the folitary places thereof. I 14 As near as thou canft, 8 Turn away thine eye from a beautiful woman, and look not upon another's beauty; for many have been deceived by the beauty of a woman, for herewith love is kindled as a fire. 9 Sit not at all with another man's wife, nor fit down with her in thine arms, and fpend not thy money with her at the wine; left thine heart incline unto her, and fo through thy defire thou fall into deftruction. 10 Forfake not an old friend, for the new is not comparable to him; a new friend is as new wine; when it is old, thou shalt drink it with pleasure, II Envy not the glory of a finner; for thou knoweft not what fhall be his end. 12 Delight not in the thing that the ungodly have pleasure in; but remember they shall not go unpunished unto their grave. guefs at thy neighbour, and confult with the wife. 15 Let thy talk be with the wife, and all thy communication in the law of the moft High. 16 And let juft men eat and drink with thee; and let thy glorying be in the fear of the Lord. 17 For the hand of the artificer, the work shall be commended: and the wife ruler of the people, for his fpeech. 18 A man of an ill tongue is dangerous in his city; and he that is rafh in his talk shall be hated. A CHAP. X. Wife judge will inftruct his people, and the government of a prudent inan is well ordered. 2 As the judge of the people is himself, fo are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, fuch are all they that dwell therein. 3 An unwife king deftroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority, the city fhall be inhabited. 13 Keep thee far from the man that hath power to kill, fo fhalt thou not doubt the fear of death and if thou come unto him, make no fault, left he take away thy life prefently: remember that thou goeft in the midft of 4 The power fnares, and that thou walkeft is in the hand of the Lord, upon the battlements of the and in due time he will fet of the earth over over it one that is profitable, 5 In the hand of God is the profperity of man: and upon the perfon of the scribe fhall he lay his honour. 6 Bear not hatred to thy neighbour for every wrong, and do nothing at all by injurious practices. 7 Pride is hateful before God and man: and by both doth one commit iniquity. 8 Because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, the kingdom is tranflated from one people to another. 9 Why is earth and afhes proud? There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man: for fuch an one fetteth his own foul to fale, because while he liveth, he cafteth away his bowels. 10 The phyfician cutteth off a long difeafe; and he that is to-day a king, tomorrow fhall die. ginning of fin, and he that hath it, fhall pour out abomination: and therefore the Lord brought upon them ftrange calamities; and overthrew them utterly. 14 The Lord hath caft down the thrones of proud princes, and fet up the meek in their ftead. 15 The Lord hath plucked up the roots of the proud nations, and planted the lowly in their place. 16 The Lord overthrew countries of the heathen, and deftroyed them to the foundations of the earth. 17 He took fome of them away, and deftroyed them, and hath made their memorial to cease from the earth. 18 Pride was not made for men, nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman. 19 They that fear the Lord are a fure feed, and they that love him, an honourable plant: they that regard not the law, are a dishonourable feed; they that beafts and tranfgrefs the commandments, are a deceivable 11 For when a man is dead, he fhall inherit creeping things, worms. 12 The The beginning of feed. pride is, when one departeth 20 Among brethren, he from God, and his heart that is chief is honourable; is turned away from his fo are they that fear the Maker. Lord in his eyes. 13 For pride is the be 21 The fear of the Lord L14 goeth goeth before the obtaining noured for his skill; and the of authority but roughnefs rich man is honoured for his and pride is the lofing there- riches. of. 31 He that is honoured 22 Whether he be rich, in poverty, how much more noble, or poor, their glory in riches? and he that is is the fear of the Lord. 23 It is not meet to defpife the poor man that hath understanding; neither is it convenient to magnify a finful man. dishonourable in riches, how much more in poverty? CHAP. XI. WISDO ISDOM lifteth up the head of him 24 Great men, and judges, and potentates, fhall be ho- that is of low degree, and noured; yet is there none of maketh him to fit among them greater than he that great men. feareth the Lord. 2 Commend not a man 25 Unto the fervant that for his beauty: neither abis wife fhall they that are free hor a man for his outward do fervice and he that hath appearance. knowledge will not grudge when he is reformed. 26 Be not over wife in doing thy business, and boaft not thyfelf in the time of thy diftrefs. 27 Better is he that, laboureth and aboundeth in all things, than he that boafteth himself, and wanteth bread. 28 My fon, glorify thy foul in meeknefs, and give it honour according to the dignity thereof. 3 The bee is little among fuch as fly but her fruit is the chief of fweet things. 4¶ Boaft not of thy clothing and raiment, and exalt not thyfelf in the day of honour: for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works among men are hidden. 5 Many kings have fat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of, hath worn the crown. 29 Who will justify him 6 Many mighty men have that finneth against his own been greatly difgraced; and foul? and who will honour the honourable delivered inhim that difhonoureth his to other men's hands. own life? 7 Blame not before thou 30 The poor man is ho- haft examined the truth: understand understand firft, and then rebuke. 8 Answer not before thou hast heard the cause; neither interrupt men in the midft of their talk, 9 Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; and fit not in judgment with finners. 10 My fon, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou fhalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou fhalt not obtain, neither fhalt thou escape by Aying. II There is one that laboureth and taketh pains, and maketh haste, and is fo much the more behind. 12 Again, there is another that is flow, and hath need of help, wanting ability, and full of poverty; yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, and fet him up from his low eftate, 13 And lifted up his head from mifery, fo that many that faw it marvelled at him. 14 Prosperity and adverfity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord. 15 Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the law, are of the Lord: love, and the way of good works, are from him. 16 Error and darkness had their beginning together with finners and evil shall wax old with them that glory therein. 17 The gift of the Lord remaineth with the godly, and his favour bringeth prosperity for ever, 18 There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this is the portion of his reward: 19 Whereas he faith, I have found reft, and now will eat continually of my goods, and yet he knoweth not what time fhall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and die. 20 Be ftedfaft in thy covenant, and be converfant therein, and wax old in thy work. 21 Marvel not at the works of finners, but trust in the Lord, and abide in the labour: for it is an eafy thing in the fight of the Lord, on the fudden to make a poor man rich. 22 The bleffing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, and fuddenly he maketh his bleffing to flourifh. 23 Say not, What profit is there of my fervice? and what 1 have hereafter? what good things fhall I 33 Take heed of a mifchievous man (for he work24 Again, fay not, I have eth wickedness,) left he enough, and poffefs many bring upon thee a perthings, and what evil can petual blot. come to me hereafter? 25 In the day of profperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the day of affliction there is no remembrance of profperity. 26. For it is an eafy thing 34 Receive a stranger into thine houfe, and he will disturb thee, and turn thee out of thine own. CHAP. XII. unto the Lord in the day of WHEN thou wilt de death, to reward a man according to his ways. 27 The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure and in his end his deeds fhall be discovered. 28 Judge none bleffed before his death: for a man fhall be known in his children. 29 Bring not every man into thine houfe: for the deceitful man hath many trains. 30 Like as a partridge taken [and kept] in a cage, fo is the heart of the proud; and like as a fpy, watcheth he for thy fall. 31 For he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil, and in things worthy praife, will lay blame upon thee. 32 Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: and a finful man layeth wait for blood. good, know to whom thou doeft it: fo fhalt thou be thanked for thy benefits. 2 Do good to the godly man, and thou fhalt find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High. 3 There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil: nor to him that giveth no alms. 4 Give to the godly man, and help not a finner, 5 Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, left he overmaster thee thereby. For [elfe] thou fhalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou fhalt have done unto him. 6 For the most High hateth finners, and will repay vengeance unto the ungodly, and keepeth them against the |