children, and layeth hold of and be not afhamed, when it them that seek her. 12 He that loveth her, loveth life; and they that feek to her early, fhall be filled with joy. 13 He that holdeth her faft fhall inherit glory; and where foever fhe entereth, the Lord will blefs. 14 They that ferve her, fhall minister to the Holy One: and them that love her, the Lord doth love. 15 Whofo giveth ear unto her, fhall judge the nations and he that attendeth unto her, fhall dwell fecurely. 16 If a man commit himfelf unto her, he shall inherit her; and his generation fhall hold her in poffeffion. 17 For at the firft fhe will walk with him by crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her difcipline, until fhe may truft his foul, and try him by her laws. 18 Then will fhe return the straight way unto him, and comfort him, and fhew him her fecrets. 19 But if he will forfake him, and give him over to his own ruin. go wrong, fhe 20 Obferve the opportunity, and beware of evil; concerneth thy foul. 21 For there is a fhame that bringeth fin; and there is a fhame which is glory and grace. 22 Accept no perfon againft thy foul, and let not the reverence of any man cause thee to fall. 23 And refrain not to fpeak, when there is occafion to do good, and hide not thy wildom in her beauty. 24 For by speech wisdom fhall be known; and learning by the word of the tongue. 25 In no wife fpeak against the truth; but be abashed of the error of thine ignorance. 26 Be not ashamed to confefs thy fins; and force not the courfe of the river. 27 Make not thyself an underling to a foolish man; neither accept the person of the mighty. 28 Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord fhall fight for thee. 29 Be not hafty in thy tongue: and in thy deeds flack and remifs. 30 Be not as a lion in thy houfe: nor frantick among thy fervants. 31 Let not thine hand be ftretched out to receive, and fhut shut when thou fhouldest they fhall not profit thee in the day of calamity. repay. SE CHAP. V. ET not thy heart upon thy goods; and fay not, I have enough for my life. 2 Follow not thine own mind, and thy ftrength to walk in the ways of thy heart: 3 And fay not, Who fhall control me for my works? for the Lord will furely revenge thy pride. 9 Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way: for fo doth the finner that hath a double tongue. 10 Be ftedfast in thy understanding, and let thy word be the fame. 11 Be swift to hear; and let thy life be fincere, and with patience give answer. 12 If thou haft underftanding, answer thy neighbour; if not, lay thy hand upon thy mouth." 13 Honour and shame is in talk: and the tongue of man is his fall. 4 Say not, I have finned, and what harm hath happened unto me? for the Lord is long-fuffering, he will in no wife let thee go. 14 Be not called a whif5 Concerning propitia-perer, and lie not in wait tion, be not without fear to with thy tongue: for a foul add fin unto fin: fhame is upon the thief, and an evil condemnation upon the double tongue. 6¶ And fay not, His mercy is great; he will be pacified for the multitude of my fins for mercy and wrath come from him, and his indignation refteth upon fin ners. 7 Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day: for fuddenly fhall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in thy fecurity thou shalt be deftroyed, and perish in the day of vengeance. 8 Set not thine heart upon goods unjustly gotten, for 15 Be not ignorant of any thing, in a great matter, or a fmall. CHAP. VI. TNftead of a friend, be come not an enemy; for (thereby) thou fhalt inherit an ill name, fhame and reproach: even so shall a finner that hath a double not torn in pieces as a bull and will hide himself from (ftraying alone.) 3 Thou fhalt eat up thy leaves, and lofe thy fruit, and leave thyfelf as a dry tree. 4 A wicked foul fhall deftroy him that hath it, and fhall make him to be laughed to fcorn of his enemies. thy face. 13 Separate thyfelf from thine enemies, and take heed of thy friends. 14 A faithful friend is a ftrong defence: and he that hath found fuch an one, hath found a treasure. 15 Nothing doth coun-. a faithful friend, 5 Sweet language will tervail multiply friends and a fair and his excellency is invaspeaking tongue will increase luable. kind greetings. 16 A faithful friend is the 6 Be in peace with ma-medicine of life; and they ny: nevertheless have but that fear the Lord shall find one counsellor of a thou- him. fand. 7 ¶ If thou wouldeft get a friend, prove him firft, and be not hafty to credit him. 8 For fome man is a friend for his own occafion, and will not abide in the day of thy trouble. 9 And there is a friend, who, being turned to enmity and ftrife, will difcover thy reproach. 10 Again, fome friend is a companion at the table, and will not continue in the day of thy affliction. II But in thy profperity he will be as thyfelf, and will be bold over thy fer vants. 17 Whofo feareth the Lord fhall direct his friendship aright: for as he is, fo fhall his neighbour be alfo. 18 My fon, gather inftruction from thy youth up: fo fhalt thou find wisdom till thine old age. 19 Come unto her as one that ploweth and foweth, and wait for her good fruits: for thou fhalt not toil much in labouring about her, but thou fhalt eat of her fruits right foon. 20 She is very unpleasant to the unlearned: he that is without understanding will not remain with her. 21 She will lie upon him, as a mighty ftone of trial; 12 If thou be brought and he will caft her from hini low, he will be against thee, Jere it be long. LI 22 For 22 For wisdom is accord- thou fhalt receive undering to her name, and fhe is ftanding: and if thou bow not manifeft unto many. thine ear, thou shalt be wife. 23 Give ear, my son, receive my advice, and refufe not my counsel. 24 And put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chain. 25 Bow down thy fhoulder, and bear her, and be not, grieved with her bonds. 26 Come unto her with thy whole heart, and keep her ways with all thy power. 27 Search and feek, and fhe fhall be made known unto thee: and when thou haft got hold of her, let her not go. 28 For at the last thou fhalt find her reft, and that fhall be turned to thy joy. 29 Then fhall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and her chains a robe of glory: 30 For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are purple lace. 31 Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour: and fhalt put her about thee as a crown of joy. 32 My fon, if thou wilt, thou fhalt be taught: and if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou fhalt be prudent. 34 Stand in the multitude of the elders, and cleave unto him that is wife. 35 Be willing to hear every godly difcourfe, and let not the parables of underftanding escape thee. 36 And if thou feest a man of understanding, get thee betimes unto him, and let thy foot wear the steps of his door. 37 Let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the Lord, and meditate continually in his commandments: he shall establish thine heart, and give thee wisdom at thine own defire. 2 Depart from the unjuft, and iniquity fhall turn away from thee. 3 My fon, fow not upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and thou shalt not reap them feven fold. 4¶ Seek not of the Lord pre-eminence, neither of the king the feat of honour. 5 Justify not thyself before 33 If thou love to hear, the Lord, and boaft not of thy wisdom before the king. 6 Seek not to be judge, being not able to take away iniquity, left at any time thou fear the perfon of the mighty, and lay a ftumbling block in the way of thy up-. rightness. 7 Offend not against the multitude of a city, and then thou fhalt not caft thyfelf down among the people. 8 Bind not one fin upon another, for in one thou fhalt not be unpunished. 9 Say not, God will look upon the multitude of my oblations, and when I offer to the most high God, he will accept it. 10 ¶ Be not faint-hearted when thou makeft thy prayer, and neglect not to give alms. II Laugh no man to fcorn in the bitterness of his foul: for there is one which humbleth and exalteth. 12 Devife not a lye against thy brother: neither do the like to thy friend. 13 Ufe not to make any manner of lye: for the cuftom thereof is not good. 14 Use not many words in a multitude of elders, and make not much babbling when thou prayest. 15 Hate not laborious work, neither hufbandry, which the moft High hath ordained. 16 Number not thyself among the multitude of finners, but remember that wrath will not tarry long. 17 Humble thy foul greatly for the vengeance of the ungodly is fire and worms. for 18 Change not a friend any good by no means: neither a faithful brother for the gold of Ophir. 19 Forego not a wife and good woman, for her grace is above gold. 20 Whereas thy fervant worketh truly, entreat him not evil, nor the hireling that beftoweth himself wholly for thee. 21 Let thy foul love a good fervant, and defraud him not of liberty. 22 Haft thou cattle? have an eye to them: and if they be for thy profit, keep them with thee. 23 Haft thou children? inftruct them, and bow down their neck from their youth. 24 Haft thou daughters? have a care of their body, and fhew not thy face cheerful toward them. 25 Marry thy daughter, and fo fhalt thou have performed a LI 2 weighty |