a

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tion : he that holdeth it, where- a solitary place: for blood is to shall he be likened ?

as nothing in his sight; and 35 The fear of the Lord is where there is no help, he will the beginning of his love: and overthrow thee. faith is the beginning of cleav- 12 Make not thyself an uning unto him.

derling to a foolish man; nei.

ther accept the person of the LESSON XXXII. mighty.

13 Consult not with a fool; STRIVE not with a mighty man, for he cannot keep counsel. lest thou fall into his hands. 14 Do no secret thing before 2 Be not at variance with a

a stranger; for thou knowest rich man, lest he overweigh not what he will bring forth. thee: for gold hath destroyed 15 Open not thine heart to many, and perverted the hearts every man, lest he requite thee of kings.

with a shrewd turn. 3 Strive not with a man that 16 Bring not every man into is full of tongue, and heap not thine house ; for the deceitful wood upon his fire.

man hath

many

trains. 4 Jest not with a rude man, 17 Like as a partridge taken lest thy ancestors be disgraced. and kept in a cage, so is the

5 Kindle not the coals of a heart of the proud; and like sinner, lest thou be burnt with

as a spy, watcheth he for thy the flame of his fire.

6 Rise not up in anger at 18 For he lieth in wait, and the presence of an injurious per- turneth good into evil, and in son, lest he lie in wait to en- things worthy praise will lay trap thee in thy words.

blame upon thee. 7 Lend not unto him that is 19 Of a spark of fire a heap mightier than thyself; for if of coals is kindled: and a sinthou lendest him, count it but ful man layeth wait for blood. lost.

20 Take heed of a mis8 Be not surety above thy chievous man, for he worketh power: for if thou be surety, wickedness ; lest he bring upon take care to pay it.

thee a perpetual blot. 9 Go not to law with a judge; 21 Receive a stranger into for they will judge for him ac- thine house, and he will disturb cording to his honour.

thee, and turn thee out of thine 10 Travel not by the way with a bold fellow, lest he be- 22 If thou love to hear, thou come grievous unto thee : for shalt receive understanding: and he will do according to his own if thou bow thine ear, thou shalt will, and thou shalt perish with be wise. him through his folly.

23 Be swift to hear; and let 11 Strive not with an angry thy life be sincere; and with man, and go not with him into patience give answer.

fall :

own.

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:

ners.

24 If thou hast understand- or any such as come nigh wild ing, answer thy neighbour; if beasts? not, lay thy hand upon thy 34 So one that goeth to a mouth.

sinner, and is defiled with him 25 Honour and shame is in in his sins, who will pity ? talk : and the tongue of man is 35 For a while he will abide his fall.

with thee, but if thou begin to 26 Blame not before thou fall, he will not tarry. hast examined the truth: un- 36 An enemy speaketh sweetderstand first, and then rebuke. ly with his lips, but in his heart

27 Answer not before thou he imagineth how to throw thee hast heard the cause : neither into a pit: he will weep with interrupt men in the midst of his eyes, but if he find opportheir talk.

nity, he will not be satisfied 28 Strive not in a matter with blood. that concerneth thee not; and 37 If adversity come upon sit not in judgement with sin- thee, thou shalt find him there

first; and though he pretend 29 My son, meddle not with to help thee, yet shall he unmany matters : for if thou med. dermine thee. dle much, thou shalt not be in: 38 He will shake his head, nocent ; and if thou follow and clap his hands, and whisafter, thou shalt not obtain, nei. per much, and change his counther shalt thou escape by flee- tenance. ing.

39 Keep thee far from the 30 Never trust thine enemy: man that hath power to kill ; for like as iron rusteth, so is so shalt thou not doubt the fear his wickedness.

of death: and if thou come un. 31 Though he humble him. to him, make no fault, lest he self, and go crouching, yet take take away thy life presently: good heed and beware of him; remember that thou goest in and thou shalt be unto him as the midst of snares, and that if thou hadst wiped a looking thou walkest upon the battle. glass, and thou shalt know that ments of the city. his rust hath not been alto. 40 As near as thou canst, gether wiped away.

guess at thy neighbour, and 32 Set him not by thee, lest, consult with the wise. when he hath overthrown thee, 41 Let thy talk be with the he stand up in thy place: nei- wise, and all thy communicather let him sit at thy right tion in the law of the Most hand, lest he seek to take thy High. seat, and thou at the last remem- 42 And let just men eat and ber my words, and be pricked drink with thee; and let thy therewith.

glorying be in the fear of the 33 Who will pity a charmer Lord. that is bitten with a serpent, . 43 For the hand of the arti.

ficer the work shall be com- seeth thee, he will forsake thee, mended : and the wise ruler of and shake his head at thee. the people for his speech.

8 Beware that thou be not 44 A man of an ill tongue deceived, and brought down in is dangerous in his city; and thy jollity. he that is rash in his talk shall 9 If thou be invited of a be hated.

mighty man, withdraw thyself,

and so much the more will he LESSON XXXIII.

invite thee.
10 Press not thou

upon

him, He that toucheth pitch shall lest thou be put back ; stand not be defiled therewith; and he far off, lest thou be forgotten. that hath fellowship with a

11 Affect not to be made proud man shall be like unto equal unto him in talk, and be. him.

lieve not his many words : for 2 Burden not thyself above with much communication will thy power while thou livest; he tempt thee, and smiling upand have no fellowship with on thee will get out thy secrets. one that is mightier and richer 12 But cruelly he will lay up than thyself; for how agree the thy words, and will not spare kettle and the earthen pot to- to do thee hurt, and to put thee gether? for if the one be smit- in prison. ten against the other, it shall 13 Observe, and take good be broken.

heed, for thou walkest in peril 3 The rich man hath done of thy overthrowing : when wrong, and yet he threateneth thou hearest these things, awake withal : the poor is wronged, in thy sleep. and he must entreat also.

14 What fellowship hath the 4 If thou be for his profit, wolf with the lamb ? so the sinhe will use thee: but if thou ner with the godly. have nothing, he will forsake 15 What agreement is there thee.

between the hyena and a dog ? 5 If thou have any thing, and what peace between the he will live with thee; yea, he rich and the poor. will make thee bare, and will 16 As the wild ass is the not be sorry for it.

lion's prey in the wilderness : 6 If he have need of thee, he so the rich eat up the poor. will deceive thee, and smile up- 17 As the proud hate humion thee, and put thee in hope; lity : so doth the rich abhor the he will speak thee fair, and say, poor. What wantest thou ?

18 A rich man beginning to 7 And he will shame thee by fall is held up of his friends : his meats, until he have drawn but a poor man being down is thee dry twice or thrice, and thrust also away by his friends. at the last he will laugh thee 19 When a rich man is fallen, to scorn: afterward, when he he hath many helpers: he speak

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а

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eth things not to be spoken, and ruler of the city is, such are all yet men justify him : the poor they that dwell therein. man slipped, and yet they re- 3 An unwise king destroybuked him too; he spake wise- eth his people; but through ly, and could have no place. the prudence of them which are

20 When a rich man speak- in authority the city shall be eth, every man holdeth his inhabited. tongue, and, look, what he saith, 4 The power of the earth is they extol it to the clouds : but in the hand of the Lord; and in if the poor man speak, they say, due time he will set over it one What fellow is this ? and if he that is profitable. stumble, they will help to over

5 In the hand of God is the throw him.

prosperity of man; and upon 21 Better is the life of a poor the person of the scribe shall man in a mean cottage, than he lay his honour. delicate fare in another man's 6 The multitude of the wise house.

is the welfare of the world : and 22 Riches are good unto him a wise king is the upholding of that hath no sin, and poverty is the people. evil in the mouth of the ungodly. 7 A wise man shall inherit

23 Whether a man be rich glory among his people, and his or poor, if he have a good heart name shall be perpetual. toward the Lord, he shall at all 8 Nations shall shew forth times rejoice with a cheerful his wisdom, and the

congregacountenance.

tion shall declare his praise. 24 The heart of a man chan- 9 If he die, he shall leave a geth his countenance, whether greater name than a thousand : it be for good or evil : and a and if he live, he shall increase merry heart maketh a cheerful it. countenance.

10 Love the Lord all thy 25 The gladness of the heart life, and call upon him for thy is the life of man, and the cheer- salvation. fulness of the heart prolongeth

11 The fear of the Lord gohis days.

eth before the obtaining of au26 Bless him that made thee, thority: but roughness and and hath replenished thee with pride is the losing thereof. his good things.

12 Whether he be rich, 20

ble, or poor, their glory is the LESSON XXXIV.

fear of the Lord.

13 It is not meet to despise A WISE judge will instruct his the poor man that hath under: people ; and the government of standing; neither is it conve. a prudent man is well ordered. nient to magnify a sinful man.

2 As the judge of the people 14 Great men, and judges, is himself, so are his officers; and potentates, shall be honourand what manner of man the ed; yet is there none of them

a

greater than he that feareth the remember that wrath will not Lord.

tarry long 15 Unto the servant that is 21 My son, glorify thy soul wise shall they that are free do in meekness, and give it honour service: and he that hath know- according to the dignity thereledge will not grudge when he of. is reformed.

22 Who will justify him that 16 Be not overwise in doing sinneth against his own soul? thy business; and boast not and who will honour him that thyself in the time of thy di- dishonoureth his own life? stress.

23 The poor man is honour717 Better is he that labour- ed for his skill, and the rich eth, and aboundeth in all things, man is honoured for his riches. than he that boasteth himself, 24 He that is honoured in and wanteth bread.

poverty, how much more in 18 Hate not laborious work, riches ? and he that is disneither husbandry which the honourable in riches, how much Most High hath ordained. more in poverty ?

19 To labour, and to be con- 25 When thou hast enough, tent with that a man hath, is a remember the time of hunger : sweet life.

and when thou art rich, think 20 Number not thyself among upon poverty and need. the multitude of sinners, but

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SECTION XVII.-Excellency of Wisdom.
LESSON XXXV.

5 For wisdom is according

to her name, and she is not My son, gather instruction from manifest unto many. thy youth up: so shalt thou 96 Give ear, my son, receive find wisdom till thine old age. my advice, and refuse not my

2 Come unto her as one that counsel, plougheth and soweth, and wait 7 And put thy feet into her for her good fruits : for thou fetters, and thy neck into her shalt not toil much in labour- chain. ing about her, but thou shalt 8 Bow down thy shoulder, eat of her fruits right soon. and bear her, and be not grie

3 She is very unpleasant to ved with her bonds. the unlearned : he that is with- 9 Come unto her with thy out understanding will not re- whole heart, and keep her ways inain with her.

with all thy power. 4 She will lie upon him as 10 Search, and seek, and she a mighty stone of trial; and he shall be made known unto thee; will cast her from him ere it be and when thou hast got hold long.

of her, let her not go.