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SELECTIONS FROM THE PROVERBS

PROVERBS OF SOLOMON

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
To know wisdom and instruction;

To discern the words of understanding;
To receive instruction in wise dealing,
In righteousness and justice and equity;

To give prudence to the simple,

To the young man knowledge and discretion:

That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;
And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound

counsels:

To understand a proverb, and a figure,

The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge;
But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

My son, hear the instruction of thy father,

And forsake not the law of thy mother:

For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head,

And chains about thy neck.

My son, forget not my law;

But let thy heart keep my commandments:

For length of days, and years of life,

And peace, will they add to thee.

Let not kindness and truth forsake thee:

Bind them about thy neck;

Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:

So shalt thou find favor and good understanding

In the sight of God and man.

Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart,

And lean not upon thine own understanding:

In all thy ways acknowledge him,

And he will direct thy paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes;

Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:

Honor Jehovah with thy substance,

And with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,
And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah;
Neither be weary of his reproof:

For whom Jehovah loveth he reproveth,
Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,

And the man that getteth understanding.

For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, And the profit thereof than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies:

And none of the things thou canst desire are to be com

pared unto her.

Length of days is in her right hand;

In her left hand are riches and honor.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:
And happy is every one that retaineth her.

Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth;

By understanding he established the heavens.

By his knowledge the depths were broken up,
And the skies drop down the dew.

My son, let them not depart from thine eyes;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

So shall they be life unto thy soul,

And grace to thy neck.

Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely,

And thy foot shall not stumble.

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:

Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Be not afraid of sudden fear,

Neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh :

For Jehovah will be thy confidence,

And will keep thy foot from being taken.

My son, attend unto my wisdom;

Incline thine ear to my understanding:

That thou mayest preserve discretion,
And that thy lips may keep knowledge.

For the lips of a strange woman drop honey,
And her mouth is smoother than oil:

But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.

Her feet go down to death;

Her steps take hold on Sheol;

So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, and she knoweth it not.

Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me,
And depart not from the words of my mouth.
Remove thy way far from her,

And come not nigh the door of her house:
Lest thou give thine honor unto others,
And thy years unto the cruel;

Lest strangers be filled with thy strength,
And thy labors be in the house of an alien.
Drink waters out of thine own cistern,
And running waters out of thine own well.
Should thy springs be dispersed abroad,
And streams of water in the streets?
Let them be for thyself alone,

And not for strangers with thee.
Let thy fountain be blessed:

And rejoice in the wife of thy youth.

Go to the ant, thou sluggard;

Consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no chief,

Overseer, or ruler,

Provideth her bread in the summer,
And gathereth her food in the harvest.
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?
When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep:
So shall thy poverty come as a robber,
And thy want as an armed man.

Doth not wisdom cry,

And understanding put forth her voice?
On the top of high places by the way,
Where the paths meet, she standeth;
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,

At the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
Unto you, O men, I call;

And my voice is to the sons of men.

O ye simple, understand prudence;

And, ye fools, be of an understanding heart.
Hear, for I will speak excellent things;

And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
For my mouth shall utter truth;

And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
They are all plain to him that understandeth,
And right to them that find knowledge.
Receive my instruction, and not silver;

And knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies;

And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it.

I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling,

And find out knowledge and discretion.

The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil :
Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,
And the perverse mouth, do I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge:
I am understanding; I have might.
By me kings reign,

And princess decree justice.

By me princes rule,

And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

I love them that love me;

And those that seek me diligently shall find me.

Riches and honor are with me;

Yea, durable wealth and righteousness.

My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;
And my revenue than choice silver.

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