wealth, and thy labours be in the house of a stranger,

11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, 12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof?

13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me?

14 I was almost in all evil, in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the

streets.

17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers with thee.

18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe, let her breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou ravished always with her love.

20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? 21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

23 He shall die without instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

M

CHAP VI.
Against Suretiship.

son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend: go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor lumber to thine eyelids.

5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise.

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

Adultery.

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O slug. gard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

12

A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. 13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers.

14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually, he soweth discord.

15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

16 These six things doth the LORD hate; yea seven are an abomination unto him:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood:

18 A heart that deviseth wicked ima ginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief:

19 A false witness that speaketh lies; and him that soweth discord among brethren.

20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

23 For the Commandment is a lamp, and the Law is light: and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

26 For by means of a whorish woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread : and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burnt?

28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt ?

The description

29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her, shall not be innocent.

30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul, when he is hungry :

31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold, he shall give all the substance of his house.

32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh understanding: he that doeth it, destroyeth his own soul.

33 A wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped

of a harlot. 15 Therefore came I forth to meet

thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thec.

16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning, let us solace ourselves with loves.

19 For the good-man is not at home, he is gone a long journey.

20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

21 With much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,

23 Till a dart strike through his liver, as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

25 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea many strong men have been slain by her.

27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

CHAP. VIII.

The fame, and evidency of wisdom. OTH not Wisdom cry? and Understanding put forth her voice? 2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

4 Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of man.

50 ye simple, understand wisdom: and ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face, said unto him,

14 I have peace offerings with me: this day have I paid my vows.

be right things.

7 For my mouth shall speak truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness, there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

9 They are all plain to him that un

derstandeth and right to them that find knowledge.

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 For wisdom is better than rubies: and all the things that may be desired, are not to be compared to it.

12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil pride and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wis dom: I am understanding, I have strength.

15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 By me Princes rule, and Nobles, even all the Judges of the earth.

17 I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me.

18 Riches and honour are with me, yea durable riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yea than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver.

20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment, 21 That I may cause those that love me, to inherit substance: and I will fill their treasures.

22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth: when there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, was I brought forth: 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there when he set a compass upon the face of the depth :

28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him :

Wisdom's feast.

31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights were with the sons of men.

32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children for blessed are they that keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

34 Blessed is the man that heareth me: watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 For whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. 36 But he that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul; all they that hate me love death.

2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine: she bath also furnished her table.

3 She hath sent forth her maidens; she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine, which I have mingled.

6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

7 He that reproveth a scorner, getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himself a blot. 8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied: and the years of thy life shall be increased.

12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.

14 For she sitteth at the door of her house on a seat, in the high places of the city,

15 To call passengers who go right on their ways:

eaten in secret is pleasant.

18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell. CHAP. X.

From this Chapter to the five and twentieth, are sundry observations of moral virtues, and their contrary vices.

THE

HE Proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing but righteousness delivereth from death.

3 The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

5 He that gathereth in summer, is a wise son but he that sleepeth in harvest, is a son that causeth shame.

6 Blessings are upon the head of the just but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

7 The memory of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot. 8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

9 He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely but he that perverteth his ways, shall be known.

10 He that winketh with the eye, causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

13 In the lips of him that hath under. standing, wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver the heart of the wicked is little worth.

21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

23 It is as a sport to a fool to do mis. chief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

25 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.

26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.

32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness. CHAP. XI.

A

FALSE balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame but with the lowly is wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.