33 Hear instruction, and be shall seek me early, but they wise, and refuse it not.

shall not find me : 34 Blessed is the man that 10 For that they hated knowheareth me, watching daily at ledge, and did not choose the my gates, waiting at the posts fear of the Lord. of my doors.

11 They would none of my 35 For whoso findeth me, counsel : they despised all my findeth life, and shall obtain reproof. favour of the Lord.

12 Therefore shall they eat 36 But he that sinneth against of the fruit of their own way, me wrongeth his own soul : all and be filled with their own dethey that hate me love death. vices.

13 For the turning away of LESSON LXX.

the simple shall slay them, and

the prosperity of fools shall deWISDOM crieth without; she ut- stroy them. tereth her voice in the streets : 14 But whoso hearkeneth un

2 She crieth in the chief to me, shall dwell safely, and place of concourse, in the open- shall be quiet from fear of evil. ings of the gates : in the city | 15 Happy is the man that she uttereth her words, saying, findeth wisdom, and the man

3 How long, ye simple ones, that getteth understanding. will ye love simplicity and the 16 For the merchandise of it scorners delight in their scorn- is better than the merchandise ing, and fools hate knowledge? of silver, and the gain thereof

4 Turn ye at my reproof; than fine gold. behold, I will pour out my spi- 17 She is more precious than rit unto you, I will make known rubies : and all the things thou my words unto you.

canst desire are not to be comT 5 Because I have called, pared unto her. and ye refused; I have stretched 18 Length of days is in her out my hand, and no man re- right hand : and in her left hand garded ;

riches and honour. 6 But ye have set at nought 19 Her ways are ways of all my counsel, and would none pleasantness, and all her paths of my reproof :

are peace. 7 I also will laugh at your 20 She is a tree of life to them calamity; I will mock when that lay hold upon her; and your fear cometh;

happy is every one that retain8 When your fear cometh as eth her. desolation, and

your destruction 21 Wisdom excelleth folly as cometh as a whirlwind; when far as light excelleth darkness. distress and anguish cometh up- T22 The Lord by wisdom on you.

hath founded the earth; by un. 9 Then shall they call upon derstanding hath he established me, but I will not answer; they the heavens,

my

23 By his knowledge the 38 When he made a decree depths are broken up, and the for the rain, and a way for the clouds drop down the dew. lightning of the thunder:

24 But where shall wisdom 39 Then did he see it, and be found ? and where is the declare it; he prepared it, yea, place of understanding ?

and searched it out. 25 Man knoweth not the price 40 And unto man he said, thereof; neither is it found in the Behold, the fear of the Lord, land of the living

that is wisdom; and to depart 26 The depth saith, It is not from evil is understanding. in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

LESSON LXXI. 27 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be My son, if thou wilt receive

my weighed for the price thereof. words, and hide command

28 It cannot be valued with ments with thee; the gold of Ophir, with the pre- 2 So that thou incline thine cious onyx, or the sapphire. ear unto wisdom, and apply

29 The gold and the crystal thine heart to understanding; cannot equal it: and the ex- 3 Yea, if thou criest after change of it shall not be for knowledge, and liftest up thy jewels of fine gold.

voice for understanding; 30 No mention shall be made 4 If thou seekest her as silof coral, or of pearls : for the ver, and searchest for her as for price of wisdom is above rubies. hidden treasures ;

31 The topaz of Ethiopia 5 Then shalt thou undershall not equal it, neither shall stand the fear of the Lord, and it be valued with pure gold. find the knowledge of God.

32 Whence then cometh wis- 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom ? and where is the place dom: out of his mouth cometh of understanding?

knowledge and understanding. 33 Seeing it is hid from the 7 He layeth up sound wiseyes of all living, and kept close dom for the righteous : he is a from the fowls of the air. buckler to them that walk up

34 Destruction and death say, rightly. We have heard the fame thereof 8 He keepeth the paths of with our ears.

judgement, and preserveth the 35 God understandeth the way of his saints. way thereof, and he knoweth 9 Then shalt thou underthe place thereof.

stand righteousness, and judge36 For he looketh to the ment, and equity; yea, every ends of the earth, and seeth good path. under the whole heaven;

10 When wisdom entereth 37 To make the weight for into thine heart, and knowledge the winds; and he weigheth is pleasant unto thy soul; the waters by measure.

11 Discretion shall preserve

:

F

thee;

man

:

thee, understanding shall keep T 25 Enter not into the path

of the wicked, and go not in the 12 To deliver thee from the way of evil men. way of the evil man, from the 26 My son, forget not my

that speaketh froward law; but let thine heart keep things;

my commandments : 13 Who leave the paths of up- 27 For length of days, and rightness, to walk in the ways of long life, and peace shall they darkness;

add to thee. 14. Who rejoice to do evil, 28 Let not mercy and truth and delight in the frowardness forsake thee: bind them about of the wicked ;

thy neck, write them upon the 15 Whose ways are crooked, table of thine heart. and they froward in their paths. 29 So shalt thou find favour

416 Get wisdom, get under- and good understanding in the standing : forget it not; neither sight of God and man. decline from the words of my mouth.

LESSON LXXII. 17 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, Wisdom hath builded her house, and she shall keep thee. she hath hewn out her seven pil

18 Wisdom is the principal lars. thing: therefore get wisdom : 2 She hath killed her beasts; and with all thy getting get un- she hath mingled her wine; she derstanding

hath also furnished her table. 19 Exalt her, and she shall 3 She hath sent forth her promote thee: she shall bring maidens: she crieth upon the thee to honour, when thou dost highest places of the city; embrace her.

4 Whoso is simple, let him 20 She shall give to thine turn in hither : as for him head an ornament of grace: a

that wanteth understanding, crown of glory shall she deliver she saith to him, to thee.

5 Come, eat of my bread, 21 Hear, O my son, and re- and drink of the wine which I ceive my sayings; and the years have mingled. of thy life shall be many.

6 Forsake the foolish, and 22 I have taught thee in the live; and go in the way of unway of wisdom; I have led thee derstanding, in right paths.

7 He that reproveth a scorner 23 When thou goest, thy getteth to himself shame: and steps shall not be straitened; he that rebuketh a wicked man and when thou runnest, thou getteth himself a blot. shalt not stumble.

8 Reprove not a scorner, lest 24 Take fast hold of instruc- he hate thee : rebuke a wise tion; let her not go : keep her; man, and he will love thee. for she is thy life.

9 Give instruction to a wise

a

a

man,

:

and he will be yet wiser : that find them, and health to all teach a just man, and he will their flesh. increase in learning,

23 Keep my commandments 10 The fear of the Lord is and live: and my law as the the beginning of wisdom: and apple of thine eye. the knowledge of the holy is 24 Bind them upon thy finunderstanding

gers, write them upon the table 11 For by me thy days shall of thine heart. be multiplied, and the years of 25 Say unto wisdom, Thou thy life shall be increased. art my sister; and call under

12 If thou be wise, thou shalt standing thy kinswoman: be wise for thyself: but if thou 26 Whoso despiseth the word, scornest, thou alone shalt bear shall be destroyed :. but he that it.

feareth the commandment, shall 13 Through wisdom is an be rewarded. house builded, and by under- 27 The man that wandereth standing it is established : out of the way of understanding

14 And by knowledge shall shall remain in the congregation the chambers be filled with all of the dead. precious and pleasant riches. 28 The law of the wise is a

15 A wise man is strong : fountain of life, to depart from yea, a man of knowledge in the snares of death. creaseth strength. 16 For by wise counsel thou

LESSON LXXIII. shalt make thy war : and in multitude of counsellors there. My son, if sinners entice thee, is safety.

consent thou not. 17 Wisdom is too high for a 2 Cease, my son, to hear the fool: he openeth not his mouth instruction that causeth to err in the gate.

from the words of knowledge. 18 My son, eat thou honey, 3 Keep thy heart with all because it is good; and the diligence: for out of it are the honeycomb, which is sweet to issues of life. thy taste :

4 Put away from thee a fro19 So shall the knowledge of ward mouth; and perverse lips wisdom be unto thy soul : when put far from thee. thou hast found it, then there 5 Let thine eyes look right shall be a reward, and thy ex- on, and let thine eye-lids look pectation shall not be cut off. straight before thee.

20 My son, attend to my 6 Ponder the path of thy words, incline thine ear unto feet; and let all thy ways be my sayings.

established. 21 Let them not depart from 7 Turn not to the right thine eyes : keep them in the hand nor to the left: remove midst of thine heart.

thy foot from evil. 22 For they are life unto those 8 Apply tline heart unto in

:

struction, and thine ears to the 15 That I might make thee words of knowledge.

know the certainty of the words 9 Buy the truth and sell it of truth; that thou mightest not, also wisdom, and instruc- answer the words of truth to tion, and understanding. them that send unto thee?

10 Let not them depart from 16 How much better is it to thine eyes: keep sound wisdom get wisdom, than gold? and to and discretion.

get understanding, rather to be 11 Bow down thine ear, chosen than silver ? and hear the words of the wise, 17 The high-way of the upand apply thine heart unto my right is to depart from evil : he knowledge :

that keepeth his way preserveth 12 For it is a pleasant thing his soul. if thou keep them within thee; 18 The fear of the Lord is they shall withal be fitted in the beginning of knowledge : thy lips.

but fools despise wisdom and 13 That thy trust may be in instruction. the Lord, I have made known 19 Wisdom is before him that to thee this day, even to thee. hath understanding ; but the

14 Have not I written to thee eyes of a fool are in the ends excellent things in counsels and of the earth. knowledge,

SECTION XVI.–Fate of the Righteous and of the Wicked

contrasted.

earth,

a

LESSON LXXIV.

6 The eye also which saw

him shall see him no more ; KNOWest thou not this of old, neither shall his place any more since man was placed upon behold him.

7 His children shall seek to 2 That the triumphing of the please the poor, and his hands wicked is short, and the joy of shall restore their goods. the hypocrite but for a moment? 8 His hones are full of the

3 Though his excellency sin of his youth, which shall lic mount up to the heavens, and down with him in the dust. his head reach unto the clouds; 9 Though wickedness be

br 4 Yet he shall perish for ever sweet in his mouth, though like his own dung: they which he hide it under his tongue ; have seen him shall say, Where 10 Though he spare it, and is he?

forsake it not; but keep it stil 5 He shall fly away as

a within his mouth: dream, and shall not be found : 11 Yet his meat in his bowels yea, he shall be chased away as is turned, it is the gall of asps a vision of the night.