Isaiah 5:7-16

⁷ For the vineyard of Yahweh of Armies is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry of distress. ⁸ Woe to those who join house to house, who lay field to field, until there is no room, and you are made to dwell alone in the middle of the land! ⁹ In my ears, Yahweh of Armies says: “Surely many houses will be desolate, even great and beautiful, unoccupied. ¹⁰ For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield an ephah.” ¹¹ Woe to those who rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; who stay late into the night, until wine inflames them! ¹² The harp, lyre, tambourine, and flute, with wine, are at their feasts; but they don’t respect the work of Yahweh, neither have they considered the operation of his hands. ¹³ Therefore my people go into captivity for lack of knowledge. Their honorable men are famished, and their multitudes are parched with thirst. ¹⁴ Therefore Sheol has enlarged its desire, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, their multitude, their pomp, and he who rejoices among them, descend into it. ¹⁵ So man is brought low, mankind is humbled, and the eyes of the arrogant ones are humbled; ¹⁶ but Yahweh of Armies is exalted in justice, and God the Holy One is sanctified in righteousness.

Genesis 4:8-15

⁸ Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him. ⁹ Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” ¹⁰ Yahweh said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground. ¹¹ Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹² From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.” ¹³ Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. ¹⁴ Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. Whoever finds me will kill me.” ¹⁵ Yahweh said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.

Proverbs 5:1-15

¹ My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding: ² that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge. ³ For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil, ⁴ but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword. ⁵ Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol. ⁶ She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn’t know it. ⁷ Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth. ⁸ Remove your way far from her. Don’t come near the door of her house, ⁹ lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one; ¹⁰ lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich another man’s house. ¹¹ You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed, ¹² and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; ¹³ neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me! ¹⁴ I have come to the brink of utter ruin, among the gathered assembly.” ¹⁵ Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well.