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wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces.

The Lord will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds.

How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people! The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick. The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning. The crown is fallen from our head. My harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

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Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

MISCELLANEOUS MORAL SELECTION FROM THE APOCRYPHA.

She doeth the

Above all things truth

SECT. 1. GREAT is the truth. things that are just. beareth away the victory.

In no wise speak against the truth. Be steadfast in thy understanding; and let thy word be

the same.

True dealing shall endure for ever.

Do uprightly all thy life long. For if thou deal truly, thy doings shall prosperously succeed to thee, and to all them that live justly.

Show thyself merciful and just. Let just men eat and drink with thee.

Neglect not to give alms. Do right to the widow, be a father unto the fatherless, give to the poor, defend the orphan, clothe the naked, heal the broken and weak, be not slow to visit the sick, laugh not a lame man to scorn, defend the maimed, and deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor.

Give alms of thy substance. If thou hast abundance, give alms accordingly: if thou hast but a little, be not afraid to give according to that little. Give of thy bread to the hungry, and of thy garments to them that are naked; and let not thine eye be envious when thou givest alms.

Defraud not the poor of his living, and make not the needy eyes to wait long. Make not a hungry soul sorrowful; neither provoke a man in his distress. Add not more trouble to a heart that is vexed; and defer not to give to him that is in need. Reject not the supplication of the affiicted; neither turn away thy face from a poor man. Turn not away thine eye from the needy and give him none occasion to curse thee.

There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that giveth no alms. Be faithful to thy neighbour in his poverty, that thou mayest rejoice in his prosperity.

Lend thy neighbour in time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season. Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him, and thou shalt always find the thing that is necessary for thee.

Many when a thing was lent them, reckoned it to be found, and put them to trouble that helped them, Till he hath received, he will kiss a man's hand; and for his neighbour's money he will speak submissively: but when he should repay he will prolong the time, and return words of grief, and complain of the time. Many, therefore, have refused to lend for other men's illdealing, fearing to be defrauded.

Be not surety above thy power; for if thou be surety take care to pay.

SECT. 2. Set not thy heart upon thy goods. There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man; for such an one setteth his own soul to sale.

Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is hoarded up, what profit is in them both?

Hate not laborious work. To labour, and be content with what a man hath, is a sweet life. Go on with thy business in meekness.

Eat, as it becometh a man, those things which are set before thee; and devour not.

A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured..

Sound sleep cometh of moderate eating. Drunkenness diminisheth strength, and makthe wounds.

Better is the poor, being sound and strong of constitution, than a rich man that is afflicted in his body.

In lewdness is decay and great want: for lewdness is the mother of famine.

Envy and wrath shorten the life.

SECT. 3. Let reason go before every enterprise, and counsel before every action.

Ask counsel of all that are wise, and despise not any counsel that is profitable.

Consult not with one that suspecteth thee; neither with a coward, in matters of war; nor with a buyer, of selling; nor with an envious man, of thankfulness; nor with an unmerciful man, touching kindness; nor with the slothful, for any work.

Consult not with a fool; for he cannot keep counsel.

Be in peace with many; nevertheless have but one counsellor of a thousand.

SECT. 4. Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men, and take good heed what thou speakest. Refrain not to speak when there is occasion to do good.

Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in a few words.

Open not thine heart to every man.

Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss.

He that can rule his tongue shall live without strife.

Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not. Be circumspect in all that thou doest, and be wise in all thy conversation.

Accustom not thy mouth to swearing; neither

use thyself to the naming of the Holy One. He that sweareth and nameth God continually, shall not be faultless.

Blame not before thou hast examined the truth understand first, and then rebuke.

Answer not before thou hast heard the cause; neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk. Be swift to hear; and let thy life be sincere; and with patience give answer.

Profess not the knowledge that thou hast not. If thou hast understanding, answer thy neighbour; if not, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. It is much better to reprove than to be angry secretly; and he that confesseth his fault shall be preserved from hurt.

An unseasonable tale will always be in the mouth of the unwise.

Reproach not a man that turneth from sin. SECT 5. Admonish a friend, it may he hath not done it; and if he have done it, that he do it no more. Admonish thy friend, it may be he hath not said it; and if he have, that he speak it not again. Admonish a friend: for many times it is a slander, and believe not every tale. There is one that slippeth in his speech, but not from his heart; and who is he that hath not of fended with his tongue ?

Forsake not an old friend. Nothing doth countervail a faithful friend, and his excellency is invaluable.

Change not a friend for any good. Love thy friend, and be faithful unto him,

A friend cannot be known in prosperity; and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.

Rejoice not over thy greatest enemy, being dead, but remember that we all die.

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