of the Lord are ten thousand | the Lord, and that there is
times brighter than the sun, nothing sweeter than to take
beholding all the ways of heed unto the command-
men, and considering the ments of the Lord.
most secret parts.

28 It is great glory to fol-
20 He knew all things ere low the Lord, and to be re-
ever they were created : foceived of him is long life.
also after they were perfect-
ed, he looked upon them

CHAP. XXIV. all.

ISDOM shall praise 21 This man shall be pu

herself, and shall nished in the streets of the glory in the midst of her city; and where he suspecteth people. not, he shall be taken.

2 g In the congregation 22 Thus shall it go also of the most High shall she with the wife that leaveth open her mouth, and triumph her husband, and bringeth in before his power. an heir by another.

3 I came out of the mouth 239 For first, she hath of the most High, and codisobeyed the law of the most vered the earth as a cloud. High; and secondly, she 49 I dwelt in high places, hath trespassed against her and my throne is in a cloudy own husband; and thirdly, pillar. she hath played the whore in 5 I alone compassed the adultery, and brought chil circuit of heaven, and walkdren by another man.

ed in the bottom of the 24. She shall be brought deep. out into the congregation, 6 In the waves of the fea, and inquisition shall be made and in all the earth, and in of her children.

every people, and nation, I 25 Her children shall not got a possefiion. take root, and her branches 7 With all these I fought shall bring forth no fruit. rest: and in whose inheri.

26 She shall leave her me tance shall I abide? mory to be cursed, and her

8 So the Creator of all reproach Thall not be blot- things gave me a commandted out.

ment, and he that made me 27 And they that remain caused my tabernacle to rest, shall know that there is no- and said, Let thy dwelling be thing better than the fear of in Jacob, and thine inheri.

tance

tance in Israel.

my flowers are the fruit of
9 He created me from the honour and riches.
beginning before the world, 18 I am the mother of fair
and I shall never fail. love, and fear, and know-

10 In the holy tabernacle ledge, and holy hope; I
I served before him: and so therefore being eternal, am
was I established in Sion. given to all my children

II Likewise in the be- which are named of him.
loved city he gave me rest, 19 Comie unto me,

all

ye
and in Jerusalem was my that be desirous of me, and
power.

fill yourselves with my fruits.
12 And I took root in an 20 For my memorial is
honourable people, even in sweeter than honey, and
the portion of the Lord's in- mine inheritance than the
heritance.

honeycomb.
139 I was exalted like a 21 They that eat me shall
cedar in Libanus, and as a yet be hungry, and they
cypress-tree upon the moun- that drink me shall yet be
tains of Hermon.

thirsty.
14 I was exalted like a 22. He that obeyeth me
palm-tree in Engaddi, and as shall never be confounded,
a rose-plant in Jericho, as a and they that work by me
fair olive-tree in a pleasant shall not do amiss.
field, and grew up as a plane 23 All these things are
tree by the water.

the book of the covenant of
15

I gave a sweet smell the most high God, even the
like cinnamon and afpala- law which Mofes command-
thus, and I yielded a pleasant ed for an heritage unto the
odour like the best myrrh, as congregations of Jacob.
galbanum, and onyx, and 24 Faint not to be strong
sweet storax, and as the fume in the Lord; that he may
of frankincense in the taber- confirm you, cleave unto
nacle.

him : for the Lord Almigh-
16 As the turpentine-tree ty is God alone, and besides
I stretched out my branches, him there is no other Savi-
and
my

branches are the our.
branches of honour and 25 He filleth all things
grace.

with his wisdom, as Phison,
17 9 As the vine brought and as Tigris in the time of
I forth pleasant favour, and the new fruits.

26 , He

un

269 He maketh the under- the love of neighbours, a man landing to abound like Eu- and a wife that agree tophrates, and as Jordan in the gether. time of the harvest.

2 Three sorts of men my 27 He maketh the doc- foul hateth, and I am greattrine of knowledge appear as ly offended at their life: a the light, and as Geon in the poor man that is proud, a time of vintage.

rich man that is a liar, and 28 The first man knew an old adulterer that doteth. her not perfectly: no more 3 If thou hast gathered shall the last find her out. nothing in thy youth, how

29 For her thoughts are canst thou find any thing in more than the sea, and her thine age ? counsels profounder than the 4 Oh, how comely a great deep.

thing is judgment for grey 30 I also came out as a hairs, and for ancient men to brook from a river, and as a know counsel! conduit into a garden.

5 Oh, how comely is the 31 I said, I will water my wisdom of old

men, and belt garden, and will water derstanding and counsel to abundantly my garden-bed : men of honour! and lo, my

brook became a 6 Much experience is the river, and my river became crown of old men, and the

fear of God is their glory. 32 I will yet make doctrine

7

There be nine things to thine as the morning, and which I have judged in mine will send forth her light afar heart to be happy, and the off.

tenth I will utter with my 33 I will yet pour out tongue : A man that hath doctrine as prophecy, and joy of his children, and he leave it to all

ages

for ever. that liveth to see the fall of 34 Behold, that I have not his enemy. laboured for myself only, but

8 Well is him that dwelleth for all them that seek wisdom. with a wife of understand

ing, and that hath not flipCHAP. XXV. ped with his tongue, and that 'N three things I was beau- hath not served a man more

tified, and stood up beau- unworthy than himself: tiful, both before God and

9

Well is him that hath men: the unity of brethren, found prudence, and he that

speaketh

a sea.

INI

man:

speaketh in the ears of them | bitterly. that will hear :

19 All wickedness is but 10 Oh, how great is he little to the wickedness of a that findeth wisdom! yet is woman: let the portion of a there none above him that finner fall upon her. feareth the Lord.

20 As the climbing of a 1. But the love of the sandy way is to the feet of the Lord passeth all things for aged, fo' is a wife full of illumination; he that hold- words to a quiet man. eth it, whereto fhall he be 21 Stumble not at the likened?

beauty of a woman, and de12 The fear of the Lord fire her not for pleasure. is the beginning of his love: 22 A woman, if she main. and faith is the beginning of tain her husband, is full of cleaving unto him.

anger, impudence, and much 13 [Give me ] any reproach. plague, but the plague of the 23 A wicked woman aheart: and any wickedness, bateth the courage, maketh but the wickedness of a wo- a heavy countenance, and

a wounded heart: a woman 14 And any affliction, but that will not comfort her the affliction from them that husband in distress, makhate me: and any revenge, eth weak hands and feeble but the revenge

of ene- knees. mies.

24 Of the woman came 15 There is no head above the beginning of fin, and the head of a serpent ; and through her we all die. there is no wrath above the 25 Give the water no wrath of an enemy. passage: neither a wicked

16 I had rather dwell with woman liberty to gad aa lion and a dragon, than to broad. keep house with a wicked 26 If she go not as thou

wouldest have her, cut her 17 The wickedness of a off from thy Aesh, and give woman changeth her face, her a bill of divorce, and let and darkeneth her counte- her go. nance like fackcloth.

CHAP. XXVI. 18 Her husband shall fit among his neighbours; and LESSED is the man when he heareth it, shall figh that hath a virtuous

wife, 8

woman.

B

in peace.

wife, for the number of his lids.
days shall be double.

10 If thy daughter be 2 A virtuous woman re shameless, keep her in straitjoiceth her husband, and he ly, left the abuse herself Thall fulfil the years of his life through over-much liberty.

u Watch over an impu3 A good wife is a good dent eye: and marvel not if portion, which shall be giv- the trespass against thee. en in the portion of them that 13 The grace of a wife fear the Lord.

delighteth her husband, and 4

Whether a man be rich her discretion will fatten his or poor, if he have a good bones. heart toward the Lord, he 14 A silent and loving wofhall at times rejoice with a man is a gift of the Lord: cheerful countenance. and there is nothing so much

5 There be three things worth as a mind well inthat mine heart feareth; and structed. for the fourth I was fore a 15 A shame-faced and fraid : the flander of a city, faithful woman is a double the gathering together of an grace, and her continent unruly multitude, and a false mind cannot be valued. accusation : all these are worse 16 As the sun when it arin than death.

feth in the high heavens; fo 6 But a grief of heart and is the beauty of a good wife sorrow is a woman that is in the ordering of her house. jealous over another woman, 17 As the clear light is and a scourge of the tongue upon the holy candleitick; which communicateth with fo is the beauty of the face all.

7 An evil wife is a yoke 18 As the golden pillars Thaken to and fro: he that are upon the sockets of filhath hold of her, is as though ver; so are the fair feet with he held a scorpion.

a constant heart. 8 A drunken woman, and 19 Myfon, keep the flow-' a gadder abroad, causeth great ser of thine age sound; and anger, and she will not cover give not thy strength to stranher own shame.

gers. 9 The whoredom of a 20 When thou hast gotwoman may be known in ten a fruitful posferlion her haughty looks, and eye. I through all the field, low it

with

in ripe age:

Nn