She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
21 She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm clothes. 22 She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
23 Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
24 She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants. 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
27 She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness. 28 Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!” 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
31 Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
it takes away the life of those who get it.
2:3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
3:9 Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
3:13 Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
8:19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice, 21 bestowing
a rich inheritance on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.
10:4 Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.
10:15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.
10:22 The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
10:26 Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.
11:11 Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.
11:14 Without wise leadership, a nation falls;
there is safety in having many advisers.
11:24 Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.
25 The generous will prosper;
those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
11:28 Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring.
12:11 A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.
12:14 Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards.
12:24 Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.
13:4 Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.
13:11 Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.
14:23 Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!
24 Wealth is a crown for the wise;
the effort of fools yields only foolishness.
15:22 Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.
15:31 If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.
15:33 Fear of the Lord teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.
16:1 We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.
16:3 Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
16:9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.
16:16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!
16:21 The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.
16:23 From a wise mind comes wise speech;
the words of the wise are persuasive.
16:31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained by living a godly life.
18:20 Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction.
19:8 To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.
19:17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!
19:21 You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
19:23 Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.
20:22 Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
23 The Lord detests double standards;
he is not pleased by dishonest scales.
21:5 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
6 Wealth created by a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.
21:13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor
will be ignored in their own time of need.
21:17 Those who love pleasure become poor;
those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.
21:20 The wise have wealth and luxury,
but fools spend whatever they get.
21:23 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut,
and you will stay out of trouble.
21:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the Lord.
22:4 True humility and fear of the Lord
lead to riches, honor, and long life.
22:7 Just as the rich rule the poor,
so the borrower is servant to the lender.
22:9 Blessed are those who are generous,
because they feed the poor.
23:4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.
Be wise enough to know when to quit.
23:12 Commit yourself to instruction;
listen carefully to words of knowledge.
24:5 The wise are mightier than the strong,
and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance;
victory depends on having many advisers.
24:16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
24:26 An honest answer
is like a kiss of friendship.
24:30 I walked by the field of a lazy person,
the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
It was covered with weeds,
and its walls were broken down.
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it,
I learned this lesson:
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
27:17 As iron sharpens iron,
so a friend sharpens a friend.
27:23 Know the state of your flocks,
and put your heart into caring for your herds,
24 for riches don’t last forever,
and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.
28:9 God detests the prayers
of a person who ignores the law.
28:19 A hard worker has plenty of food,
but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.
20:20 The trustworthy person will get a rich reward,
but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.
28:22 Greedy people try to get rich quick
but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.
28:25 Greed causes fighting;
trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.
28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.
29:18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.
But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
29:23 Pride ends in humiliation,
while humility brings honor.
30:7 O God, I beg two favors from you;
let me have them before I die.
8 First, help me never to tell a lie.
Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
31:6 Alcohol is for the dying,
and wine for those in bitter distress.
7 Let them drink to forget their poverty
and remember their troubles no more.
For Our Wives!
31:10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life. 13 She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
14 She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls. 16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night. 19 Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
20 She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
21 She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm clothes. 22 She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
23 Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
24 She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants. 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
27 She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness. 28 Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!” 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
31 Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
