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Proverbs, Eccliastes, And Song of Solomon: Greatest Verses Of The Bible.
--Sermon by Dr. Bob Benchoff January 19, 2004.
User friendly: to find a phrase just click "Edit" and "Find". The following are Bible verses or portions of verses.
The Proverbs, Eccliastes, and The Song of Solomon
The Proverbs
Proverbs Chapter 1
1 ¶ The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel:
2 For the knowledge of wisdom and correction, for discerning the sayings of intelligence;
3 For receiving the correction of prudence, righteousness and justice, and equity;
4 For giving To the simple shrewdness, To the young man, knowledge and discretion.
5 A wise man, will hear, and will increase learning, and a, discreet man, wise counsels, will acquire,
6 By gaining discernment of proverb, and satire, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 ¶ The reverence of Yahweh, is the beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and correction, the foolish have despised.
8 Hear, my son, the correction of thy father, and do not reject the instruction of thy mother;
9 For, a wreath of beauty, shall they be to thy head, and chains of ornament, to thy neck.
10 ¶ My son, if sinners entice thee, do not consent.
11 If they say-Come with us,-Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us watch in secret for him who is needlessly innocent;
12 Let us engulf them, like hades, alive, While in health, like them who are going down to the pit;
13 All costly substance, shall we find, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 Thy lot, shalt thou cast into our midst, One purse, shall there be, for us all.
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path.
16 For, their feet, to mischief, do run, and haste to the shedding of blood.
17 Surely, in vain, is spread the net, in the sight of aught that hath wings!
18 Yet, they, for their own blood, lie in wait, They watch in secret for their own life.
19 Such are the ways of every one that graspeth with greed, The life of the owners thereof, it taketh away!
20 ¶ Wisdom, in the open place, soundeth forth, in the broadways, she raiseth her voice;
21 At the head of bustling streets, she crieth aloud,-at the openings of the gates in the city-her sayings, she doth utter:-
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and, scoffers, in scoffing, delight them? and, dullards, hate knowledge?
23 Will ye turn, at my reproof? Lo! I will pour out to you my spirit, I will make known my words to you.
24 Because I called, and ye refused, I stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;
25 But ye dismissed all my counsel, and, to my rebuke, would not yield,
26 I also, at your calamity, will laugh, I will mock, when cometh your dread;
27 When cometh as a crashing your dread, and, your calamity, as a storm-wind, overtaketh, when there come upon you, distress and anguish.
28 Then, will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me diligently, but shall not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge, and, the reverence of Yahweh, did not choose;
30 Consented not to my counsel, disdained all my rebuke,
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and, with their own counsels, be filled.
32 For, the turning away of the simple, will slay them,-and, the carelessness of dullards, will destroy them.
33 Whereas, he that hearkeneth unto me, shall dwell safely, and be at rest, without dread of misfortune.
Proverbs Chapter 2
1 ¶ My son, if thou wilt receive my sayings, and, my commandments, wilt treasure up by thee;
2 So that thou direct, unto wisdom, thine ear, bend thy heart, unto understanding;
3 Yea if, for understanding, thou cry aloud, for knowledge, utter thy voice;
4 If thou seek her as silver, and, like hid treasure, thou search for her,
5 Then, shalt thou understand the reverence of Yahweh, and, the knowledge of God, shalt thou find.
6 For, Yahweh, giveth wisdom, out of his mouth, knowledge and understanding;
7 Yea he treasureth, for the upright, safety, A shield is he to them who walk in integrity,
8 To him that observeth the paths of justice, yea, the way of his men of lovingkindness, he doth guard.
9 Then, shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, and equity-every noble course.
10 ¶ When wisdom entereth thy heart, and, knowledge, to thy soul, is sweet,
11 Discretion, shall watch over thee, understanding, shall preserve thee:-
12 To rescue thee from the way of the wrongful, from the man that speaketh perverse things;
13 From them who forsake the paths of rectitude, to walk in this ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice to do wrong, exult in the perversities of the wrongful;
15 Whose paths, are twisted, and they are tortuous in their tracks:
16 To rescue thee, from the woman that is a stranger, from the female unknown, who with her speeches seduceth;
17 Who forsaketh the friend of her youth, and, the covenant of her God, hath forgotten;
18 For she hath appointed, unto death, her house, and unto the shades, her courses;
19 None who go in unto her, come back, neither attain they unto the paths of life:
20 To the end that thou walk in the way of good men, and, the paths of the righteous, that thou observe.
21 For, the upright, shall abide on the earth,-and, the men of integrity, shall remain therein;
22 But, the lawless, out of the earth, shall he cut off, and, traitors, shall they tear away therefrom.
Proverbs Chapter 3
1 ¶ My son, mine instruction, do not thou forget, and, my commandment, let thy heart observe;
2 For, length of days and years of life, and blessedness, shall they and to thee.
3 Lovingkindness and faithfulness, let them not forsake thee,-bind them, upon thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4 So find thou favour and good repute, in the eyes of God and man.
5 Trust thou in Yahweh, with all thy heart, and, unto thine own understanding, do not lean:
6 In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and, he, will make straight thy paths.
7 ¶ Do not become wise in thine own eyes, revere Yahweh, and avoid evil:
8 Healing, shall it be to thy body, and refreshing, to thy bones.
9 Honour thou Yahweh, with thy substance, and with the firstfruit of all thine increase;
10 So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and, with new wine, shall thy vats overflow.
11 The, chastening of Yahweh, my son, do not reject, nor loathe his rebuke;
12 For, whom Yahweh loveth, he correcteth, he causeth pain to the son in whom he delighteth.
13 ¶ How happy the man who hath found wisdom, and the man who draweth forth understanding,
14 For better is her merchandise, than the merchandise of silver, yea, than gold, her increase;
15 More precious, is she, than corals, yea, none of thy delightful things, doth equal her:
16 Length of days, is in her right hand, in her left, are riches and honour;
17 Her ways, are ways of pleasantness, and, all her paths, are peace;
18 A tree of life, is she, to them who secure her,-and, they who hold her fast, are every one to be pronounced happy.
19 Yahweh, in wisdom, founded the earth, establishing the heavens with understanding;
20 By his knowledge, the resounding deeps were burst open, and, the skies, drop down dew.
21 ¶ My son, let them not depart from thine eyes, guard thou counsel, and purpose:
22 So shall they become life to thy soul, and an adorning to thy neck;
23 Then, shalt thou walk securely in thy way, and, thy foot, shall not stumble;
24 When thou sittest down, thou shalt have no dread, yea thou shalt lie down, and sweet shall be thy sleep.
25 Be not thou afraid of sudden dread, nor of the desolation of the lawless, when it cometh.
26 For, Yahweh, will be in all thy ways, and will keep thy foot from the snare.
27 ¶ Withhold not good from them who ask it, when it is in power of thy hand to do it:
28 Do not say to thy neighbour, Go and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.
29 Devise not against thy neighbour an injury, seeing that, he, dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Contend not with a man without cause, if he hath dealt thee no wrong.
31 Do not thou envy the man of violence, neither choose thou any of his ways;
32 For, an abomination to Yahweh, is the tortuous man, but, with the upright, he is intimate.
33 The curse of Yahweh, is in the house of the lawless one, but, the home of the righteous, he blesseth.
34 Though at scoffers he scoffeth, yet, to the humbled, he granteth favour.
35 Honour, shall the wise inherit,-but, as for dullards, shame shall carry them away.
Proverbs Chapter 4
1 ¶ Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
2 For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
3 For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
4 So he taught me, and said to me-Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee,-love her and she will keep thee.
7 The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
8 Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dust embrace her:
9 She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
11 In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of correction, let her not go,-keep her, for, she, is thy life.
14 ¶ Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
15 Avoid it, do not pass thereon-turn from it, and depart.
16 For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief,-They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
17 For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
18 But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn,-going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
19 The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
20 ¶ My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
22 For, life, they are, to them who find them,-and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
23 Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
24 Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
25 Let, thine eyes, right onward, look,-and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
26 Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
27 Decline not, to the right hand or to the left,-Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
Proverbs Chapter 5
1 ¶ My son, to my wisdom, attend, and, to mine understanding, incline thou thine ear:
2 That thou mayest preserve discretion,-and, as for knowledge, that thy lips may guard it.
3 For, with sweet droppings, drip the lips of her that is a stranger, and, smoother than oil, is her mouth;
4 But, the latter end of her, is bitter as wormwood, sharp, as a two-edged sword!
5 Her feet, are going down to death,-on hades, will her steps take firm hold.
6 Lest, the path of life, she should ponder, her tracks have wandered she knoweth not whither.
7 Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken unto me, and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.
8 Keep far from her thy way, and do not go near the opening of her house:
9 Lest thou give, to other men, thy vigour, and thy years, to him that is cruel:
10 Lest strange men, be well fed, by thy strength, and, thy toils, be in the house of the alien.
11 So shalt thou grieve in thy latter end, in the failing of thy flesh and of thy healthy condition;
12 And thou shalt say-How I hated correction! and, reproof, my heart disdained;
13 Neither hearkened I to the voice of my teachers, nor, to my instructors, inclined I mine ear:
14 Soon was I in all evil, in the midst of convocation and assembly.
15 ¶ Drink thou water out of thine own cistern, and flowing streams out of the midst of thine own well.
16 Let not thy fountains, flow over, abroad, in the streets, dividings of waters:
17 Let them be for thyself, alone, and not for strangers with thee.
18 Let thy well-spring be blessed,-and get thy joy from the wife of thy youth:-
19 A loving hind! a graceful doe! let, her bosom, content thee at all times, and, in her love, mayst thou stray evermore.
20 Wherefore, then, shouldst thou stray, my son, with a strange woman? or embrace the bosom of a woman unknown?
21 For, before the eyes of Yahweh, are the ways of a man,-and, all his tracks, doth he consider:
22 His own iniquities, shall entrap him with the lawless, and, by the cords of his own sin, shall he be seized.
23 He, shall die, for lack of discipline, and, by the abounding of his perversity, shall he be lost.
Proverbs Chapter 6
1 ¶ My son, if thou have become surety for thy neighbour,-have struck for a stranger thy hands,
2 Thou hast been snared by the sayings of thy mouth,-thou hast been caught by the sayings of thy mouth.
3 Do this then, my son, and deliver thyself, When thou hast come into the hand of thy neighbour, Go, haste thee, and urge thy neighbour;
4 Do not give sleep to thine eyes, or slumber to thine eyelashes;
5 Deliver thyself, as a gazelle out of the hand, and as a bird, out of the hand of the fowler.
6 ¶ Go to the ant, thou sluggard, observe her ways, and be wise;
7 Which, having no harvest, scribe, or ruler,
8 Prepareth, in the summer, her food, hath collected, in the harvest, her sustenance.
9 How long, O sluggard, wilt thou lie? how long ere thou rise from thy sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest:-
11 So shall come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
12 ¶ An abandoned man, a man of iniquity, is he who-goeth on in perversity of mouth;
13 Winketh with his eyes, speaketh with his foot, pointeth with his fingers;
14 Hath perverse things in his heart, deviseth mischief on every occasion, strifes, he sendeth forth.
15 For this cause, suddenly cometh his doom, in a moment, shall he be torn in pieces and there be no mending.
16 These six things, doth Yahweh hate, yea, seven, are the abomination of his soul:-
17 Eyes that are lofty, a tongue that is false, and hands shedding innocent blood;
18 A heart contriving iniquitous devices, feet hasting to run into mischief;
19 One that uttereth lies-a false witness, and one sending forth strifes between brethren.
20 ¶ Observe thou, my son, the commandment of thy father, and do not decline from the instruction of thy mother:
21 Bind them upon thy heart continually, fasten them upon thy neck;
22 When thou walkest abroad, it shall guide thee, when thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee, when thou wakest, it shall speak to thee:
23 For, a lamp, is the commandment, and, the instruction, a light, and, the way of life, are the reproofs of correction:
24 To keep thee from the wicked woman, from the flattery of the tongue of her that is a stranger.
25 Do not covet her beauty, in thy heart, neither let her take thee, by her eyelashes;
26 Because, for the sake of an impure woman, a man may be brought even to a cake of bread,-and, a man’s wife, for a precious soul, may hunt!
27 Can a man snatch up fire in his bosom, and, his clothes, not be burned?
28 Or can a man walk upon hot coals, and, his feet, not be burned?
29 So, he that goeth in unto his neighbour’s wife, no man shall be guiltless who toucheth her!
30 Men despise not a thief, when he stealeth, to satisfy his appetite, because he is famished;
31 Yet, if found, he must pay back sevenfold, All the substance of his house, must he give:
32 He that committeth adultery with a woman, lacketh sense, A destroyer of his own life, is he that doeth it;
33 Smiting and shame, shall he find, and, his reproach, shall not be wiped out;
34 For, jealousy, is the rage of a man, nor will he spare, in the day of avenging;
35 He will not look, at any ransom, neither will he consent, though thou increase the bribe.
Proverbs Chapter 7
1 ¶ My son, keep my sayings, and, my commandments, treasure by thee;
2 Keep my commandments and live, and mine instruction, as the pupil of thine eye;
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them, on the tablet of thy heart;
4 Say unto wisdom, My sister, thou! and, an acquaintance, call thou, understanding:
5 That thou mayest be kept, from the woman that is a stranger, from the female unknown, who, with her speeches, doth flatter.
6 ¶ For, in the window of my house, through my lattice, I looked out;
7 And saw among the simple ones, discerned among the youths, A young man lacking sense;
8 Passing through the street, near her corner, and, on the way to her house, he sauntered along;
9 In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the midst of the night, and the gloom;
10 And lo! a woman, came to meet him, attired as one unchaste, of a wily heart.
11 Boisterous, is she, and rebellious, In her house, abide not her feet;
12 Now outside, now in the broadways, and, near every corner, she lieth in wait:
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and, embolding her face, she said to him:
14 Peace-offerings, are by me, to-day, have I paid my vows;
15 For this cause, came I forth to meet thee, to seek diligently thy face, and I have found thee:
16 Coverlets, have I spread on my couch of pleasure, dark-hued stuffs, of the yarn of Egypt;
17 I have sprinkled my bed, with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon:
18 Come! let us take our fill of endearments, until morning, let us delight ourselves with caresses;
19 For the husband is not in his house, he hath gone on a journey afar;
20 A bag of silver, hath he taken in his hand, On the day of the full moon, will he enter his house.
21 She turneth him aside, with her great persuasiveness,-with the flattery of her lips, she compelleth him:
22 Going after her instantly, as an ox, to the slaughter, he entereth, and, as in fetters, unto the correction of a fool.
23 Until an arrow cleaveth his liver, as a bird hasteth into a snare, and knoweth not, that, for his life, it is!
24 ¶ Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken unto me, and attend, to the sayings of my mouth;
25 Let not thy heart, turn aside to her ways, Do not go astray, in her paths.
26 For, many, wounded, hath she caused to fail,-yea strong men, slain wholly by her:
27 Ways to hades, are in her house, descending into the chambers of death.
Proverbs Chapter 8
1 ¶ Doth not, wisdom, cry aloud? and, understanding, send forth her voice?
2 At the top of the high places above the way, at the place where paths meet, she taketh her stand:
3 Beside the gates, at the entrance of the city,-at the going in of the openings, she shouteth:-
4 Unto you, O men, I call, and, my voice, is unto the sons of men;
5 Understand, ye simple ones, shrewdness, and, ye dullards understand sense;
6 Hear, for, princely things, will I speak, and the opening of my lips shall be of equity;
7 For, faithfulness, shall my mouth softly utter, but, the abomination of my lips, shall be lawlessness;
8 In righteousness, shall be all the sayings of my mouth, nothing therein, shall be crafty or perverse;
9 All of them, shall be plain, to them who would understand, and just, to such as would gain knowledge.
10 Receive my correction, and not silver, and knowledge, rather than choicest gold.
11 For better is wisdom, than ornaments of coral, and, no delightful things, can equal her.
12 ¶ I, wisdom, inhabit shrewdness,-and, the knowledge of sagacious things, I gain.
13 The reverence of Yahweh, is to hate wickedness: pride, arrogance, and the way of wickedness; And a mouth of perverse things, do I hate.
14 Mine, are counsel, and effective working, I, am understanding, mine, is valour:
15 By me, kings reign, and dignitaries decree righteousness;
16 By me, rulers govern, and nobles-all the righteous judges:
17 I love, them who love me, and, they who diligently seek me, find me:
18 Riches and honour, are with me, lordly wealth, and righteousness;
19 Better is my fruit, than gold-yea fine gold, and mine increase, than choice silver;
20 In the way of righteousness, I march along, in the middle of the paths of justice:
21 That I may cause them who love me to inherit substance, and, their treasuries, I may fill.
22 ¶ Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;
23 At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;
24 When there was no resounding deep, I had been brought forth, when there were no fountains, abounding with water;
25 Ere yet the mountains had been settled, before the hills, had I been brought forth;
26 Or ever he had made the land and the wastes, or the top of the dry parts of the world:
27 When he prepared the heavens, there, was I! When he decreed a vault upon the face of the resounding deep;
28 When he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the resounding deep, waxed strong;
29 When he fixed for the sea its bound, that, the waters, should not go beyond his bidding, when he decreed the foundations of the earth:-
30 Then became I beside him, a firm and sure worker, then became I filled with delight, day by day, exulting before him on every occasion;
31 Exulting in the fruitful land of his earth, Yea, my fulness of delight, was with the sons of men.
32 ¶ Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, for how happy are they who, to my ways, pay regard!
33 Hear ye correction, and be wise, and do not neglect.
34 How happy the man that doth hearken to me,-keeping guard at my doors, day by day, watching at the posts of my gates;
35 For, he that findeth me, findeth life, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh;
36 But, he that misseth me, wrongeth his own soul, all who hate me, love death.
Proverbs Chapter 9
1 ¶ Wisdom, hath builded her house, hath hewn out her seven pillars;
2 hath slaughtered her beasts, hath mingled her wine, hath even set in order her table;
3 hath sent forth her maidens, She crieth aloud, upon the tops of the heights of the city:
4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither, as for him that lacketh sense, she saith to him-
5 Come, feed on my food, and drink of the wine I have mingled;
6 Forsake the simple ones, and live, and advance in the way of understanding.
7 He that rebuketh a scoffer, getteth to himself contempt, and, he that reproveth a lawless man, getteth to himself his shame.
8 Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate thee, Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee.
9 Give to a wise man, and he will be wiser still, Inform a righteous man, and he will increase learning.
10 The beginning of wisdom, is the reverence of Yahweh, and, the knowledge of the Holy, is understanding;
11 For, by me, shall be multiplied-thy days, and there be added to thee-the years of life.
12 If thou art wise, thou art wise for thyself, but, if thou scoff, alone, shalt thou bear it.
13 ¶ The woman Stupidity, is boisterous, so simple that she knoweth not what she would do;
14 So she sitteth at the entrance of her house, upon a seat, in the heights of the city;
15 To invite them who pass by the way, who are going straight on in their paths:
16 Whoso is simple, let him turn aside hither, and, as for him that lacketh sense, she saith to him:
17 Stolen waters, will be sweet,-and a secret meal, will be pleasant;
18 But he knoweth not, that the shades are there; In the depths of hades, are her guests.
Proverbs Chapter 10
1 ¶ The Proverbs of Solomon: A wise son, maketh a glad father, but, a foolish son, is the grief of his mother.
2 ¶ The treasures of lawlessness, do not profit, but, righteousness, delivereth from death.
3 Yahweh, suffereth not to famish, the soul of the righteous, but, the desire of the lawless, he thrusteth away.
4 ¶ He becometh poor, who dealeth with a slack hand, but, the hand of the diligent, maketh rich.
5 ¶ He that gathereth in summer, is a prudent son, he that sleepeth long in harvest, is a son causing shame.
6 ¶ Blessings, are for the head of the righteous man, but, the mouth of the lawless, covereth up wrong.
7 ¶ The memory of the righteous, yieldeth blessing, but, the name of the lawless, dieth out.
8 ¶ The wise in heart, will accept commandments, but, he that is foolish with his lips, shall be thrust away.
9 ¶ He that walketh uprightly, may walk securely, but, he that maketh crooked his ways, shall be found out.
10 ¶ He that winketh with the eye, causeth sorrow, and, he that is foolish with his lips, shall be thrust aside.
11 ¶ A well-spring of life, is the mouth of the righteous, but, the mouth of the lawless, covereth wrong.
12 ¶ Hatred, stirreth up strifes, but, over all transgressions, love throweth a covering.
13 ¶ In the lips of the intelligent, is found wisdom, but, a rod, is for the back of him that lacketh sense.
14 ¶ Wise men, treasure up knowledge, but, the mouth of the foolish, is a terror near at hand.
15 ¶ The substance of the rich, is his strong city, the terror of the poor, is their poverty.
16 ¶ The labour of the righteous, leadeth to life, the increase of the lawless, to sin.
17 ¶ On the way to life, is he that heedeth correction, but, he that hateth reproof, is going astray.
18 ¶ He that concealeth hatred, hath false lips, and he that sendeth forth slander, the same, is a dullard.
19 ¶ In the multitude of words, there wanteth not transgression, but, he that restraineth his lips, sheweth prudence.
20 ¶ Choice silver, is the tongue of the righteous, but, the sense of the lawless, is very small.
21 The lips of the righteous, feed multitudes, but, the foolish, for lack of sense, shall die.
22 ¶ The blessing of Yahweh, itself maketh rich, and he addeth no grievance therewith.
23 ¶ It is, mere sport to a stupid man, to commit lewdness, but, wisdom, pertaineth to a man of understanding.
24 ¶ The dread of the lawless one, the same, shall overtake him, but, the desire of the righteous, shall he granted.
25 Like the passing away of a tempest, so the lawless one is not, but, the righteous, hath an age-abiding foundation.
26 ¶ As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so, is the sluggard, to them who send him.
27 ¶ The reverence of Yahweh, addeth days, but, the years of the lawless, shall be shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous, shall be gladness, but, the expectation of the lawless, shall vanish.
29 ¶ A refuge for the blameless, is the path of Yahweh, but, destruction, awaiteth the workers of iniquity.
30 The righteous, to times age-abiding, shall remain unshaken, but, the lawless, shall not inhabit the earth.
31 ¶ The mouth of the righteous, beareth the fruit of wisdom, but, a perverse tongue, shall be cut off.
32 The lips of the righteous, know what is pleasing, but, the mouth of the lawless, speaketh perversities.
Proverbs Chapter 11
1 ¶ A deceptive balance, is an abomination to Yahweh, but, a full weight, is his delight.
2 ¶ When pride cometh, then cometh contempt, but, with the modest, is wisdom.
3 ¶ The integrity of the upright, shall guide them, but, the crookedness of the treacherous, shall be their ruin.
4 ¶ Wealth, shall not profit, in the day of wrath, but, righteousness, shall deliver from death.
5 ¶ The righteousness of the blameless, shall smooth his way, but, by his own lawlessness, shall the lawless one, fall.
6 The righteousness of the upright, shall deliver them, but, by their own craving, shall the treacherous be captured.
7 ¶ When the lawless man dieth, his expectation, perisheth, and, the hope of strong men, hath vanished.
8 ¶ The righteous man, out of distress, is delivered, then cometh a lawless man into his place.
9 ¶ With the mouth, a profane man destroyeth his neighbour, but, through knowledge, shall righteous men be delivered.
10 ¶ When it is, well with the righteous, the city, exulteth, When the lawless perish, there is a shout of triumph.
11 When the upright are blessed, exalted is the city, but, by the mouth of the lawless, it is overthrown.
12 ¶ He that sheweth contempt for his neighbour, lacketh sense, but, a man of understanding, observeth silence.
13 He that goeth about talebearing, revealeth a secret, but, he that is faithful in spirit, concealeth a matter.
14 ¶ With no guidance, a people will fall, but, safety, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
15 ¶ He that becometh surety for a stranger, goeth to utter ruin, but, he that hateth striking hands, is secure.
16 ¶ A gracious wife, obtaineth honour, but, the diligent, shall obtain wealth.
17 ¶ The man of lovingkindness, dealeth well with his own soul, but the cruel man, troubleth his own flesh.
18 ¶ The lawless man, earneth the wages of falsehood, but, he that soweth righteousness, hath the reward of fidelity.
19 ¶ A righteous son, turneth to life, but, he that pursueth wickedness, to his own death.
20 ¶ The abomination of Yahweh, are they of perverse heart, but, his delight, are the men of blameless life.
21 ¶ Hand to hand, the wicked man shall not be held innocent, but, the seed of the righteous, hath been delivered.
22 ¶ As a ring of gold in the snout of a swine, is a woman of beauty who hath abandoned discretion.
23 ¶ The desire of the righteous, is only good, the expectation of the lawless, is wrath.
24 ¶ There is who scattereth, and increaseth yet more, and who withholdeth of what is due, only to come to want.
25 ¶ The liberal soul, shall he enriched, and, he that refresheth, shall himself also be refreshed.
26 ¶ He that keepeth back corn, the populace will curse him, but there is, a blessing, for the head of him that selleth.
27 ¶ He that diligently seeketh good, aimeth at favour, but, he that studieth mischief, it shall come on himself.
28 ¶ He that trusteth in his riches, the same, shall fall, but, like the leaf, shall the righteous break forth.
29 ¶ He that troubleth his own house, shall inherit the wind, but, a servant, shall the foolish be, to the wise in heart.
30 ¶ The fruit of the righteous, is a tree of life, and, he that rescueth souls, is wise.
31 ¶ Lo! the righteous, in the earth shall be recompensed, how much more the lawless and the sinner.
Proverbs Chapter 12
1 ¶ He that loveth correction, loveth knowledge, but, he that hateth reproof, is brutish.
2 ¶ A good man, obtaineth favour from Yahweh, but, a man of wicked devices, will he condemn.
3 ¶ A son of earth, shall not be established, by lawlessness, but, the root of the righteous, shall not be disturbed.
4 ¶ A virtuous woman, is the crown of her husband, but, a veritable decay in his bones, is she that causeth shame.
5 ¶ The plans of the righteous, are just, but, the counsels of the lawless, are deceitful.
6 ¶ The words of the lawless, are-of lying in wait for blood, but, the mouth of the upright, shall deliver them.
7 ¶ Overthrown are the lawless and they are not, but, the house of the righteous, shall stand.
8 ¶ In proportion to his prudence, is a man, to be praised, but, the perverse in heart, shall be an object of contempt.
9 ¶ Better slighted, and have a servant, than to honour oneself, and come short of bread.
10 ¶ A righteous man, regardeth the desire of his beast, but, the compassions of the lawless, are cruel.
11 ¶ He that tilleth his land, shall be filled with food, but, he that runneth after worthless men, lacketh sense.
12 ¶ A lawless man craveth the prey of the wicked, but, the root of the righteous, is enduring.
13 ¶ By the transgression of the lips, is the wicked man, ensnared, but the righteous, cometh out of distress.
14 ¶ Of the fruit of a man’s mouth, shall he be satisfied with good, and, the dealing of the hands of a son of earth, shall be paid back to him.
15 ¶ The way of the foolish, is right in his own eyes, but, he that hearkeneth to counsel, is wise.
16 ¶ A foolish man, on the same day, letteth his vexation be known, but, he that concealeth an affront, is prudent.
17 ¶ He that whispereth faithfulness, declareth righteousness, but, a false witness, is a fraud.
18 ¶ There is who babbleth, as with thrusts of a sword, but, the tongue of the wise, hath healing.
19 ¶ A lip that is faithful, shall be firm to futurity, but, only for a twinkling, is the tongue that is false.
20 ¶ Deceit, is in the heart of contrivers of mischief, but, to the counsellors of peace, shall be joy.
21 ¶ Unseemly to the righteous, is any trouble, but, the lawless, are full of misfortune.
22 ¶ An abomination to Yahweh, are lips that are false, but, he that dealeth faithfully, is his delight.
23 ¶ A prudent man, concealeth knowledge, but, the heart of dullards, proclaimeth folly.
24 ¶ The hand of the diligent, shall hear rule, but, the indolent, shall come under tribute.
25 ¶ When anxiety is in the heart of a man, one may bow him down, but, a good word, maketh him glad.
26 ¶ The righteous man guideth his neighbour, but, the way of the lawless, leadeth them astray.
27 ¶ Indolence, roasteth not, his own game, but, the substance of a man, is precious, when he is diligent.
28 ¶ In the way of righteousness, is life, and, in the path thereof, immortality,
Proverbs Chapter 13
1 ¶ A wise son, cometh of a father’s correction, but, a scoffer, heareth not a rebuke.
2 ¶ Of the fruit of his mouth, shall a man eat what is good, but, the soul of the treacherous, shall be sated with violence.
3 ¶ He that watcheth his mouth, guardeth his soul, He that openeth wide his lips, it shall be his ruin.
4 ¶ The sluggard, desireth, but his soul hath, nothing. But, the soul of the diligent, shall be enriched.
5 ¶ A word of falsehood, the righteous man, hateth, but, the lawless, causeth shame and disgrace.
6 ¶ Righteousness, guardeth the man of blameless way, but, lawlessness, overthroweth the sinner.
7 ¶ There is who feigneth himself rich, yet hath nothing at all, who pleadeth poverty, yet hath great substance.
8 ¶ The ransom of a man’s life, is his wealth, but, the poor, heareth not rebuke.
9 ¶ The light of the righteous, rejoiceth, but, the lamp of the lawless, goeth out.
10 ¶ Only by pride, doth one cause contention, but, with the well-advised, is wisdom.
11 ¶ Wealth gotten by greed, diminisheth, but, he that gathereth by little, increaseth.
12 ¶ Hope deferred, sickeneth the heart,-but, a tree of life, is desire fulfilled.
13 ¶ He that despiseth a matter, shall get pledged thereto, but, he that revereth a commandment, the same shall be recompensed.
14 ¶ the instruction of the wise, is a well-spring of life, by departing from the snares of death.
15 ¶ Sound discretion, yieldeth favour, but, the way of the treacherous, is rugged.
16 ¶ Every prudent man, maketh use of knowledge, but, a dullard, spreadeth folly.
17 ¶ A lawless messenger, falleth into mischief, but, a faithful herald, bringeth healing.
18 ¶ Poverty and contempt, are for him that neglecteth correction, but, he that regardeth reproof, shall be honoured.
19 ¶ A desire fulfilled, is sweet to the soul, but it is, an abomination to the lawless, to depart from evil.
20 ¶ He that walketh with the wise, becometh wise, but, the friend of dullards, becometh foolish.
21 ¶ Evil pursueth, sinners, but, unto the righteous, shall good be recompensed.
22 ¶ A good man, leaveth an inheritance to children’s children, but, laid up for the righteous, is the wealth of the sinner.
23 ¶ Much food, is in the fallow ground of the poor, but there is that is swept away, for want of justice.
24 ¶ He that withholdeth his rod, hateth his son,-but, he that loveth him, carefully correcteth him.
25 ¶ The righteous, eateth to satisfy his appetite, but, the belly of the lawless, shall want.
Proverbs Chapter 14
1 ¶ Every, wise woman, buildeth up her house, but, a foolish one, with her own hands, would break it down.
2 ¶ He that walketh in his uprightness, is one who revereth Yahweh, but, he that is crooked in his way, is one who despiseth him.
3 ¶ In the mouth of the foolish, is a haughty rod, but, as for the lips of the wise, thou shalt give heed to them!
4 ¶ Without cattle, the crib is clean, but, much increase, is in the strength of the ox.
5 ¶ A faithful witness, will not deceive, but a false witness, uttereth deceitful things.
6 ¶ A scoffer seeketh wisdom, and there is none, but, knowledge, to the discerning, is easy.
7 ¶ Get thee from the presence of a man that is a dullard, when thou perceivest not the lips of knowledge.
8 ¶ The wisdom of the prudent, is to understand his way, but, the folly of dullards, is a fraud.
9 ¶ the foolish, scoff at guilt, but, between the upright, is good pleasure.
10 ¶ The heart, knoweth its own bitterness, and, in its joy, no stranger shareth.
11 ¶ The house of the lawless, shall be destroyed, but, the tent of the upright, shall flourish.
12 ¶ There is a way that enticeth a man, but, at the latter end thereof, are the ways of death!
13 ¶ Even, in laughter, the heart may be in pain, and, the latter end of gladness, be grief.
14 ¶ With his own ways, shall be filled the backslider in heart, and, from himself, shall a good man be satisfied.
15 ¶ The simple, believeth every word, but, the prudent, looketh well to his going.
16 ¶ A wise man, feareth, and avoideth evil, but, a dullard, is haughty and confident.
17 ¶ The impatient, worketh folly, and, a man of wicked devices, is hated.
18 ¶ The simple inherit folly, but, the shrewd, crowneth himself with knowledge.
19 ¶ Abased are the wicked, before the good, and, the lawless, at the gates of the righteous.
20 ¶ Even by his neighbour, is poor man hated, but, the lovers of the rich man, are many.
21 ¶ He that sheweth contempt for his neighbour, sinneth, but, he that sheweth favour to the afflicted, how happy is he!
22 ¶ Shall they not, become vagrants, who devise evil? but, lovingkindness and faithfulness, be to them who devise good.
23 ¶ By all labour, there will be abundance, but, the talk of the lips, tendeth only to want.
24 ¶ the crown of the wise, is their wealth, but, the folly of dullards, is, folly.
25 ¶ A deliverer of souls, is a faithful witness, but, he that uttereth falsehoods, is a fraud.
26 ¶ In the reverence of Yahweh, is strong security, and, his children, shall have a place of refuge.
27 The reverence of Yahweh, is a well-spring of life, that a man may avoid the snares of death.
28 ¶ In the multitude of a people, is the majesty of the king, but, in the ceasing of population, is the ruin of the prince.
29 ¶ One slow to anger, hath great understanding, but, the hasty in spirit, exalteth folly.
30 ¶ The life of the whole body, is a tranquil mind, but, a decay of the bones, is jealousy.
31 ¶ The oppressor of the poor, hath reproached his Maker, but he that sheweth favour to the needy, is one who, holdeth Him in honour.
32 ¶ By his own wickedness, shall the lawless man, be thrust down, but the righteous, seeketh refuge in his integrity.
33 ¶ In the heart of the intelligent, reposeth wisdom, but, in the midst of dullards, it maketh itself known.
34 ¶ Righteousness, exalteth a nation, but, a reproach to any people, is sin.
35 ¶ The good-pleasure of a king, is due to a servant who is discreet, but, his indignation, shall be against him that bringeth shame.
Proverbs Chapter 15
1 ¶ A soft answer, turneth away wrath, but a cutting word raiseth anger.
2 ¶ The tongue of the wise, adorneth knowledge,-but, the month of dullards, belcheth out folly.
3 ¶ In every place, are the eyes of Yahweh, observing the evil and the good.
4 ¶ Gentleness of the tongue, is a tree of life, but, crookedness therein, a grievous wound in the spirit.
5 ¶ A foolish son, spurneth the correction of his father, but, he that heedeth a reproof, sheweth prudence.
6 ¶ The household of the righteous man, is a great treasure, but, in the increase of the lawless, is disturbance.
7 ¶ The lips of the wise, scatter abroad knowledge, but, the heart of dullards, is not right.
8 ¶ The sacrifice of lawless men, is an abomination to Yahweh, but, the prayer of the upright, is his delight.
9 ¶ An abomination to Yahweh, is the way of the lawless, but, the pursuer of righteousness, he loveth.
10 ¶ There is, grievous correction, for him that forsaketh the right path, He that hateth rebuke, shall die.
11 ¶ Hades and destruction, are before Yahweh, how much more then, the hearts of the sons of men.
12 ¶ A scoffer, loveth not, one who reproveth him, unto the wise, doth he not go.
13 ¶ A joyful heart, maketh a pleasing countenance,-but, in sorrow of heart, is a stricken spirit.
14 ¶ The heart of the intelligent, seeketh knowledge, but, the mouth of dullards, feedeth on folly.
15 ¶ All the days of the afflicted, are sorrowful, but, a cheerful heart, is a continual banquet.
16 ¶ Better is a little, with the reverence of Yahweh, than great treasure, and disquietude therewith.
17 Better is an allowance of herbs, and love, there, than a fatted ox, and hatred therewith.
18 ¶ A wrathful man, stirreth up strife, but, he that is slow to anger, calmeth contention.
19 ¶ The way of the sluggard, is like a thorn hedge, but, the path of the upright, is a raised road.
20 ¶ A wise son, maketh a glad father,-but, a dullard, despiseth his own mother.
21 ¶ Folly, is joy to him that lacketh sense,-but, a man of understanding, taketh a straight course.
22 ¶ Plans, are frustrated, for lack of consultation, but, by the multitude of counsellors, shall counsel, be established.
23 ¶ A man hath joy, in the answer of his own mouth, and, a word in its season,-how good!
24 ¶ The way of life, is upwards to the prudent, that he may depart from hades beneath.
25 ¶ The house of proud men, will Yahweh tear down, but he will maintain the boundary of the widow.
26 ¶ An abomination to Yahweh, are the plottings tings of the wicked, but, with the pure, are sayings of sweetness.
27 ¶ He, troubleth his own house, who graspeth with greed, but, he that hateth gifts, shall live.
28 ¶ The heart of the righteous, studieth to answer, but, the mouth of the lawless, belcheth out mischiefs.
29 ¶ Far off is Yahweh, from the lawless, but, the prayer of the righteous, will he hear.
30 ¶ The sparkling of bright eyes, rejoiceth the heart, Good news, giveth marrow to the bones.
31 ¶ The ear that heareth the reproof which giveth life, in the midst of the wise, shall remain.
32 ¶ He that declineth correction, despiseth his own soul, but, he that heareth reproof, gaineth sense.
33 ¶ The reverence of Yahweh, is the correction of wisdom, and, before honour, is humility.
Proverbs Chapter 16
1 ¶ To man, belong the preparations of the heart, but, from Yahweh, cometh the answer of the tongue.
2 ¶ All the ways of a man, may be pure in his own eyes, but, he that testeth spirits, is Yahweh.
3 ¶ Roll, upon Yahweh, thy doings, that thy plans, may be established.
4 ¶ Everything, hath Yahweh made for its own purpose, yea, even the lawless one, for the day of calamity.
5 ¶ An abomination to Yahweh, is every one who is haughty in heart, hand to hand, he shall not be held innocent.
6 ¶ By lovingkindness and fidelity, shall iniquity be covered, and, in the revering of Yahweh, is a turning away from wrong.
7 ¶ When, acceptable to Yahweh, are the ways of a man, even his enemies, doth he cause to make peace with him.
8 ¶ Better a little with righteousness, than large revenues, without justice.
9 ¶ A man’s heart, deviseth his way, but, Yahweh, directeth his steps.
10 ¶ An oracle, is on the lips of a king, in giving sentence, his mouth must not be unfaithful.
11 ¶ The balance and scales of justice, belong to Yahweh, and, his handiwork, are all the weights of the bag.
12 ¶ The abomination of kings, is to work lawlessness, for, by righteousness, is established a throne.
13 ¶ The delight of kings, are lips of righteousness,-and, the words of uprightness, he loveth.
14 ¶ The wrath of a king, meaneth messengers of death, but, a man who is wise, will appease it.
15 In the light of a king’s countenance, is life, and, his good-pleasure, is like the cloud of harvest-rain.
16 ¶ To acquire wisdom, how much better than gold! and, to get hold of understanding, more choice than silver!
17 ¶ The highway of the upright, is to avoid evil, He preserveth his soul, who guardeth his way.
18 ¶ Before grievous injury, pride! and, before a fall, haughtiness of spirit!
19 ¶ Better is lowliness of spirit, with the patient, than a portion of spoil, with the proud.
20 ¶ He that showeth discretion concerning a matter, shall find good, and, he that trusteth in Yahweh, how happy is he!
21 ¶ The wise in heart, shall be called intelligent, and, sweetness of lips, increaseth persuasiveness.
22 ¶ A well-spring of life, is discretion to its owner, but, the correction of the foolish, is folly.
23 ¶ The heart of the wise, giveth discretion to his mouth, and, upon his lips, increaseth persuasiveness.
24 ¶ A comb of honey, are pleasant words, sweet to the taste and healing to the bone.
25 ¶ There is a way that enticeth a man, but, at the latter end thereof, are the ways of death.
26 ¶ The appetite of the toiler, hath toiled for him, for his mouth, hath urged him on.
27 ¶ An abandoned man, diggeth up mischief,-and, upon his lips, as it were a fire is scorching.
28 A perverse man, sendeth forth strife, and, a tattler, separateth intimate friends.
29 ¶ A ruthless man, enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him in a way, not good.
30 Closing his eyes, to devise perverse things, biting his lips, he hath plotted mischief.
31 ¶ A crown of adorning, is a hoary head, in the way of righteousness, it should be found.
32 ¶ Better he that is slow to anger, than a hero, and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that captureth a city.
33 ¶ Into the lap, is cast the lot, but, from Yahweh, is its every decision.
Proverbs Chapter 17
1 ¶ Better a dry morsel, and peace therewith, than a house full of contentious sacrifices.
2 ¶ A prudent servant, shall rule over a son who causeth shame, and, in the midst of brothers, shall he share the inheritance.
3 ¶ Fining-pot for silver, crucible for gold, but, he that trieth hearts, is Yahweh.
4 ¶ Discord, giveth heed to the aggrieving lip,-Falsehood, giveth ear to the destroying tongue.
5 ¶ He that mocketh the poor, hath reproached his Maker, He that maketh merry at distress, shall not be held innocent.
6 ¶ The crown of old men, consists of children’s children, and the adornment of children, is their fathers.
7 ¶ Unseemly in an unworthy man, is the lip of excellence, much more, in one of noble mind, the lip of falsehood.
8 ¶ A gift, in the eyes of its owner, is, a stone of beauty, whithersoever it turneth, it bringeth prosperity.
9 ¶ He that hideth a transgression, seeketh love, but, he that repeateth a matter, separateth intimate friends.
10 ¶ A reproof sinketh more deeply into an intelligent man than a hundred stripes, into a dullard!
11 ¶ Nothing less than rebellion, doth a wicked man seek, and, a relentless messenger, shall be sent out against him.
12 ¶ Let a bereaved bear encounter man, rather than a dullard, with his folly!
13 ¶ He that returneth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 ¶ A letting forth of water, is the beginning of strife, therefore, before it breaketh out, abandon, contention.
15 ¶ He that justifieth the lawless, and he that condemneth the righteous, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
16 ¶ Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a dullard? that he who is without sense, may acquire wisdom.
17 ¶ At all times, doth a friend love, and, a brother for distress, must be born.
18 ¶ A man lacking sense, is one who striketh hands, giving security, before his neighbour.
19 ¶ A lover of transgression, is one who loveth strife, he that heighteneth his door, seeketh grievous harm.
20 ¶ The crooked in heart, shall not find good, and, he that is perverse with his tongue, shall fall into wickedness.
21 ¶ He that begetteth a dullard, it is to his own grief, neither can the father of the base, rejoice.
22 ¶ A joyful heart, worketh an excellent cure,-but, a stricken spirit, drieth up the bone.
23 ¶ A bribe out of his bosom, doth a lawless man take, to pervert the ways of justice.
24 ¶ Before the face of the discerning, is wisdom, but, the eyes of a dullard, are in the ends of the earth.
25 ¶ A vexation to his father, is the son that is a dullard, and a bitterness, to her that bare him.
26 ¶ Surely, to chastise the righteous, is not good, to smite the noble-minded for equity.
27 ¶ Sparing of his words, is one who valueth knowledge, and, of a thoughtful spirit, is a man of intelligence.
28 Even a fool, holding his peace, is accounted, wise,-He that closeth his lips, is thought to have understanding.
Proverbs Chapter 18
1 ¶ A man seeketh, for satisfaction, going his own way, through all safe counsel, he breaketh.
2 ¶ A dullard, delighteth not, in understanding, in nothing save the exposing of his own heart.
3 ¶ When the lawless man cometh in, then cometh also contempt, and, with shame, reproach.
4 ¶ Deep waters, are the words of a man’s mouth,-a bubbling brook, the well-spring of wisdom.
5 ¶ To prefer a lawless man, is not good, thrusting away the righteous, in judgment.
6 ¶ the lips of a dullard, enter into contention, and his mouth, for blows, crieth out.
7 The mouth of a dullard, is his ruin, and, his lips, are a snare to his soul.
8 ¶ the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
9 ¶ Surely he that is slothful in his work, brother, is he to a master at laying waste.
10 ¶ A tower of strength, is the Name of Yahweh, thereinto, runneth the righteous, and is safe.
11 ¶ The substance of a rich man, is his strong city, and like a high wall, in his imagination.
12 ¶ Before grievous injury, a man’s heart is haughty, and, before honour, is humility.
13 ¶ He that answereth before he heareth, a folly, it is to him, and, a reproach.
14 ¶ The spirit of a man, sustaineth his sickness, but, a dejected spirit, who can bear it?
15 ¶ the heart of the intelligent, acquireth knowledge, yea, the ear of the wise, seeketh knowledge.
16 ¶ The gift of a man, maketh room for him, and, before great men, setteth him down.
17 ¶ Righteous is he that is first in his own cause, then cometh his neighbour, and thoroughly searcheth him.
18 ¶ The lot causeth, contentions, to cease, and, the mighty, it parteth.
19 ¶ A brother estranged, is worse than a strong city,-and, contentions, are as the bar of a citadel.
20 ¶ Of the fruit of a man’s mouth, shall his inmost mind be satisfied, with the product of his lips, shall he be satisfied.
21 ¶ Death and life, are in the power of the tongue, and, its friends, shall eat its fruits.
22 ¶ Who hath found a wife, hath found a blessing, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh.
23 ¶ Supplications, doth the poor man utter, but, the rich, answereth fiercely.
24 ¶ A man having many friends, shall come to ruin, but there is a loving one, who sticketh closer than a brother.
Proverbs Chapter 19
1 ¶ Better is a poor man, walking in his integrity, than one of perverse lips, and, he, a dullard.
2 ¶ Surely, for the soul to be, without knowledge, is not good, and, he that hasteth with his feet, strayeth.
3 ¶ The folly of a man, subverteth his way, and, against Yahweh, his heart is angry.
4 ¶ Wealth, addeth many friends, but, the poor man, from his own friend, is parted.
5 ¶ A false witness, shall not be held innocent, and, he that uttereth lies, shall not escape.
6 ¶ Many, will entreat the favour of a noble, and, every one, is a friend to a man abounding in gifts.
7 All the brethren of a poor man, hate him, how much more have, his friends, gone far from him, he may hunt up promises-there are none.
8 ¶ He that acquireth sense, loveth his own soul, he that guardeth understanding, shall find blessing.
9 ¶ A false witness, shall not be held innocent, and, he that uttereth lies, shall perish.
10 ¶ Unseemly for dullard, is delicate living, how much more for, a servant, to bear rule over princes.
11 ¶ The discretion of a man, deferreth his anger, and, his adorning, is to pass over transgression.
12 ¶ The growl as of a young lion, is the rage of a king, but, like dew upon the grass, is his good pleasure.
13 ¶ Engulfing ruin to his father, is a son that is a dullard,-and, a continuous dripping, are the contentions of a wife.
14 ¶ House and substance, are an inheritance from one’s fathers, but, from Yahweh, cometh a wife who is prudent.
15 ¶ Sloth, falleth into a deep sleep, and, a soul that is indolent, shall famish.
16 ¶ One who guardeth the commandment, guardeth his life, he that is reckless in his ways, shall die.
17 ¶ A lender to Yahweh, is one who sheweth favour to the poor, and, his good deed, He will pay him back.
18 ¶ Correct thy son, because there is hope, yet, not so as to slay him, let thy passion be excited.
19 ¶ A man in a rage, taketh away the penalty,-nevertheless, if thou let him go free, the more stripes must thou add.
20 ¶ Hear counsel, receive correction, that thou mayest be wise in thine after-life.
21 ¶ Many are the devices in a man’s heart, but, the counsel of Yahweh, that, shall stand.
22 ¶ The charm of a man, is his lovingkindness,-and better a poor man, than one who deceiveth.
23 ¶ The reverence of Yahweh, leadeth to life, satisfied then, let a man remain-let him not be visited by calamity.
24 ¶ A sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, even unto his own mouth, will he not bring it back.
25 ¶ The scoffer, thou shalt smite, and, the simple, will beware, but correct a man of intelligence-he will understand teaching.
26 ¶ He that ruineth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son causing shame and reproach.
27 ¶ Cease, my son, to hear instruction that would cause thee to wander from the sayings of knowledge.
28 ¶ An abandoned witness, scorneth justice, and, the mouth of lawless men, swalloweth iniquity.
29 ¶ Prepared for scoffers, are punishments, and stripes, for the back of dullards.
Proverbs Chapter 20
1 ¶ Wine is, a scoffer, and strong drink, a brawler, every one therefore who erreth therein, is unwise.
2 ¶ The growl as of a young lion, is the dread inspired by a king, he that provoketh him, endangereth his own life.
3 ¶ Honour, hath the man who sitteth away from strife, but, any fool, may break through.
4 ¶ By reason of the autumn, a sluggard will not plough, therefore shall he beg in harvest, and there be nothing.
5 ¶ Deep water, is counsel in a man’s heart, but, a man of understanding, will draw it out.
6 ¶ A kind man one may call, a great man,-but, a faithful man, who can find?
7 ¶ As for a righteous man, walking in his integrity, how happy are his children after him!
8 ¶ A king sitting on the throne of judgment, scattereth, with his eyes, all wrong.
9 ¶ Who can say, I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin?
10 ¶ Divers weights, and divers measures, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
11 ¶ Even, by his doings, doth a youth make himself known, whether, pure and upright, be his work.
12 ¶ The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yahweh hath made them, both.
13 ¶ Do not love sleep, lest thou come to poverty, open thine eyes, be satisfied with bread.
14 ¶ Bad! bad! saith the buyer, but, going his way, then, he boasteth.
15 ¶ There are gold, and an abundance of corals, but, precious jewels, are the lips of knowledge.
16 ¶ Take his garment who is pledge for a stranger,-then, for a woman unknown, accept him as surety.
17 ¶ Sweet to a man, may be the bread of falsehood, but, afterward, shall his mouth be filled with gravel.
18 ¶ Plans-by counsel, shalt thou establish, and, with concerted measures, make thou war.
19 ¶ A revealer of secrets, is one who goeth about talebearing, therefore, with him who openeth his lips, shalt thou not have fellowship.
20 ¶ Whoso revileth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in deep darkness.
21 ¶ An inheritance hastily gotten at the beginning, the latter end thereof, shall not bring blessing.
22 ¶ Do not say, I will requite wrong! Wait thou for Yahweh that he may save thee.
23 ¶ An abomination to Yahweh, are divers weights, and, deceptive balances, are not good.
24 ¶ From Yahweh, are a man’s steps, a son of earth, then-how can he discern his way?
25 ¶ It is a snare to a man, that he should rashly cry Holy! and, after making vows, to reflect!
26 ¶ A wise king, winnoweth out the lawless, when he hath turned over them the wheel.
27 ¶ The lamp of Yahweh, is the spirit of a son of earth, searching all the chambers of the inner man.
28 ¶ Lovingkindness and faithfulness, will guard a king,-therefore should he support, with lovingkindness, his throne.
29 ¶ The beauty of young men, is their strength, and, the ornament of old men, a hoary head.
30 ¶ Blows that out in, cleanse away wickedness, and, smitings, enter the chambers of the inner man.
Proverbs Chapter 21
1 ¶ Like channels of water, is the heart of a king, in the hand of Yahweh,-whithersoever he will, he turneth it.
2 ¶ Every way of a man, may be right in his own eyes, but, he that testeth hearts, is Yahweh.
3 ¶ To do righteousness and justice, is more choice to Yahweh than sacrifice.
4 ¶ Loftiness of eyes, and ambition of heart-the lamp of the lawless, are sin.
5 ¶ The plans of the diligent, tend only to abundance, but, of every one that is urgent, only to want.
6 ¶ The gaining of treasures with a tongue of falsehood, is a vapour driven away, they who seek them seek death,
7 ¶ The violence of the lawless, shall drag them away,-because they have refused to do justice.
8 ¶ Crooked is the way of a guilty man, but, as for the pure, straight is his dealing.
9 ¶ Better to dwell on the corner of the roof, than a quarrelsome wife, and a house in common.
10 ¶ The soul of the lawless man, craveth mischief, his own friend, findeth no favour in his eyes.
11 ¶ When the scoffer is punished, the simple, becometh wise, when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
12 ¶ The Righteous One observeth the house of the lawless,-He is ready to cast down lawless men into misfortune.
13 ¶ He that shutteth his ear from the cry of the poor, even he, shall call, and not be answered.
14 ¶ A gift in secret, quencheth anger, and, a present in the bosom, mighty wrath.
15 ¶ It is a joy, to a righteous man, to do justice, but, dismay, to the workers of iniquity.
16 ¶ The man who wandereth from the way of discretion, in the gathered host of the shades, shall settle down.
17 ¶ A needy man, shall he be that loveth merriment, the lover of wine and oil, shall not become rich.
18 ¶ A ransom for the righteous, is the lawless, and, instead of upright men, the traitor.
19 ¶ Better to dwell in a desert land, than with a woman, quarrelsome and provoking.
20 ¶ Desirable treasure and oil, are in the home of the wise, but, a man who is a dullard, will destroy it.
21 ¶ He that pursueth righteousness and lovingkindness, shall find life, righteousness and honour.
22 ¶ A city of heroes, doth a wise man scale, and bringeth down the strength of its confidence.
23 ¶ He that keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth, out of distresses, his soul.
24 ¶ A haughty insolent one-Scoffer is his name, is he that acteth in a transport of pride.
25 ¶ The craving of the sluggard, killeth him, for his hands have refused to work.
26 All the day, he greatly craveth, whereas, the righteous, giveth, and doth not spare.
27 ¶ The sacrifice of the lawless, is an abomination, how much more, when, with wickedness, he bringeth it in!
28 ¶ A false witness, shall perish, but, the man who hearkeneth, with abiding effect, shall speak.
29 ¶ A lawless man emboldeneth his face, but, as for the upright, he, directeth his ways.
30 ¶ There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, to confront Yahweh.
31 The horse, is prepared for the day of battle, but, to Yahweh, pertaineth the victory.
Proverbs Chapter 22
1 ¶ More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
2 ¶ The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
3 ¶ A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
4 ¶ The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
5 ¶ Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse,-he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
6 ¶ Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh old, he will not depart from it.
7 ¶ The rich, over the poor, beareth rule,-and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
8 ¶ He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
9 ¶ A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed,-because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
10 ¶ Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
11 ¶ Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
12 ¶ The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
13 ¶ Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
14 ¶ A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
15 ¶ Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
16 ¶ He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 ¶ Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
18 For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
19 That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
20 Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
21 To cause thee to know the meaning of faithful sayings, that thou mayest give back faithful sayings to them who ask thee.
22 ¶ Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
23 For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
24 ¶ Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
26 ¶ Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
28 ¶ Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
29 ¶ Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
Proverbs Chapter 23
1 ¶ When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, thou shall consider well, what is before thee;
2 And shalt put a knife to thy throat, if, of great appetite, thou art:
3 Do not crave his dainties, for, the same, are deceitful food.
4 ¶ Do not toil to get wealth, of thine own understanding, forbear:
5 Wilt thou let thine eye fly thereupon, when it is nothing? for it will, surely make, itself wings, Like an eagle, will it wing its way across the heavens.
6 ¶ Do not eat the food of him that hath a begrudging eye, neither crave thou his dainties;
7 For, just as he hath thought in his own mind, so, he is: Eat and drink! he may say to thee, but, his heart, is not with thee.
8 As for thy morsel thou hast eaten, thou shalt vomit it, so shalt thou waste thy things so sweet.
9 ¶ In the ears of a dullard, do not speak, for he will despise the good sense of thy words.
10 ¶ Do not move back the ancient boundary, and, into the fields of the fatherless, do not enter;
11 For, their near of kin, is strong, he, will plead their cause with thee.
12 ¶ Bring, to correction, thy heart, and thine ears, to the sayings of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold, from a child, correction, When thou smitest him with the rod, he shall not die:
14 Thou, with the rod, shalt smite him, and, his soul from hades, shalt thou deliver.
15 My son! if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 So shall my reins exult, when thy lips speak the things that are right.
17 ¶ Let not thy heart be envious of sinners, only of the reverence of Yahweh, all day long;
18 For surely there is a future, and, thine expectation, shall not be cut off.
19 ¶ Hear, thou, my son, and be wise, and lead forward, in duty, thy heart.
20 Do not be among them who tipple with wine,-among them who are gluttons;
21 For, the tippler and the glutton, shall come to poverty, and, rags, shall Slumber put on!
22 Hearken to thy father here, who begat thee, and despise not, when she is old, thy mother.
23 Truth, buy thou, but do not sell, wisdom, and correction, and understanding.
24 Greatly shall exult, the father of a righteous man, and, he that begetteth a wise son, shall rejoice in him:
25 Rejoice shall thy father and thy mother, yea she, shall exult, who bare thee.
26 Oh give, my son, thy mind unto me, and let, thine eyes, observe, my ways;
27 For, a deep chasm, is the unchaste woman, and, a narrow pit, the female unknown;
28 Yea, she, as for prey, lieth in wait, and, the treacherous among mankind, she causeth to abound.
29 ¶ Who hath woe? Who hath outcry of pain? Who hath contentions? Who hath complaining? Who hath needless wounds? Who hath dullness of eyes?
30 They who tarry over wine, they who go in to search for mixed wine.
31 Do not look on wine when it becometh red, when it giveth in the cup its sparkle, glideth down smoothly.
32 Its after effect, is that, like a serpent, it biteth, and, like a viper, it doth sting.
33 Thine eyes, will see strange women, and, thy heart, will speak perverse things:
34 So shalt thou become, as one lying down in the heart of the sea,-or as one lying down on the top of the mastgear:
35 They smote me-I felt no pain, They struck me down-I noticed it not,-When shall I wake up? I will go on, I will seek it, again!
Proverbs Chapter 24
1 ¶ Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
2 For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
3 ¶ In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
4 And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
5 A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
6 Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
7 ¶ Unattainable to a foolish man, are the dictates of wisdom, in the gate, he openeth not his mouth.
8 He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
9 The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
10 ¶ Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
11 ¶ Deliver thou such as are being led forth to death, and, them who are tottering to slaughter, oh that thou wouldst hold back!
12 Though thou say, Lo! we knew not this, Shall not, he that proveth hearts, himself, discern? And, he that formeth thy soul, himself, know? and bring back to a son of earth according to his deed?
13 ¶ My son, eat thou honey, because it is good,-and droppings from the comb because they are sweet to thy palate:
14 Thus, take knowledge of wisdom, for thine own soul; If thou find it, then there is a future, and, thine expectation, shall not be cut off.
15 ¶ Do not lie in wait, thou lawless man, against the home of the righteous,-neither destroy thou his place of rest;
16 For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
17 ¶ When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
18 Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
19 ¶ Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
20 For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
21 ¶ Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
22 For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
23 ¶ These things also, concern he wise, To take note of faces in judgment, is not good.
24 He that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
25 But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
26 Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
27 ¶ Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
28 ¶ Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide thy lips:
29 Do not say-According to what he hath done to me, so, will I do to him, I will repay every one according to his work.
30 ¶ By the field of the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense;
31 And lo! there had come up all over it-thorns, there had covered the face thereof-thistles, and, the stone fence thereof, had been thrown down.
32 So I observed it, for myself, I applied my heart, I looked-I accepted correction:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest:
34 So shall come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
Proverbs Chapter 25
1 ¶ These also, are proverbs of Solomon,-which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed.
2 ¶ The glory of God, is to conceal a thing, but, the glory of kings, is to search out a thing.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, but, the heart of kings, cannot be searched.
4 ¶ Remove the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth, to the refiner, a vessel:
5 Remove a lawless man from before the king, that his throne, may be established in righteousness.
6 ¶ Do not honour thyself before a king, nor, in the place of great men, do thou stand;
7 For better it be said to thee, Come up hither,-than that thou be put lower down before a noble, whom thine own eyes, have beheld.
8 ¶ Do not go forth to strive in haste,-lest thou know not what to do in the latter end thereof, when thy neighbour, hath put thee to shame.
9 Thy contention, urge thou with thy neighbour, and, the secret of another, do not reveal:
10 Lest he that heareth expose thee, and, the report concerning thee, turn not away.
11 ¶ Golden fruit in figured silver baskets, is a word spoken on fitting occasion.
12 A ring of gold, and a vessel of precious metal, is a wise reprover, on a hearing ear.
13 ¶ As the cold of snow in the day of harvest, is a faithful messenger to them who send him,-when, the life of his masters, he restoreth.
14 ¶ Clouds and wind, when rain there is none, is the man who boasteth himself of a pretended gift.
15 ¶ By long patience, is a judge persuaded, and, a soft tongue, breaketh the bone.
16 ¶ Honey having found, eat to suffice thee, lest thou loathe it, and vomit it forth.
17 ¶ Withhold thy foot from the house of thy neighbour,-lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
18 ¶ A hammer and a sword, and a sharpened arrow, is a man becoming a false witness against his neighbour.
19 ¶ A broken tooth and a faltering foot, is confidence in the treacherous, in the day of danger.
20 ¶ As splendour of dress on a cold day-vinegar upon nitre, so is a singer with songs, unto a sad heart.
21 ¶ If he that hateth thee hunger, give him bread to eat, and, if he be thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For, burning coals, shalt thou be heaping upon his head,-and, Yahweh, will repay thee.
23 ¶ A north wind, bringeth forth rain, and, a face stirred with indignation, a secretive tongue.
24 ¶ Better to dwell on the corner of the roof, than a quarrelsome wife, and a house in common.
25 ¶ As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is a good report from a far country.
26 ¶ A fountain fouled, a spring spoiled, is a righteous man tottering before one who is lawless.
27 ¶ To eat honey in abundance, is not good, nor is, searching out their own honour, an honourable thing.
28 ¶ A city broken down without a wall, is a man who hath no control over his own spirit.
Proverbs Chapter 26
1 ¶ As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so, unbecoming to a dullard is honour.
2 ¶ As a sparrow in wandering, as a swallow in flying, so, a causeless curse, shall not alight.
3 ¶ A whip for the horse, a bridle a for the ass, and a rod for the back of dullards.
4 ¶ Do not answer a dullard, according to his folly, lest, even thou thyself, become like him;
5 Answer a dullard according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
6 ¶ One who cutteth off feet, one who drinketh down wrong, is he who sendeth a message by the hand of a dullard.
7 Useless are the legs of the lame, and a proverb, in the mouth of a dullard.
8 Like tying a stone to a sling, so, is he that giveth honour, to a dullard.
9 A brier cometh into the hand of a drunken-man, a proverb into the mouth of dullards.
10 ¶ As an archer who woundeth every thing, so one who hireth a dullard, and a drunkard crossing the sea.
11 ¶ As, a dog, returneth onto his own vomit, a dullard, repeateth his folly.
12 ¶ Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eye,-more hope of a dullard, than of him!
13 ¶ Saith the sluggard, A roaring lion in the road! A tearing lion in the midst of the broadways.
14 ¶ The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.
15 ¶ The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 ¶ Wiser is the sluggard in his own eyes, than, seven persons, who can answer with judgment.
17 ¶ As he who layeth hold of the ears of a dog, is a passer-by, who giveth vent to his wrath over a quarrel, not his!
18 ¶ As a madman throwing firebrands, arrows and death,
19 So, is a man who deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Was not, I, in sport?
20 ¶ Without wood a fire is quenched, and, where there is no tattler, strife is hushed.
21 Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling strife.
22 the words of a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
23 ¶ Dross silver overlaid upon earthenware, so are burning lips, with a mischievous heart:
24 ¶ With his lips, the hater dissembleth, but, within himself, he layeth up deceit:
25 Though he make gracious his voice, do not trust him, for, seven abominations, are in his heart:
26 Hatred may clothe itself with guile, his wickedness shall be disclosed in the convocation.
27 ¶ He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, shall fall, and, he that rolleth a stone, upon himself, shall it return.
28 ¶ A false tongue, hateth them who are crushed by it, and, a flattering mouth, worketh occasion of stumbling.
Proverbs Chapter 27
1 ¶ Do not boast thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 ¶ Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 ¶ Heavy is a stone, and weighty is sand,-but, the vexation of a fool, is heavier than both.
4 The cruelty of rage, and the overflow of anger! But who can stand before, jealousy?
5 ¶ Better is a rebuke that is open, than love carefully concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but lavished are the kisses of an enemy.
7 ¶ The surfeited soul, trampleth upon droppings from the comb, but, to the hungry soul, every bitter thing, is sweet.
8 ¶ As a bird wandering from her nest, so, is a man wandering from his place.
9 ¶ Oil and perfume, rejoice the heart, the sweetness of one’s friend, more than fragrant wood.
10 Thine own friend and thy father’s friend, do not thou forsake; but, the house of thy brother, do not enter, in thy day of calamity, Better a neighbour near, than a brother far off.
11 ¶ Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart, that I may answer him that reproacheth me in a matter.
12 ¶ A prudent man, seeth calamity-he hideth himself, the simple, pass on-they suffer.
13 ¶ Take a man’s garment when he hath become pledge for stranger, then, for a female unknown, accept him as surety.
14 ¶ He that blesseth his friend, with a loud voice, in the morning early, a reproach, shall it be reckoned to him.
15 ¶ A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:
16 He that hideth her, hideth the wind, and, perfume, his right hand may proclaim.
17 ¶ Let, iron, by iron, become sharp, and let, a man, sharpen the face of his friend.
18 ¶ He that guardeth the fig-tree, shall eat the fruit thereof, and, he that watcheth over his master, shall he honoured.
19 ¶ As in water, face answereth to face, so, the heart of man to man.
20 ¶ Hades and destruction, are not satisfied, and, the eyes of a man, are not satisfied.
21 ¶ Fining pot for silver, and crucible for gold, and, a man, is to be tried by what he praiseth.
22 ¶ Though thou pound a fool in a mortar, amidst grain, with a pestle, his folly, will not depart from him.
23 ¶ Note well, the appearance of thy flock, apply thy mind to thy herds;
24 For, not age-abiding, are riches, nor is the diadem, from generation to generation:-
25 The grass, is taken away, and the young shoot, showeth itself, and the herbage of the mountains, is gathered;
26 There are, lambs, for thy clothing, and, for the price of thy field, there are he-goats;
27 With, enough goats-milk, for thy food-for the food of thy household, and, a maintenance, for thy maidens.
Proverbs Chapter 28
1 ¶ The lawless, fleeth when no man pursueth, but, the righteous, like a lion, are confident.
2 ¶ For the transgressions of a land, many are the rulers thereof, but, under an intelligent and discerning man, stability is prolonged.
3 ¶ A poor man, who oppresseth the helpless, is like a rain beating down, leaving no food.
4 ¶ They who forsake instruction, praise one who is lawless, while, they who keep instruction, are at strife with them.
5 ¶ Wicked men, consider not justice, but, they who seek Yahweh, consider everything.
6 ¶ Better a poor man walking in his integrity, than one who is crooked-turning two ways, though, he, be rich.
7 ¶ He that keepeth instruction, is a son with discernment, but, a companion of squanderers, bringeth shame to his father.
8 ¶ He that increaseth his substance by interest and profit, for one ready to favour the poor, doth gather it.
9 ¶ He that turneth away his ear from hearing instruction, even his prayer, is an abomination.
10 ¶ He that misguideth the upright into a hurtful way! into his own pit, he himself, shall fall, but, men of integrity, shall inherit good.
11 ¶ Wise in his own eyes, is the man that is rich, but, a poor man of discernment, searcheth him out.
12 ¶ In the exulting of the righteous, there is great glorying, but, when the lawless arise, a man must be sought for.
13 ¶ He that covereth his transgressions, shall not prosper, but, he that confesseth and forsaketh, shall find compassion.
14 ¶ How happy the man who is ever circumspect, whereas, he that hardeneth his heart, shall fall into calamity.
15 ¶ A growling lion, and a ranging bear, is a lawless ruler, over a poor people.
16 ¶ A leader, may lack intelligence, yet abound in oppressions, The hater of greed, shall lengthen out days.
17 ¶ A man oppressed with a person’s blood, unto a pit, shall flee, let them not hold him back.
18 ¶ He that walketh with integrity, shall be saved, but, he that is crooked, turning two ways, shall fall in one.
19 ¶ He that tilleth his ground, shall have plenty of bread, but, he that pursueth empty-heads, shall have plenty of poverty.
20 ¶ A man of fidelity, aboundeth in blessings, but, one hasting to be rich, shall not be held innocent.
21 ¶ To take note of faces in judgment, is not good, and, for a bit of bread, a man will transgress.
22 ¶ A man, hasting to be rich, hath an evil eye, and knoweth not when want may overtake him.
23 ¶ He that reproveth a man, shall, afterwards, find more, favour, than he that useth a flattering tongue.
24 ¶ He that robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression, companion, is he to one who wasteth.
25 ¶ The ambitious in soul, stirreth up strife, but, he that trusteth in Yahweh, shall be enriched.
26 ¶ He that trusteth his own heart, the same, is a dullard, but, he that walketh wisely, the same, shall be delivered.
27 ¶ One who giveth to the poor, shall have no want, but, he that hideth his eyes, shall receive many a curse.
28 ¶ When lawless men rise, a common man will hide himself, but, when they perish, righteous men multiply.
Proverbs Chapter 29
1 ¶ He that being often reproved stiffeneth his neck, suddenly shall be hurt, and there be no healing.
2 ¶ When the righteous become great, the people rejoice, but, when a lawless man beareth rule, a people sigh.
3 ¶ A man who loveth wisdom, gladdeneth his father, but, a companion of harlots, destroyeth wealth.
4 ¶ A king, by justice, shall establish a land,-but, a man open to bribes, bringeth it to ruin.
5 ¶ A man who flattereth his neighbour, spreadeth, a net, over his steps.
6 ¶ In the transgression of a wicked man, is a snare, but, the righteous, doth shout in triumph and rejoice.
7 ¶ The righteous doth acknowledge the plea of the poor, but, the lawless, regardeth not knowledge.
8 ¶ Men given to mockery, inflame a city,-but, wise men, turn away anger.
9 ¶ A wise man pleading with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no settlement.
10 ¶ Blood-thirsty men, hate the blameless man, and, as for the upright, they seek his life.
11 ¶ All his anger, doth a dullard let go, but, a wise man, by keeping it back, stilleth it.
12 ¶ When a ruler giveth heed to the word of falsehood, all his attendants, become lawless.
13 ¶ The poor man and the man of usury, meet together, he that enlighteneth the eyes of them both, is Yahweh.
14 ¶ When a king judgeth faithfully the poor, his throne, to futurity, shall be established.
15 ¶ A rod with rebuke, giveth wisdom, but, a youth unrestrained, bringeth shame to his mother.
16 ¶ When the lawless become great, transgression increaseth, but, the righteous, shall behold, their ruin.
17 ¶ Correct thy son, that he may give thee rest, that he may give delight to thy soul.
18 ¶ Where there is no vision, a people is let loose, but, he that keepeth instruction, how happy is he!
19 ¶ By words, a servant will not be corrected, though he perceiveth, yet is there no answer.
20 ¶ Thou hast seen a man hasty in his words,-there is, more hope of a dullard, than of him.
21 ¶ He that dealeth tenderly with his servant from childhood, in his after life, shall have him for a son.
22 ¶ A man given to anger, stirreth up strife, and, he that exceedeth in wrath, aboundeth in transgression.
23 ¶ The loftiness of a man, layeth him low,-but, one of a lowly spirit, shall attain unto honour.
24 ¶ He that shareth with a thief, hateth himself, an oath, he heareth, yet may not tell.
25 ¶ The fear of man, setteth a snare, but, he that trusteth in Yahweh, shall be placed on high.
26 ¶ Many, seek the face of a ruler, but, from Yahweh, is the sentence of each one.
27 ¶ An abomination to the righteous, is the man of perversity, and, an abomination to the lawless, is a man of straightforward way.
Proverbs Chapter 30
1 ¶ The words of Agur, son of Jakeh, even the oracle,-The utterance of the man, for Ithiel, for Ithiel and Ucal.
2 Surely, more brutish, am, I, than any man, nor doth, the understanding of a son of earth, pertain to me;
3 Neither have I learned wisdom, nor, the knowledge of the Holy Ones, can I acquire.
4 Who hath ascended the heavens and then descended? Who hath gathered the wind into his two hands? Who hath wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who hath set up all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what the name of his son, when thou knowest?
5 Every saying of God is refined, A shield, is, he, to them who seek refuge in him.
6 Do not add unto his words, lest he convict thee, and thou be found false.
7 ¶ Two things, have I asked of thee, withhold them not from me, ere yet I die:
8 Vanity and falsehood, remove far from me, Neither poverty nor riches, give me, Feed me with the food appointed me:
9 Lest I be full, and deny, and say-Who is Yahweh? or lest I be impoverished and steal, and do violence to the Name of my God.
10 ¶ Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he revile thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 A generation! Its father, it revileth, and, its mother, it doth not bless.
12 A generation! Pure in its own eyes, yet, from its filth, hath it not been bathed,
13 A generation! How lofty are its eyes, and its eyelashes uplifted.
14 A generation! Swords, are its teeth, and, knives, its incisors,-to devour the humbled out of the earth, and the needy, from among men.
15 ¶ The vampire, hath two daughters, Give! Give! Three, there are will not be satisfied, four, have not said, Enough!
16 Hades, and barrenness,-A land not satisfied with water, and fire, that saith not, Enough!
17 The eye that mocketh a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young of the eagle shall eat it.
18 ¶ Three, things there are, too difficult for me, yea, four, which I do not understand:
19 The way of an eagle in the heavens, the way of a serpent on the rock,-the way of a ship in the heart of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.
20 So, is the way of a woman committing adultery,-she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no iniquity!
21 Under three things, a land is stirred, yea, under four, she cannot bear up:
22 Under a servant, when he reigneth, and a base man, when he is surfeited with food;
23 Under a hateful woman, when she is married, and a handmaid when she driveth out her mistress.
24 ¶ Four, things there are, the small of the earth,-yet, they, are wiser than the wise:
25 The ants, a people, not strong,-yet prepare they, in summer, their food;
26 The conies, a people of, no power, yet set they, among the crags, their house;
27 King, is there none, to, the locusts,-yet go forth in swarms, do they all;
28 The lizard, with hands, reneweth its hold,-yet, the same, is in the palaces of the king.
29 ¶ Three, things there are which step along well, ye, four, which excel in going:
30 The lion, hero among beasts, which turneth aside from the face of no one;
31 The greyhound, or the he-goat,-and a king, having a band of soldiers with him.
32 If thou hast acted basely by lifting thyself up,-if thou hast plotted evil, put thy hand to thy mouth!
33 Surely, the pressing of milk, bringeth forth curd, and, the pressing of the nose, bringeth forth blood, and, the pressing of wrath, bringeth forth strife.
Proverbs Chapter 31
1 ¶ The words of Lemuel the king,-the strain which was taught him by his mother:-
2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? aye what, the son of my vows?
3 Do not give, to women, thy strength, nor thy ways, to them who ruin kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor, for dignitaries, to desire strong drink,
5 Lest he drink, and forget that which is decreed, and alter the plea of any who are sorely oppressed.
6 Give strong drink, to him that is perishing, and wine, to such as are embittered in soul:
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and, his wearying toil, let him remember no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, for the cause of all the children of the departed.
9 Open thy mouth-judge righteously,-and administer justice for the poor and the needy.
10 ¶ A virtuous woman, who can find? for, far beyond corals, is her worth.
11 The heart of her husband, trusteth her, and, gain, he shall not lack:
12 She doeth him good and not evil, all the days of her life:
13 She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands:
14 She is like the ships of the merchant, from afar, she bringeth in her food;
15 And she riseth, while yet it is night, and giveth food to her household, and a task to her maidens:
16 She considereth a field, and procureth it, Out of the fruit of her hands, she planteth a vineyard:
17 She girdeth, with strength her loins, and putteth vigour into her arms:
18 She tasteth, whether, good, be her merchandise, and her lamp, goeth not out by night:
19 Her hands, she putteth forth to the distaff, and, her palms, lay hold of the spindle:
20 Her palm, she spreadeth out to the oppressed, and, her hands, she extendeth to the needy:
21 She feareth not, for her household, because of the snow, for, all her household, are clothed with crimson:
22 Coverlets, she maketh for herself, Of white linen and of purple, is her clothing:
23 Known in the gates, is her husband, when he sitteth, with the elders of the land:
24 Fine linen wraps, she maketh and selleth, and, girdles, doth she deliver to the trader:
25 Strength and dignity, are her clothing, and she laugheth at the time to come:
26 Her mouth, she openeth with wisdom, and, the instruction of kindness, is on her tongue:
27 She looketh well to the goings of her household, and, the bread of idleness, will she not eat.
28 Her children rise up, and call her happy! her husband, and he praiseth her:-
29 Many daughters, have done virtuously, but, thou, excellest them all!
30 Deceitful is loveliness and vain is beauty, The woman that revereth Yahweh, she, shall be praised:
31 Give her of the fruit of her own hands, and let her own works, praise her in the gates.
Ecclesiastes [The Preacher]
Ecclesiastes Chapter 1
1 ¶ The words of the Proclaimer, son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities! saith the Proclaimer, vanity of vanities! all, is vanity.
3 What profit hath Man, in all his toil wherewith he toileth under the sun?
4 ¶ Generation, goeth and, generation, cometh, but, the earth, unto times age-abiding, remaineth.
5 And the sun, breaketh forth, and the sun, goeth in,-yea, unto his own place, he panteth, from whence he brake forth.
6 Going unto the south, and circling unto the north,-circling, circling continually, is, the wind, and, over its own circuits, returneth the wind.
7 All the streams, flow into the sea, yet, the sea, is not full,-unto the place whither the streams flow, thither, do they again flow.
8 All words, are weak, unable is any man to tell,-not satisfied is the eye by seeing, nor filled is the ear with hearing.
9 ¶ That which hath been, is the same that shall be, and, that which hath been done, is the same that shall be done,-and there is, nothing new, under the sun.
10 Is there a thing, of which it can be said, See here, it is, new? Already, hath it been, for ages, it is something which was before us.
11 There is, no remembrance, of the thing before,-nor, even of the things after, which shall be, will there be any remembrance, with them who shall come after.
12 ¶ I, the Proclaimer, was king over Israel, in Jerusalem.
13 And I gave my heart to seek and to search out, wisely, concerning all things which are done under the heavens,-the same, is the vexatious employment God hath given to the sons of men, to work toilsomely therein,
14 I saw all the works which were done under the sun,-and lo! all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
15 That which is crooked, cannot be straight,-and, that which is wanting, cannot be reckoned.
16 Spake, I, in my heart, saying, As for me, lo! I have become great, and have gathered wisdom, beyond any one who hath been before me over Jerusalem,-and, my heart, hath seen much wisdom and knowledge:
17 yea I have given my heart, to know wisdom, and to know madness, and folly,-I know that, even this, is a feeding on wind.
18 For, in much wisdom, is much vexation,-and, he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth pain.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 2
1 ¶ Said, I, in my heart, Come now! I will prove thee with gladness, and look thou on blessedness,-but lo! even that, was vanity.
2 Of laughter, I said, Madness! and, of mirth, What can it do?
3 I sought out with my heart, to cherish with wine, my flesh,-but, my heart, was to guide with wisdom, even in laying hold of folly, until I should see which was blessedness for the sons of men, as to that which they could do, under the heavens, during the number of the days of their life.
4 I enlarged my works,-I built me houses, I planted me vineyards;
5 I made me gardens, and parks,-I planted in them trees of every kind of fruit;
6 I made me pools of water,-to irrigate therefrom the thick-set saplings growing up into trees:
7 I acquired, men-servants and women-servants, and, the children of the household, were mine,-also possessions, herds and flocks in abundance, were mine, beyond all who had been before me in Jerusalem;
8 I heaped me up, both silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings, and provinces,-I provided me singing-men and singing-women, and the delights of the sons of men, a wife and wives.
9 So I became great, and increased, more than any one who had been before me in Jerusalem,-moreover, my wisdom, remained with me;
10 and, nothing that mine eyes asked, withheld I from them,-I did not keep back my heart from any gladness, for, my heart, obtained gladness out of all my toil, and so, this, was my portion, out of all my toil.
11 When, I, looked upon all my works, which my hands had made, and on my toil, whereon I had toilsomely wrought, then lo! all, was vanity, and feeding on wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 ¶ Thus turned, I, to look at wisdom, and madness and folly,-for what can the man do more who cometh after the king? save that which, already, men have done.
13 Then saw, I, that wisdom doth excel folly,-as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 As for the wise man, his eyes, are in his head, whereas, the dullard, in darkness, doth walk,-but, I myself, knew that, one destiny, happeneth to them, all.
15 Then said, I, in my heart, As it happeneth to the dullard, even to me, will it happen, but wherefore, then, became, I, wise to excess? Therefore spake I, in my heart, Even this, is vanity.
16 For there is no remembrance of a wise man, more than of a dullard, unto times age-abiding,-seeing that, already, in the days to come, all hath been forgotten, how then cometh it that the wise man dieth equally with the dullard?
17 ¶ Therefore I hated life, for, a vexation unto me, was the work which was done under the sun,-for, all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
18 Therefore hated, I, all my toil, wherein I was toiling, under the sun,-in that I should leave it for the man who should come after me;
19 and who could know whether a, wise man, he would be or a foolish, and yet he would lord it over all my toil, wherein I had toiled and wherein I had acted wisely, under the sun,-even this, was vanity.
20 Then resolved I, to give my heart over to despair,-concerning all the toil, wherein I had toiled, under the sun.
21 For here is a man, whose toil hath been with wisdom and with knowledge and with skill,-yet, to a man who hath not toiled therein, shall he leave it as his portion, even this, was vanity and a great vexation.
22 For what hath the man for all his toil, and for the striving of his heart,-wherein, he himself, toiled under the sun?
23 For, all his days, are pains, and, vexatious, is his employment, even in the night, his heart lieth not down,-even this, was, vanity.
24 There was nothing more blessed for Man than that he should eat and drink, and see his desireth for blessedness in his toil,-even this, saw, I myself, that, from the hand of God, it was.
25 For who could eat and who could enjoy, so well as I?
26 For, to a man who is good before him, hath he given wisdom and knowledge and gladness,-whereas, to the sinner, he hath given employment, to gather and heap up, to give to one who is good before God, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 3
1 ¶ For, every thing, there is a season,-and a time for every pursuit, under the heavens:-
2 A time to be born, and a time to die,-A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal,-A time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh,-A time to wail, and a time to dance for joy;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to heap up stones,-A time to embrace, and a time to be far from loving embrace;
6 A time to seek, and a time to give up as lost,-A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew,-A time to be silent, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love and a time to hate,-A time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh, in that wherein, himself, hath toiled?
10 I looked at the employment which God hath given to the sons of men, to work therein:
11 ¶ Everything, hath he made beautiful in its own time,-also, intelligence, hath he put in their heart, without which men could not find out the work which God hath wrought, from the beginning even unto the end.
12 I know that there is no blessedness in them,-save to be glad, and to do well with one’s life.
13 Though indeed, that any man should eat and drink, and see blessedness, in all his toil, it is, the gift of God.
14 I know, that, whatsoever God doeth, the same, shall be age-abiding, unto it, there is nothing to add, and, from it, there is nothing to take away,-and, God, hath done it, that men should stand in awe before him.
15 That which was, already, had been, and, that which shall be, already, shall have been,-but, God, seeketh that which hath been chased away.
16 ¶ Then, again, I saw under the sun, the place of justice, that there was lawlessness, and, the place of righteousness, that there was lawlessness.
17 Said, I, in my heart, Both the righteous and the lawless, will God judge,-for there will be a time for every pursuit, and concerning every work-there.
18 Said, I, in my heart, as concerning the sons of men, That God was minded to prove them,-and that they might see, that they were beasts, of themselves.
19 For, as regardeth the destiny of the sons of men and the destiny of beasts, one fate, have they, as dieth the one, so, dieth the other, and, one spirit, have they all,-and, the pre-eminence of man over beast, is nothing, for, all, were vanity:
20 all, go unto one place,-all, came from the dust, and all, return to the dust.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of men, whether it, ascendeth, above,-or the spirit of the beast, whether it, descendeth, below, to the earth?
22 So I saw, that there was nothing better than that a man should be glad in his works, for, that, is his portion,-for who can bring him in, to look upon that which shall be after him?
Ecclesiastes Chapter 4
1 ¶ Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun,-and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.
2 So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead,-more than the living, who were living, still;
3 and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being,-who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.
4 ¶ Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour,-even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
5 The dullard, claspeth his hands, and consumeth his own flesh.
6 Better a handful-with quietness,-than both hands, full-with toil, and feeding on wind.
7 ¶ Then again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun:-
8 Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches,-neither saith he For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!
9 Better are two, than one,-in that they have a good reward for their toil.
10 For, if the one should fall, the other would raise up his companion,-but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up!
11 Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth,-but how can, one, have warmth?
12 And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him,-and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.
13 ¶ Better a boy poor and wise,-than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.
14 For, out of prison, came he forth to reign, yea, even in his own kingdom, was he born poor.
15 I saw all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun,-that they were with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other’s place:-
16 There was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him,-surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 5
1 ¶ Keep thy foot, when thou goest unto the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than dullards to offer sacrifice,-for they make no acknowledgment of doing wrong.
2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and, with thy heart, be not in haste to bring forth a word, before God,-for, God, is in the heavens, and, thou, upon the earth, for this cause, let thy words be few.
3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business,-and, the voice of a dullard, is with a multitude of words.
4 ¶ When thou vowest a vow unto God, do not defer to pay it, for there is no pleasure in dullards,-what thou vowest, pay!
5 Better that thou shouldest not vow,-than vow, and not pay.
6 Do not let thy mouth cause thy flesh to sin,-neither say thou, before the messenger, that it was, a mistake,-wherefore should God be indignant at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
7 For it was done amidst a multitude of dreams, and vanities, and many words,-but, towards God, be thou reverent.
8 If, the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of justice and righteousness, thou see in the province, do not be astonished over the matter,-for, one high above the highest, is watching, yea, the Most High, is over them.
9 ¶ And, the profit of the earth, is, for all,-a king, by the field, is served.
10 He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver nor, he that loveth abundance, with revenue,--even this, was vanity.
11 When blessings are increased, increased are the eaters thereof,-what profit, then, to the owner of them saving the sight of his eyes?
12 Sweet the sleep of the labourer, whether, little or much, he eat,-but, the surfeit of the rich man, will not suffer him to sleep.
13 Here was an incurable evil, I had seen under the sun, riches kept by the owner thereof, to his hurt;
14 and those riches perish, by being ill employed,-and though he begetteth a son, yet is there in his hand nothing at all.
15 As he came from his mother’s womb, naked, he again departeth, as he came,-and, nothing, can he take of his toil, which he can carry in his hand.
16 Even this, moreover, is an incurable evil, altogether as he came, so, shall he depart,-what profit then shall he have who toileth for the wind?
17 Even all his days, are spent in darkness and mourning,-and he is very morose, and is sad and angry.
18 ¶ Lo! what, I myself, have seen-Better that it should be excellent to eat and to drink and to see blessedness, in all one’s toil wherein one toileth under the sun, for the number of the days of his life, in that God hath given it him, for, that, is his portion:
19 yet, as regardeth every man, to whom God hath given wealth and goods, and granted him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to find gladness in his toil, this, is, the gift of God.
20 Though it be not much, let him remember the days of his life,-for, God, beareth witness, by the gladness of his heart.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 6
1 ¶ Here was an evil, I had seen under the sun,-and it is, common, among men:
2 A man to whom God giveth riches and gains and honour, so that nothing doth he lack for his soul-of all that he craveth, and yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but, a man unknown, eateth it,-this, was vanity, and, an incurable evil, it was.
3 Though a man should beget a hundred children, and live, many years, so that many should be the days of his years but, his own soul, should not be satisfied with the good, and he should not even have, a burial, I said, Better than he, is an untimely birth!
4 For, in vain, it came in, and, in darkness, it departeth,-and, with darkness, its name, is covered:
5 even the sun, it never saw, nor aught did it know,-more quietness, hath this than the other.
6 Even though one hath lived a thousand years twice told, yet, good, hath he not seen,-is it not, unto one place, that, all, are going?
7 ¶ All the toil of man, is for his mouth,-though, even the desire, is not satisfied!
8 For what profit hath the wise man, over the dullard? What can, the poor man, know-so as to walk before the living?
9 Better what the eyes behold, than the wandering of desire,-even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
10 Whatsoever one may be, long ago, was he called by his name, and it is known that it is-Son of Earth,-he cannot, therefore, contend with one stronger than he.
11 ¶ Seeing there are things in abundance which make vanity abound, what profit hath man?
12 For who knoweth what is good for a man throughout his life, for the number of the days of his life of vanity, seeing he will make them, like a shadow,-for who can tell a man, what shall be after him, under the sun?
Ecclesiastes Chapter 7
1 ¶ Better a name, than precious ointment,-and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth.
2 Better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of banqueting, for, that, is the end of all men,-and, the living, should take it to his heart.
3 Better is grief than laughter,-for, by the marring of the face, amended is the heart.
4 The heart of the wise, is in the house of mourning, but, the heart of dullards, in the house of mirth.
5 Better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for any man to hear the song of dullards,
6 For, as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so, is the laughter of the dullard,-even this, then, was vanity.
7 ¶ For, oppression, maddeneth the wise,-and a bribe, destroyeth the understanding.
8 Better the latter end of a thing, than the beginning thereof,-Better a patient spirit, than a haughty spirit.
9 Do not be rash in thy spirit, to be indignant,-for, indignation, in the bosom of dullards, doth remain.
10 Do not say, What hath happened, that, the former days, were better than these? for, not wisely, askest thou concerning this.
11 ¶ Good is wisdom, with an inheritance,-and a profit, to such as see the sun.
12 For, a protection, is wisdom, and, a protection, is silver,-but, the advantage of knowledge, is, that, wisdom, giveth life to the possessors thereof.
13 Consider the work of God,-for who can straighten what he hath bent?
14 In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but, in the day of misfortune, consider,-Even the one equally with the other, hath God made, to the end man might find out-after him-nothing.
15 Everything, had I seen, in my days of vanity,-Here was a righteous man, perishing in his righteousness, and there was a lawless man, continuing long in his wickedness.
16 Do not become so very righteous, neither count thyself wise beyond measure,-wherefore shouldst thou destroy thyself?
17 Do not be so very lawless, neither become thou foolish,-wherefore shouldst thou die, before thy time?
18 It is well that thou shouldst lay fast hold of this, but, even from the other, do not withdraw thy hand,-for, he that revereth God, shall come forth out of them all.
19 Wisdom, bringeth more strength to a wise man, than ten heroes, that are in the city.
20 For, as for men, there is none righteous in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Moreover, not to all the words which men speak, do thou apply thy heart,-lest thou hear thine own servant reviling thee!
22 For truly, many times, thy heart knoweth,-that, even thou thyself, hast reviled others.
23 ¶ All this, have I proved by wisdom,-I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.
24 Far away, is that which hath been,-and deep, deep, who can find it out?
25 Resolved, I, in my heart, to know and search out, and to seek wisdom, and a conclusion,-and to know lawlessness to be stupidity, and folly to be madness.
26 I, could indeed find, to be, more bitter than death, the woman, whose heart is, snares and nets, and her hands, bonds,-whoso is pleasing before God, shall escape from her, but, he that sinneth, shall be captured by her.
27 See! this, have I found, saith the Proclaimer counting one by one, to find a conclusion;
28 what my soul still sought, yet I found not,-one man out of a thousand, have I found, but, a woman among all these, have I not found.
29 Only, see, this, have I found, That God made man upright, but, they, have sought out many devices.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 8
1 ¶ Who is really a wise man, and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? The wisdom of a man, lighteth up his countenance, but, by defiance of countenance, one is disfigured.
2 I said, The bidding of the king, observe thou, even out of regard to the oath of God.
3 Not rashly from his presence, shouldst thou go: do not take thy stand in a vexatious thing,-for, whatsoever he pleaseth, he will do.
4 Where the word of a king is, there is power,-who then may say to him, What wouldst thou do?
5 He that observeth the commandment, will not notice a vexatious thing,-and, of time and manner, will the heart of the wise take note.
6 ¶ For, to every pursuit, there is a time and a manner,-when, the vexation of man, is great concerning it.
7 For there is no one who knoweth what shall be, for, when it shall be, who will tell him?
8 No man, hath power over the spirit, to retain the spirit, and, none, hath power over the day of death, and there is no furlough in war,-neither shall lawlessness deliver them who are given thereto.
9 ¶ All this, had I seen, and tried to apply my heart to every work which was done under the sun,-at such time as one man had power over another man, to his hurt.
10 And, thereupon, I considered the lawless when buried, when they had entered, their graves, that, from the place of the Holy One, they used to go and boast in the city that they had so done,-even this, was vanity.
11 Because sentence against a wicked work is not executed speedily-on this account, the heart of the sons of men is fully set within them, to commit wickedness.
12 Though a sinner be committing wickedness a hundred times, and continuing long in his own way, yet I surely know that it shall be well to them who revere God, who stand in awe before him;
13 but, well, shall it not be to the lawless man, neither shall he lengthen out his days like a shadow,-because he standeth not in awe before God.
14 ¶ Here was a vain thing which was done upon the earth-that there were righteous men unto whom it happened according to the work of the lawless, and there were lawless men, unto whom it happened according to the work of the righteous,-I said, that, even this, was vanity.
15 Then extolled I, gladness, in that there was nothing better for a man, under the sun, than to eat and to drink, and to be glad,-since, that, should tarry with him in his toil, for the days of his life which God had given him under the sun.
16 When I gave my heart, to know wisdom, and to consider the business that was done upon the earth, then surely, by day and by night, there was one who suffered not his eyes, to sleep.
17 Then I considered all the work of God, that man could not find out the work that was done under the sun, inasmuch as man toileth in seeking and yet cannot find,-yea, even though the wise man should say he knoweth, yet can he not find it out.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 9
1 ¶ For, unto all this, I applied my heart, and, my heart, considered all this, that, the righteous and the wise and their servants, were in the hand of God,-neither love nor hatred, could any man know, every one, was before Him.
2 Every one, was like every one else, one destiny, had the righteous and the lawless, the good and the pure and the impure, and he that sacrificed, and he that did not sacrifice,-as the good man, so, the sinner, he that took an oath, as he who, of an oath, stood in fear.
3 This was a misfortune in all that was done under the sun, that, one destiny, had they all,-yea also, the heart of the sons of men, was full of wickedness, and, madness, was in their heart, while they lived, and, after that, they went unto the dead.
4 ¶ For, whosoever was united to all the living, for him, there was hope,--inasmuch as, a living dog, fared better than a dead lion.
5 For, the living, knew that they should die,--but, the dead, knew not, anything, neither had they any longer a reward, because forgotten was their memory.
6 Both their love and their hatred and their envy, already had perished,-and, portion, had they none any longer, unto times age-abiding, in aught that was done under the sun.
7 Go thy way-eat, with gladness, thy food, and drink, with a happy heart, thy wine,-when already God is well pleased with thy works.
8 Continually, let thy garments be white,-and, ointment upon thy bead, let it not be lacking.
9 Enjoy life, with thy wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity,-for, that, is thy portion in life, and in thy toil wherewith, thou, art toiling under the sun.
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, with thy might, do,-for there is no work nor calculation nor knowledge nor wisdom, in hades, whither, thou, art going.
11 ¶ I again saw under the sun, that not, to the swift, was the race, nor, to the strong, the battle, nay! nor, to the wise, food, nor yet, to the intelligent, riches, nor, even to the well-informed, comeliness,-for, time and accident, happened to them all.
12 For, indeed, man could not know his own time, like fishes which were caught in a cruel net, and like little birds which were caught in a trap,-like them, were ensnared the sons of men, by a time of misfortune, when it fell upon them suddenly.
13 ¶ Even this, had I seen of wisdom, under the sun,-and, of great import, was the same unto me:-
14 A little city, and men therein few,-and there came against it a great king, and surrounded it, and built against it large siege-works;
15 but there was found therein, a man, poor but wise, and, he, delivered the city by his wisdom,-yet, no one, remembered that poor man.
16 Then said, I, Better is wisdom than strength,-although, the wisdom of the poor man, be despised, and, his words, not heard.
17 The words of the wise, in quietness, are heard,-beyond the outcry of one who ruleth over dullards.
18 Better is wisdom, than weapons of war,-but, one sinner, may destroy much good.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 10
1 ¶ Dead flies, cause to stink and ferment, the oil of the perfumer,-More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.
2 The sense of the wise, is on his right hand,-But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:
3 Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him-and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!
4 ¶ If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.
5 Here was a misfortune I had seen under the sun,-a veritable mistake that was going forth from the presence of one who had power:
6 Folly placed in great dignity,-while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
7 I had seen, servants, upon horses,-and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
8 He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, may fall,-and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent.
9 He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith,-and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
10 If, blunt, be the iron, and, himself, hath not sharpened, the edge, then, much force, must he apply,-but, an advantage for giving success, is wisdom.
11 If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
12 ¶ The words of a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant,-but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly,-but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.
14 Yet, a foolish man, multiplieth words,-though no man knoweth that which hath been, and, that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.
16 ¶ Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy,-and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
17 How happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles,-and, thy rulers, in season, do eat, for strength, and not for debauchery.
18 By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in,-and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
19 Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life,-but, money, answereth all things.
20 Even in thy thought, do not revile, the king, nor, within thy bed-chambers, revile thou the rich,-for, a bird of the heavens, might carry the voice, yea, an owner of wings, might tell the matter.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 11
1 ¶ Cast thy bread-corn, upon the face of the waters,-for, after many days, shalt thou find it:
2 Give a portion to seven, yea even to eight,-for thou canst not know, what there shall be of misfortune, upon the earth.
3 If the clouds be filled with a downpour, upon the earth, will they empty themselves, and, if a tree fall in the south or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there will it be found.
4 He that observeth the wind, will not sow,-and, he that watcheth the clouds, will not reap.
5 Just as thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, when the body is in the womb of her that is with child, even, so, canst thou not know the work of God, who maketh all.
6 In the morning, sow thy seed, and, until evening, do not withhold thy hand,-for thou knowest not-whether shall thrive, either this or that, or whether, both alike, shall be fruitful.
7 ¶ Truly sweet is the light,-and, pleasant to the eyes, to see the sun:
8 But, though, many years, a man live, through them all, let him rejoice; yet let him remember the days of darkness, for many they may be, all that cometh, may be vanity.
9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart gladden thee in the days of thine early manhood, and walk thou-in the ways of thine own heart, and in that which is seen by thine own eyes,-yet know, that, for all these things, will God bring thee into judgment.
10 Therefore remove thou vexation from thy heart, and put away discomfort from thy flesh,-for, youth and dawn, are vanity!
Ecclesiastes Chapter 12
1 ¶ Yet remember thy Creator, in the days of thy vigour,-or ever come in, the days of discomfort, and the years arrive, in which thou shalt say-I have, in them, no pleasure;
2 Or ever be darkened-the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars,-and the clouds return after a downpour of rain;
3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the men of might bow themselves,-and the grinders cease because they are few, and they who look through the windows are darkened;
4 And the doors in the street be closed, when the sound of the mill become low,-and one rise at the chirp of a small bird, and low-voiced be all the daughters of song;
5 Yea, at what is high, they be in fear, and there be, terrors, in the way, and the almond be rejected, and the grasshopper drag itself along, and desire perish,-for man is going to his age-abiding home, when the wailers shall go round in the streets;
6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken,-or the bucket by the fountain be shivered, or the wheel at the well be broken;
7 And the dust return to the earth, as it was,-and, the spirit, return unto God, who gave it.
8 ¶ Vanity of vanities, saith the Proclaimer, all, is vanity.
9 Besides that, the Proclaimer being wise,-still further taught knowledge unto the people, and weighed and searched, arranged proverbs in abundance.
10 The Proclaimer sought to find out words giving delight, and to note down rightly, the words of truth.
11 The words of the wise, are as goads, yea, as driven nails, their well-ordered sayings,-given from one shepherd.
12 And besides, from them, my son, be admonished,-Of making many books, there is no end, and, much study, is a weariness of the flesh.
13 ¶ The conclusion of the matter-the whole, let us hear,-Towards God, be reverent, and, his commandments, observe, for, this, concerneth all mankind.
14 For, every work, will God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing,-whether good, or evil.
The Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon Chapter 1
1 ¶ The Song of Songs, which pertaineth to Solomon.
2 ¶ SHE Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! THEY For better are thy caresses than wine:
3 Like the fragrance of thy precious oils, Oil poured out, is thy name, For this cause, virgins love thee.
4 SHE Draw me! THEY After thee, will we run! SHE The king, hath brought me, into his chambers. THEY We will exult and rejoice in thee, we will mention thy caresses, beyond wine, Sincerely they love thee.
5 SHE Swarthy, I am but comely, ye daughters of Jerusalem. THEY Like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
6 SHE Do not look on me, because, I, am so swarthy, because the sun hath scorched me,-My mother’s sons, were angry with me, they set me to keep the vineyards, Mine own vineyard, have I not kept. …
7 ¶ Tell me, thou loved of my soul! Where wilt thou pasture thy flock? Where wilt thou let them recline at noon? For why should I be as one that wrappeth a veil about her, by the flocks of thy companions?
8 HE If thou know not of thyself, most beautiful among women! get thee forth in the footsteps of the flock, and pasture thy kids by the huts of the shepherds. …
9 To a mare of mine, in the chariots of Pharaoh, have I likened thee, my fair one!
10 Comely are thy cheeks, with bead-rows, thy neck, with strings of gems.
11 THEY Rows of golden ornaments, will we make thee, with studs of silver.
12 ¶ SHE By the time the king is in his circle, my nard, will have given out its fragrance:
13 A bag of myrrh, is my beloved to me, between my breasts, shall it tarry the night!
14 A cluster of henna, is my beloved to me, in the vineyards of En-gedi.
15 HE Lo! thou art beautiful my fair one, lo! thou art beautiful, Thine eyes, are doves!
16 SHE Lo! thou art beautiful, my beloved, Yea delightful! BOTH Yea! our couch, is covered with leaves:
17 The beams of our house, are cedars, Our fretted ceiling, is cypress-trees.
Song of Solomon Chapter 2
1 ¶ SHE I am The meadow-saffron of Sharon, The lily of the valleys.
2 HE As a lily among thorns, So, is my fair one, among the daughters!
3 ¶ SHE As an apple-tree among the trees of the forest, So, is my beloved, among the sons: In his shade, I greatly delighted and sat down, And, his fruit, was sweet to my taste.
4 He hath brought me into the house of wine, and, his banner over me, is love.
5 Sustain me with raisin-cakes, refresh me with apples,-for sick with love, I am.
6 His left hand under my head, then, his right hand, embraceth me!
7 HE I adjure you, ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the hinds of the field,-That ye wake not, nor arouse, the dear love until she please! ****
8 ¶ SHE The voice of my beloved! Lo! here he cometh,-leaping over the mountains, skipping over the hills.
9 Resembleth, my beloved, a gazelle, or a young stag,-Lo! here he is, standing behind our wall, looking in at the windows, peeping in at the lattice.
10 Responded my beloved, and said to me,-Rise up! my fair-my beautiful-one, and come away,
11 For lo, the winter, is past,-the rain, is over, and gone;
12 The flowers, have appeared in the earth, the time of the spring-song, hath come,-and, the voice of the turtle, is heard in our land;
13 The fig-tree, hath spiced her green figs, and, the vines-all blossom, yield fragrance,-Rise up! my fair-my beautiful-one, and come away!
14 ¶ HE O my dove! In the retreats of the crag, in the hiding-place of the terrace, Let me see thy form, Let me hear thy voice,-For, thy voice, is sweet, and, thy form, comely.
15 BOTH Take ye for us, the foxes, the little foxes that are spoiling the vines,-and, our vines, are all blossom!
16 SHE My beloved, is, mine, and, I, am, his, he that pastureth among lilies!
17 Until the day, breathe, and the shadows, be lengthened, Again, liken thyself, my beloved, to a gazelle, or to a young stag, upon the cleft mountains. ****
Song of Solomon Chapter 3
1 ¶ SHE Upon my couch, in the night-time, sought I the beloved of my soul,-I sought him, but found him not.
2 Come! I must arise, and go about in the city, In the paths and in the broadways, I must seek the beloved of my soul,-I sought him, but found him not.
3 The watchmen that go round in the city, found me, The beloved of my soul, have ye seen?
4 Scarcely had I passed from them, when I found the beloved of my soul,-I caught him, and would not let him go, until that I had brought him into the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
5 HE I adjure you ye, daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field,-That ye wake not, nor arouse, the dear love until she please. ****
6 ¶ THEY Who is this, coming up out of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke,-with perfume of myrrh, and frankincense, besides all the aromatic powder of the merchant?
7 ¶ Lo! his couch, ‘tis Solomon’s own, Threescore heroes, around it,-of the heroes of Israel:
8 All of them, grasping the sword, trained for war,-every man, with his sword upon his thigh, because of dread, in the night-time.
9 A palanquin, King Solomon made himself, of the trees of Lebanon:
10 The supports thereof, made he of silver, the couch thereof, of gold, the seat thereof, of purple,-the midst thereof, hath an inlay of love from the daughters of Jerusalem.
11 Go forth and gaze, ye daughters of Zion, upon King Solomon,-wearing the crown, wherewith his mother, crowned him, in the day of his marriage, and in the day of his heart gladness.
Song of Solomon Chapter 4
1 ¶ HE Lo! thou art beautiful, my fair one, Lo! thou art beautiful, Thine eyes, are doves, from behind thy veil,-Thy hair, is like a flock of goats, which are reclining on the sides of Mount Gilead:
2 Thy teeth, are like a flock, evenly grown, which have come up from the washing-place,-whereof, all of them, are twin-bearers, and bereaved, is none among them:
3 Like a cord of crimson, are thy lips, and, thy mouth, is lovely,-Like a slice of pomegranate, are thy temples, behind thy veil:
4 Like the tower of David, is thy neck, built for war,-A thousand shields, hung thereon, all, equipment of heroes:
5 Thy two breasts, are like two young roes, twins of a gazelle,-which pasture among lilies.
6 Until the day, breathe, and the shadows, be lengthened, I will get me unto the mountain of myrrh, and unto the hill of frankincense.
7 Thou art, all over, beautiful, my fair one, and, blemish, is there none in thee.
8 ¶ With me, from Lebanon, O bride, with me, from Lebanon, shalt thou enter,-Thou shalt look round from the top of Amana, from the top of Senir, and Hermon, from the dens of lions, from the mountains of leopards.
9 Thou hast encouraged me, my sister, bride,-thou hast encouraged me, with one glance of thine eyes, with one ornament of thy neck.
10 How beautiful are thy caresses, my sister, bride,-how much more delightful thy caresses, than wine, and the fragrance of thine oils, than all spices:
11 With sweetness, thy lips do drip, O bride,-Honey and milk, are under thy tongue, and, the fragrance of thy garments, is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
12 A garden barred, is my sister, bride,-a spring barred, a fountain sealed:
13 Thy buddings forth, are a paradise of pomegranates, with precious fruits,-henna bushes, with nard blossoms:
14 Nard and saffron, sweet cane and cinnamon, with all woods of frankincense,-myrrh and aloes, with all the chiefs of spices:
15 ¶ A garden fountain, a well of living waters,-and flowings from Lebanon.
16 SHE Awake, O north wind, and come in, thou south, Fan my garden-its balsams, will flow out,-Let my beloved enter his garden, and eat his precious fruits.
Song of Solomon Chapter 5
1 ¶ HE I have entered my garden, my sister, bride, I have plucked my myrrh, with my balsam, I have eaten the honey of my thicket, I have drunk my wine, with my milk:-Eat ye, O friends, Drink, yea drink abundantly, ye beloved! ****
2 ¶ SHE I, was sleeping, but, my heart, was awake,-The voice of my beloved-knocking! Open to me, my sister, my fair one, my dove, my perfect one, for, my head, is filled with dew, my locks, with the moisture of the night.
3 I have put off my tunic, oh how shall I put it on? I have bathed my feet, oh how shall I soil them?
4 My beloved, thrust in his hand, at the window, and, my feelings, were deeply moved for him:
5 I myself, arose, to open to my beloved,-and, my hands, dripped with myrrh, and, my fingers, with myrrh distilling, upon the handles of the bolt.
6 I myself, opened to my beloved, but, my beloved, had turned away, had passed on,-My soul, had gone out when he spake, I sought him, but found him not, I called him, but he answered not.
7 The watchmen who were going round in the city, found me, they smote me, wounded me,-The watchmen of the walls, took away my cloak from off me.
8 I adjure you, ye daughters of Jerusalem,-If ye find my beloved, what will ye tell him? That, sick with love, I am.
9 ¶ DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM What is thy beloved more than any other beloved, thou most beautiful among women? What is thy beloved more than any other beloved, that, thus, thou hast adjured us?
10 SHE. My beloved, is white and ruddy, conspicuous beyond ten thousand:
11 His head, is pure gold,-his locks, are bushy, black as a raven;
12 His eyes, like doves, by the channels of water,-bathing in milk, set as gems in a ring:
13 His cheeks, like a raised bed of balsam, growing plants of perfume,-His lips, lilies, dripping with myrrh distilling:
14 His hands, cylinders of gold, set with topaz,-His body, wrought work of ivory, covered with sapphires:
15 His legs, pillars of white marble, founded on sockets of gold,-His form, like Lebanon, choice as cedars:
16 His mouth, most sweet, yea, altogether, he is delightful,-This, is my beloved, yea, this, is my dear one, ye daughters of Jerusalem.
Song of Solomon Chapter 6
1 ¶ DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM Whither hath thy beloved, gone, thou most beautiful among women? whither hath thy beloved turned him aside? That we may seek him with thee.
2 SHE My beloved, is gone down to his garden, to the beds of balsam,-to pasture in the gardens, and to gather lilies,
3 I, am, my beloved’s, and, my beloved, is mine, he that pastureth among lilies.
4 ¶ HE Beautiful, art thou, my fair one, as Tirzah, comely, as Jerusalem,-majestic as bannered hosts!
5 Turn away thine eyes from me, for, they, have excited me,-Thy hair, is like a flock of goats, that are reclining on the sides of Mount Gilead:
6 Thy teeth, are like a flock of sheep which have come up from the washing-place,-whereof, all of them, are twin-bearers, and bereaved, is there none among them:
7 Like a slice of pomegranate, are thy temples, from behind thy veil:
8 Threescore, are the queens, and, fourscore, are the concubines,-and, virgins, there are, without number.
9 One alone, is my dove, my perfect one, one alone, was she to her mother, Pure, was she to her that bare her,-The daughters, have seen her, and pronounced her happy, Queens and concubines, and they have praised her. ****
10 THEY Who is this, that looketh forth like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, pure as the sun, majestic as bannered hosts?
11 ¶ HE To the garden of nuts, I went down, to look at the fresh shoots of the ravine,-to see whether: had burst forth the vine, had blossomed the pomegranate:-
12 I know not how it was, my soul, set for me the chariots of my willing people!
13 THEY Return, return, O Shulamite, Return, return, that we may look on thee! SHE What would ye look on in the Shulamite? THEY As it were the dance of a double camp…
Song of Solomon Chapter 7
1 ¶ How beautiful, are thy feet in sandals, O daughter of a noble,-The curvings of thy hips, are like ornaments wrought by the hands of a skilled workman:
2 Thy navel, is a round bowl, may it not lack spiced wine! Thy body, a heap of wheat fenced about with lilies;
3 Thy two breasts, are like two young roes, the twins of a gazelle:
4 Thy neck, is like a tower of ivory,-Thine eyes, are pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim, Thy nose, is like the tower of Lebanon, which looketh towards Damascus:
5 Thy head upon thee, is like Carmel, And, the hair of thy head, is like purple,-The king, is held captive by the ringlets!
6 HE How beautiful, and how delightful, O dear love, for delights:
7 This thy stature, is like to a palm-tree, and, thy breasts, are like clusters:
8 I said, I will ascend the palm-tree, I will lay hold of its fruit stalks-Oh then, let thy breasts, I pray thee, be like vine-clusters, And, the fragrance of thy nose, like apples;
9 And, thy mouth, like good wine-SHE Flowing to my beloved smoothly, gliding over the lips of the sleeping.
10 ¶ I, am my beloved’s, and, unto me, is his longing.
11 Come, my beloved, Let us go forth into the country, Let us stay the night in the villages:
12 Let us get up early to the vineyards, Let us see whether the vine, hath burst forth, the blossom, hath opened, the pomegranates, have bloomed,-There, will I give my caresses to thee.
13 The love-apples, have given fragrance, and, at our openings, are all precious things, new and yet old,-O my beloved! I have treasured them up for thee.
Song of Solomon Chapter 8
1 ¶ Oh that thou hadst been a very brother to me, who had sucked the breasts of my own mother,-Had I found thee without, I had kissed thee, Yea, folk would not have despised me!
2 I would have guided thee-brought thee into the house of my mother, Thou wouldst have instructed me,-I would have let thee drink of spiced wine, of the pressed-out juice of my pomegranate.
3 His left hand under my head, then, his right hand, embraceth me.
4 I HE adjure you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem,-Why will ye wake, and why will ye arouse the dear love until she please! ****
5 ¶ THEY Who is this, coming up out of the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? HE Under the apple-tree, I roused thee, where thy mother, was in pain with thee, where she was in pain who gave thee birth!
6 SHE Set me as a seal, upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm, For, mighty as death, is love, Exacting as hades, is jealousy,-The flames thereof, are flames of fire, The flash of Yah!
7 Many waters, cannot quench love, nor shall, floods, overwhelm it,-If a man would give all the substance of his house, for love, they would, utterly despise, him. ****
8 ¶ THEY A sister, have we, a little one, and, breasts, hath she none, What shall we do for our sister, in the day when she may be spoken for?
9 If, a wall, she is, we will build upon it a battlement of silver,-but if, a door, she is, we will close it up with a plank of cedar.
10 SHE I, was a wall, and, my breasts, like towers,-Then, became I, in his eyes, one who did indeed find good content.
11 A vineyard, had Solomon, as the owner of abundance, He put out the vineyard to keepers,-Every man, was to bring in, for the fruit thereof, a thousand silverlings:
12 Mine own vineyard, is before me,-The thousand belong to thee, O Solomon, and two hundred to the keepers of the fruit thereof.
13 ¶ HE O thou fair dweller in the gardens, the companions are giving heed to thy voice, Let me hear it.
14 SHE Come quickly, my beloved, and resemble thou a gazelle, or a young stag, upon the mountains of balsam-trees.
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