Page images
PDF
EPUB

wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

13 We shall find all precious substance, we sha" fill our houses with spoil:

14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse.

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: 16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood :

17 (Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird :)

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

20 ¶ Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets;

21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

24¶ Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; will mock when your fear cometh;

6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righ teous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul,

11 Discretion shall preserve thee, under standing shall keep thee;

12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

15 Whose ways are crooked, and they fro ward in their paths:

16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God: 18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life;

20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

22 But the wicked shall be cut off from

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, the earth, and the transgressors shall be rootand your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; ed out of it.

when distress and anguish cometh upon you: 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30 They would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof:

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

CHAP. II.

MY

CHAP. III.

son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding, 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

71 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, Honour the LORD with thy substance?

2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: 12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. 13¶ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding

PROVERBS.

For the merchandise of it is better than 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; there merchandise of silver, and the gain there-fore get wisdom: and with all thy getting han fine gold.

5 She is more precious than rubies: and the things thou canst desire are not to be pared unto her.

(

6 Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand riches and honour.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and
her paths, are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay
d upon her: and happy is every one that
taineth her.

get understanding.

8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee; she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. 11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not shalt not stumble. be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou

19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the rth; by understanding hath he established

e heavens.

20 By his knowledge the depths are broken p, and the clouds drop down the dew.

21 ¶ My son, let not them depart from thine yes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: 22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and race to thy neck.

23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safey, and thy foot shall not stumble.

24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

14¶ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

and

15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, pass away.

16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. 26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

27

18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

19 The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble.

201 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings:

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart:

22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.

31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.

33¶ The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. CHAP. IV.

HEAR, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

2 For 1 give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. CHAP. V.

MY

son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding; 2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

31 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honey-comb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

S For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

5 Get wisdom, get understanding; forget it not: neither decline from the words of

my mouth.

Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

7 Hear me now therefore, O ye chil dren, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house;

[blocks in formation]

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

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

My son, if thou be surety for thy friend,

if thou hast stranger,

with a

2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

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 ravish-man. ed 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.

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

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 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

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

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:

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.

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

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 burned?

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

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

29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's

wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be

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 seven-fold; he shall give all the substance of 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 away.

34 For jealousy is the rage of a man; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35 He will not regard any ransom ; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many

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

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or gifts. ruler,

CHAP. VII.

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and MY son, keep my words, and lay up my

gathereth her food in the harvest.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? 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.

121 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

[blocks in formation]

PROVERBS.

They are all plain to him that understandeth, 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 wisdom: 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 richies 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 begin ning 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 comunderstand-mandment: when he appointed the founda.

tions of the earth:

ed among the youths, a young man void derstanding,

Passing through the street near her corand he went the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening, in the k and dark night; 0 And behold, there met him a woman the attire of an harlot, and subtile of rt.

1 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet de not in her house:

12 Now is she without, now in the streets,
d lieth in wait at every corner.),
13 So she caught him, and kissed him,
d with an impudent face said unto him,
14 I have peace-offerings with me; this day
ve I paid my vows:

15 Therefore came 1 forth to meet thee,
ligently to seek thy face; and I have found

ee.

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

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

18 Come, let us take our fill of love until he 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 her 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:

26 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.

OTH not wisdom cry? and DOTH not wisdom cry? a

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.

30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him; and I was daily his delight, re joicing always before him;

31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sous

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

6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall 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 per verse in them

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 9 He that walketh uprightly walketh sure. his own soul: all they that hate me love death.ly: but he that perverteth his ways shall be CHAP. IX.

known.

WISDOM hath builded her house, she

10 He that winketh with the eye causeth Sorrow but a prating fool shall fall.

hath bewn out her seven

The mouth of a righteous man is a well

2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished of life: but violence covereth the mouth of her table; the wicked.

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 wick-life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. ed 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.

17 He is in the way of life that keepeth in:struction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.

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

1) In the multitude of words there wanteth not siu: 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.

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:

16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread 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.

Tmaketh a glad faber, but a foolish son
HE Proverbs of Solomon. A wise 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.

a

4 He becometh poor that dealeth with 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.

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

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

7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.

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

15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to

8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

23 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: 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 glad ness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

29 The way of the LORD is strength to the ups of iniquity upright; but destruction shall be to the work

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »