for a stranger: and take a pledge | more acceptable to the LORD than of him for a strange woman.

sacrifice.

i 17 Bread of deceit is sweet to at 4 A high look, and a proud heart, man; but afterwards his mouth shall and the ploughing of the wicked, is be filled with gravel.

sin,

18 Every purpose is established d 5 The thoughts of the diligent by counsel and with good advice tend only to plenteousness; but of make war. every one that is hasty, only to want. p 19 He that goeth about as a tale-p 6 The getting of treasures by a bearer revealeth secrets: therefore lying tongue is a vanity tossed to meddle not with him that flattereth and fro of them that seek death. with his lips.

w 20 Whoso curseth his father or his
mother, his lamp shall be put out in
obscure darkness.

k 21 An inheritance may be gotten
hastily at the beginning; but the
end thereof shall not be blessed.
d 22 Say not thou, I will recom-
pense evil; but wait on the LORD,
and he shall save thee.

e 7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

c 8 The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

k 9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

c 10 The soul of the wicked desireth p 23 Divers weights are an abomi-evil: his neighbour findeth no fanation unto the LORD: and a false vour in his eyes. balance is not good.

t 24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry.

26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

127 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by

mercy.

i 29 The glory of young men is their strength and the beauty of old men is the gray head.

i 30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly. CHAP. XXI.

iTHE king's heart is in the

hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water he turneth it whithersoever he will.

t2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

11 When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.

c. 12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.

w 13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom, strong wrath.

e 15 It is joy to the just to do judg ment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

k 17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.

k 19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

3 To do justice and judgment is 20 There is treasure to be desired,

and oil in the dwelling of the wise; k 7 The rich ruleth over the poor, but a foolish man spendeth it up. and the borrower is servant to the b 21 He that followeth after righ-lender.

teousness and mercy, findeth life, i 8 He that soweth iniquity shall righteousness, and honour. reap vanity and the rod of his anger shall fail.

22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. k 23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles

24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud 11 He that loveth pureness of wrath. heart, for the grace of his lips the p 25 The desire of the slothful kill-king shall be his friend. eth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giv t 30 There is no wisdom nor under-eth to the rich, shall surely come to standing nor counsel against the LORD.

angry man, and with a furious man rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

thou shalt not go.

25 Lest thou learn his ways, and k 15 My son, if thy heart be wise, get a snare to thy soul. my heart shall rejoice, even mine. P 26 Be not thou one of them that 16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, strike hands, or of them that are sure-when thy lips speak right things. ties for debts. p 17 Let not thy heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

p 28 Remove not the ancient land-
mark, which toy fathers nave set.
d 29 Seest thou a man diligent in
his business? he shall stand before
kings; he shall not stand before

mean men.

CHAP. XXIII.
PW
WHEN thou sittest to eat with
a ruler, consider diligently

what is before thee:

18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off

19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way. p 20 Be not among wine-bibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh :

21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with

rags.

2 And put a knife to thy throat, d 22 Hearken unto thy father that if thou be a man given to appetite. begat thee, and despise not thy mo3 Be not desirous of his dainties:ther when she is old. for they are deceitful meat. p 4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

E5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. p 6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

e 23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

k 24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, d 26 My son, give me thy heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to and let thine eyes observe my ways. thee; but his heart is not with thee. p 27 For a whore is a deep ditch; 8 The morsel which thou hast and a strange woman is a narrow eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

pit.

28 She also lieth in wait as for a 9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: prey, and increaseth the transgressfor he will despise the wisdom of thy ors among men.

words.

w 29 Who hath wo? who hath sork 10 Remove not the old land-row? who hath contentions? who mark; and enter not into the fields hath babbling who hath wounds of the fatherless; without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

11 For their Redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee. 12 Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

d 13 Withhold not correction from the child for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

14 Thou shalt beat him with the

30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

p 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

i 32 At the last it biteth like a

serpent, and stingeth like an adder. wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange hast found it, then there shall be a women, and thy heart shall utter reward, and thy expectation shall perverse things. not be cut off.

34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that heth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a

mast.

35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

CHAP. XXIV.

p 15 Lay not wait, O wicked man,
against the dwelling of the righ
teous; spoil not his resting-place:
e 16 For a just man falleth seven
times, and riseth up again but the
wicked shall fall into mischief.
p 17 Rejoice not when thine ene-
my falleth, and let not thy heart be
glad when he stumbleth :

18 Lest the LORD see it, and it E not thou envious against displease him, and he turn away his

"Bevilmen, neither desire to wrath from him.

be with them.

P 19 Fret not thyself because of 2 For their heart studieth destruc-[evil men, neither be thou envious at tion, and their lips talk of mischief. the wicked; 3 Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established:

4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

k 5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. 8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

w 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the I wicked shall be put out. d 21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king and meddle not with them that are given to change.

22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

p 23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

9 The thought of foolishness is 25 But to them that rebuke him sin and the scorner is an abomina-shall be delight, and a good blesstion to men.

p 10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

ing shall come upon them.

26 Every man shall kiss Iris lips that giveth a right answer.

27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house. 12 If thou sayest, Behold, wep 28 Be not a witness against thy knew it not; doth not he that neighbour without cause; and depondereth the heart consider it?ceive not with thy lips.

and be that keepeth thy soul, doth p 29 Say not, I will do so to him not he know it? and shall not he as he hath done to me: I will renrender to every man according to his der to the man according to his works ? work.

i 13 My son, eat thou honey, be-p 30 I went by the field of the slothcause it is good; and the honey-ful, and by the vineyard of the man comb, which is sweet to thy taste: void of understanding; 31 And lo, it was all grown over

14 So shall the knowledge of

with thorns, and nettles had covered he refresheth the soul of his masters. the face thereof, and the stone wall i 14 Whoso boasteth himself of a thereof was broken down. false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue break

A 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slum-eth the bone.
ber, a little folding of the hands to
sleep:

34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want

as an armed man.

T

CHAP. XXV. HESE are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out. t2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee. p 18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. k 19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre: so is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.

4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth ad* 21 If thine enemy be hungry,^ vessel for the finer. give him bread to eat; and if he be 5 Take away the wicked from thirsty, give him water to drink: before the king, and his throne shall 22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD

be established in righteousness.

p 6 Put not forth thyself in the pre-shall reward thee.

sence of the king, and stand not in i 23 The north wind driveth away the place of great men : rain so doth an angry countenance

7 For better it is that it be said a backbiting tongue unto thee, Come up hither; thank 24 It is better to dwell in a corner that thou shouldest be put lower of the house-top, than with a brawlin the presence of the prince whom ing woman and in a wide house. thine eyes have seen. E25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

p 8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

i 11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

12 As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring. i 27 It is not good to eat much honey so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

i 28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. CHAP. XXVI.

i

AS snow in summer, and as rain

in harvest; so honour is not

seemly for a fool.

2 As the bird by wandering, as 13 As the cold of snow in the the swallow by flying, so the curse time of harvest, so is a faithful mes-causeless shall not come.

senger to them that send him: for 3 Awhip for the horse, a bridle for