Day 371 of 730

¹Again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.

²In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot black horses;

³in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot dappled horses, all of them powerful.

⁴Then I asked the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?"

⁵The angel answered me, "These are the four winds of the sky, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.

⁶The one with the black horses goes out toward the north country; and the white went out after them; and the dappled went forth toward the south country."

⁷The strong went out, and sought to go that they might walk back and forth through the earth: and he said, "Go around and through the earth!" So they walked back and forth through the earth.

⁸Then he called to me, and spoke to me, saying, "Behold, those who go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country."

⁹The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

¹⁰"Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah; and come the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have come from Babylon.

¹¹Yes, take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest;

¹²and speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, "Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the temple of the Lord;

¹³even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne; and he shall be a priest on his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

¹⁴The crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the Lord.

¹⁵Those who are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord; and you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. This will happen, if you will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God."'"

¹In you, Lord, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed.

²Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me.

³Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

⁴Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

⁵For you are my hope, Lord God; my confidence from my youth.

⁶I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother's womb. I will always praise you.

⁷I am a marvel to many, but you are my strong refuge.

⁸My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your honor all the day.

⁹Do not reject me in my old age. Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

¹⁰For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,

¹¹saying, "God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him."

¹²God, do not be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.

¹³Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.

¹⁴But I will always hope, and will add to all of your praise.

¹⁵My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I do not know its full measure.

¹⁶I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord God. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.

¹⁷God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.

¹⁸Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, do not forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.

¹⁹Your righteousness also, God, reaches to the heavens; you have done great things. God, who is like you?

²⁰You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles, you will let me live. You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

²¹Increase my honor, and comfort me again.

²²I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God. I sing praises to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.

²³My lips shall shout for joy! My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!

²⁴My tongue will also talk about your righteousness all day long, for they are disappointed, and they are confounded, who want to harm me.

¹The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

²"Surely I am the most ignorant man, and do not have a man's understanding.

³I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

⁴Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know?

⁵"Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

⁶Do not add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

⁷"Two things I have asked of you; do not deny me before I die:

⁸Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;

⁹lest I be full, deny you, and say, 'Who is the Lord?' or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

¹⁰"Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

¹¹There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn't bless their mother.

¹²There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.

¹³There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.

¹⁴There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.

¹⁵"The leach has two daughters: 'Give, give.' "There are three things that are never satisfied; four that do not say, 'Enough:'

¹⁶Sheol, the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that doesn't say, 'Enough.'

¹⁷"The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother: the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.

¹⁸"There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I do not understand:

¹⁹The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent on a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maiden.

²⁰"So is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, 'I have done nothing wrong.'

²¹"For three things the earth tremble, and under four, it can't bear up:

²²For a servant when he is king; a fool when he is filled with food;

²³for an unloved woman when she is married; and a handmaid who is heir to her mistress.

²⁴"There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

²⁵the ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

²⁶The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.

²⁷The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

²⁸You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.

²⁹"There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:

³⁰The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn't turn away for any;

³¹the greyhound, the male goat also; and the king against whom there is no rising up.

³²"If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.

³³For as the churning of milk brings forth butter, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife."