For you, God, have tested us. You have refined us, as silver is refined. | You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver. |
The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver. The heart of the wicked is of little worth. | The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless. |
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You shall most certainly not make gods of silver or gods of gold for yourselves to be alongside me. | Remember, you must not make any idols of silver or gold to rival me. |
How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. | How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver! |
A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold. | Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold. |
He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. | Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! |
Knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things like silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ. | For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. |
For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the ax. They deck it with silver and with gold. They fasten it with nails and with hammers, so that it can’t move. They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and don’t speak. They must be carried, because they can’t move. Don’t be afraid of them; for they can’t do evil, neither is it in them to do good. | Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol. They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won’t fall over. Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good. |