by Various
5:15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
5:16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
5:17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
5:19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
5:20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
5:23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
6:1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 6:2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
6:3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
6:4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
6:5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 6:7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 6:8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
6:9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 6:10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 6:11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
6:12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
6:13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; 6:14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
6:15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
6:20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 6:21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
6:22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: 6:24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
6:25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
6:26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.
6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? 6:28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? 6:29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
6:30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; 6:31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
6:32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
6:33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
6:34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
6:35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
7:1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
7:2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
7:3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
7:4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: 7:5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
7:6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, 7:7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, 7:8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, 7:9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
7:11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 7:12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 7:13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 7:14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
7:15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
7:16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
7:18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
7:19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: 7:20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
7:21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
7:22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 7:23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
7:24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
7:25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
7:26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
8:1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? 8:2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
8:3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
8:4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
8:5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
8:6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
8:7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
8:9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
8:10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
8:14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
8:15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
8:16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
8:18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
8:19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
8:20 I l
ead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: 8:21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 8:28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
8:32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
9:1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: 9:2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
9:3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, 9:4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 9:5 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
9:6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
9:7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.
9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
9:11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
9:12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
9:13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
9:14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, 9:15 To call passengers who go right on their ways: 9:16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 9:17 Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
9:18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
10:3 The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
10:5 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
10:6 Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
10:7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
10:8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
10:9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
10:10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.
10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
10:13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
10:14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
10:15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.
10:18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
10:20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
10:23 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.
10:24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
10:25 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
10:26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.
10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
10:28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
10:29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
10:31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.
11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
11:3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.
11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
11:5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
11:6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.
11:7 When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.
11:8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
11:9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
11:10 When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
11:11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
11:12 He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
11:15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
11:16 A gracious
woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.
11:17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
