Dreams

1 Empty hopes deceive

ignorant people,

and dreams lead fools

to be even more foolish.

2Believing in dreams

is like holding on to shadows

or chasing the wind.

3Just as a mirror

reflects your face,

your dreams reflect

your concerns.

4Something clean cannot come

from something dirty,

and truth cannot come

from a lie.

5Dreams are meaningless,

like something said

by a fortuneteller,

because they can mean anything

you want them to.

6So unless a dream has been sent

by God Most High,

ignore it.

7Dreams have fooled many--

first giving them hope,

then disappointing them.

8You can obey God's Law

and learn from wise people,

without paying attention

to deceitful dreams.

Learning by Traveling

9A person who has traveled

has learned many things,

and knows about them

from experience.

10If you have few experiences,

you won't learn much,

11but the more you travel,

the smarter you will become.

12I saw many things

when I traveled,

and I learned more

than I can tell you.

13My life was often in danger,

but what I had learned

always helped me escape.

Fear the Lord

* 14If you fear the Lord

and put your trust in him,

15he will keep you safe,

16and so you can be brave

and face any danger.

17The Lord will bless you

if you fear him

18and ask for his help.

19And if you love the Lord,

he will give you strength

and keep you from falling.

He will be your shield,

protecting you and giving shade

from the burning heat

of the summer sun at noon.

20Your eyes will sparkle

with the happiness he gives,

and he will bless you

with health and a long life.

Sacrifices

21A stolen animal isn't fit

as a sacrifice for the Lord,

22and he won't accept gifts

from those who reject his Law.

23Sinners cannot please

God Most High,

and he will not forgive them,

even if they offer

sacrifice after sacrifice.

24Stealing food from the poor

to offer as a sacrifice

is like murdering children

while their parents watch.

25The poor have so little food,

that taking it is the same

as committing murder.

26Stealing what someone needs

to earn a living

is the same as murder,

27and refusing to pay the wages

of someone who works for you

is just as evil.

28So, if you steal possessions

that others worked for,

you will cause trouble

for yourself and for them.

29When they are asking God

to put a curse on you,

will he listen to your prayer?

30 If you are unclean

from touching a dead body,

what's the point of washing

if you touch the body again?

31Suppose you go without eating

to show sorrow for your sins

and then commit

the same sins again.

Will God forgive you?

No, it was all for nothing.