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Dreams Mean Nothing

34The senseless have vain and false hopes,
   and dreams give wings to fools.
² As one who catches at a shadow and pursues the wind,
   so is anyone who believes in^* dreams.
³ What is seen in dreams is but a reflection,
   the likeness of a face looking at itself.
⁴ From an unclean thing what can be clean?
   And from something false what can be true?
⁵ Divinations and omens and dreams are unreal,
   and like a woman in labour, the mind has fantasies.
⁶ Unless they are sent by intervention from the Most High,
   pay no attention to them.
⁷ For dreams have deceived many,
   and those who put their hope in them have perished.
⁸ Without such deceptions the law will be fulfilled,
   and wisdom is complete in the mouth of the faithful.

Experience as a Teacher

⁹ An educated^* person knows many things,
   and one with much experience knows what he is talking about.
¹⁰ An inexperienced person knows few things,
¹¹   but he that has travelled acquires much cleverness.
¹² I have seen many things in my travels,
   and I understand more than I can express.
¹³ I have often been in danger of death,
   but have escaped because of these experiences.

Fear the Lord

¹⁴ The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live,
¹⁵   for their hope is in him who saves them.
¹⁶ Those who fear the Lord will not be timid,
   or play the coward, for he is their hope.
¹⁷ Happy is the soul that fears the Lord!
¹⁸   To whom does he look? And who is his support?
¹⁹ The eyes of the Lord are on those who love him,
   a mighty shield and strong support,
a shelter from scorching wind and a shade from noonday sun,
   a guard against stumbling and a help against falling.
²⁰ He lifts up the soul and makes the eyes sparkle;
   he gives health and life and blessing.

Offering Sacrifices

²¹ If one sacrifices ill-gotten goods, the offering is blemished;^*
22   the gifts^* of the lawless are not acceptable.
²³ The Most High is not pleased with the offerings of the ungodly,
   nor for a multitude of sacrifices does he forgive sins.
²⁴ Like one who kills a son before his father’s eyes
   is the person who offers a sacrifice from the property of the poor.
²⁵ The bread of the needy is the life of the poor;
   whoever deprives them of it is a murderer.
²⁶ To take away a neighbour’s living is to commit murder;
²⁷   to deprive an employee of wages is to shed blood.

²⁸ When one builds and another tears down,
   what do they gain but hard work?
²⁹ When one prays and another curses,
   to whose voice will the Lord listen?
³⁰ If one washes after touching a corpse, and touches it again,
   what has been gained by washing?
³¹ So if someone fasts for his sins,
   and goes again and does the same things,
who will listen to his prayer?
   And what has he gained by humbling himself?