THE PROVERBS OF SOLOMON. knotty words. top. 6 5 CHAPTER I. VERSES 1-28. + vide a common purse, and let us have one pouch: 15 go not in the way with them, but turn aside thy foot from their paths: 17 for nets are + For ver. 16, not without cause spread see Appendix. 1. THE proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel; 2 to 2 know wisdom and instruction; and to perceive words of understanding; 3 and + Gr. turn- to receive hard sayings, ings, or, q. d. and to understand true for birds. 18 For they that are conSee Heb. justice, and how to direct cerned in murder store up evils for judgment; that he might give sub- themselves; and the overthrow of tlety to the simple, and to the young transgressors is evil. 19 These are the + Or, discretion. man discernment and un- ways of all that perform lawless deeds ; derstanding. For by the hearing of for by ungodliness they destroy their these a wise man will be wiser; and own life. 20 Wisdom sings aloud in the man of understanding will gain passages, and in the broad places speaks direction; and will understand a boldly. 21 And she makes proclamaparable, and a dark speech; the say- tion on the top of the walls, and sits ings of the wise also, and riddles. by the gates of princes; and at the The fear of the Lord is the begin- gates of the city boldly says, 22 So long + Or, sum, or, ning of wisdom; and there as the simple cleave to justice, they is good understanding to shall not be ashamed: but the foolish all that practise it: and piety towards being lovers of haughtiness, having God is the beginning of discernment; become ungodly have hated knowbut the ungodly will set at nought ledge, and are become subject to rewisdom and instruction. 8 Hear, my proofs. 23 Behold, I will bring forth son, the instruction of thy father, and to you the utterance of my breath, and reject not the rules of thy mother. I will instruct you in my speech. 9 For thou shalt receive for thine head 24Since I called, and ye did not hearken; a crown of graces, and a chain of gold and I spoke at length, and ye gave no round thy neck. 10 My son, let not heed; 25 but ye set at nought my ungodly men lead thee astray, neither counsels, and disregarded my reproofs; consent thou to them. If they should 26 therefore I also will laugh at your exhort thee, saying, Come with us, destruction; and I will rejoice against partake in blood, and let us unjustly you when ruin comes upon you: hide the just man in the earth: 12 and when dismay suddenly comes upon let us swallow him alive, as Hades you, and your overthrow shall arrive would, and remove the memorial of like a tempest; and when tribulation him from the earth: 13 let us seize on and distress shall come upon you, or his valuable property and let us fill our when ruin shall come upon you. 28 For houses with spoils: but do thou cast it shall be that when ye call upon me, in thy lot with us, and let us all pro- | I will not hearken to you: wicked men 27 yea 2. My son, if thou wilt receive the utterance of my commandment,and hide it with thee; 2 thine car shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son. 3 For if thou shalt call to wisdom, and utter thy voice for understanding; and if thou shalt seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures; 5 then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence come knowledge and understanding, and he treasures up salvation for them that 'walk uprightly: 1. d. direct he will protect their way; that he may guard the their walk aright. + Gr. ways of righteous righteous nesses. + pare Heb. 12. ing; 16 to remove thee far from the 3 + variation from write them on See Rom. See 2 Tim. 2. 3. My son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words: 2 for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth Alex. + *and forsake thee; but bind them the table of about thy neck: so shalt thine heart.' thou find favour and do 12. 17. thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men. Trust ways and he in God with all thine heart; and be will keep throughout the not exalted in thine own wisdom. In way of them that fear him. Then all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, shalt thou understand righteousness, that she may rightly direct Gr. divide. and judgment; and shalt direct all thy paths. Be not wise 13. Gr. all good thy course aright. 10 For in thine own conceit; but fear God, lines, lit.axles. if wisdom shall come into and depart from all evil. 8 Then shall thine understanding, and discernment there be health to thy body, and good shall seem pleasing to thy soul, good keeping to thy bones. 9 Honour the counsel shall guard thee, and holy un- Lord with thy just labours, and give derstanding shall keep thee; 12 to de- him the first of thy fruits of righteousliver thee from the evil way, and from ness: 10 that thy storehouses may the man that speaks nothing faithfully. completely filled with corn, and that 13 Alas for those who forsake right thy presses may burst forth with wine. paths, to walk in ways of darkness; 11My son, despise not the +Heb. 12. 5, 6. 14who rejoice in evils, and delight in chastening of the Lord; nor faint wicked perverseness; 15 whose paths when thou art rebuked of him: 12 for are crooked, and their courses wind-whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, + 11 be + LXX. read as כאב one word. [i. e. in stead of as a father.] 16 2 3 For *and scourges every son whom he re-ready to quarrel with a man without ceives. 13 Blessed is the a cause, lest he do thee some harm. man who has found wisdom, 31 Procure not the reproaches of bad and the mortal who knows men, neither do thou covet their ways. prudence. 14 For it is better 32 For every transgressor is unclean to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold before the Lord; neither does he sit and silver. 15 And she is more valuable among the righteous. 33 The curse of than precious stones: nothing evil shall God is in the houses of the ungodly; resist her: she is well known to all that but the habitations of the just are approach her, and no precious thing blessed. 34+ The Lord re- See Pet. 5. 5. is equal to her in value. For length sists the proud; but he gives grace to of existence and years of life are in her the humble. 35 The wise shall inherit right hand; and in her left hand wealth glory; but the ungodly have exalted and glory: out of her mouth proceeds their own dishonour. righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue. 17 Her ways 4. Hear, ye children, the instruction are good ways, and all her paths are of a father, and attend to know underpeaceful. 18 She is a tree of life to all standing. For I give you a good that lay hold upon her; and she is a gift; forsake ye not my law. secure help to all that stay themselves I also was a son obedient to my father, on her, as on the Lord. 19 God by and loved in the sight of my mother: wisdom founded the earth, and by pru-who spoke and instructed me, saying, dence he prepared the heavens. 20 By Let our speech be fixed in thine heart, understanding were the depths broken keep our commandments, forget them up, and the clouds dropped water. not: and do not neglect the speech of + See Heb. 2.1. 21 My son, let them not pass my mouth. 6+ And forsake + See App. from thee, but keep my counsel and it not, and it shall cleave to understanding: 22 that thy soul may it, and it shall keep thee. live, and that there may be grace round it, and it shall exalt thee: Lit. dig a thy neck; and it shall be health to thy honour it, that it may em- her, see Heb. flesh, and safety to thy bones. 23 That brace thee. 9 That it may give to thy thou mayest go confidently in peace head a crown of graces, and may cover in all thy ways, and that thy foot may thee with a crown of delight. To Hear, not stumble. 24 For if thou rest, my son, and receive my words; and + Gr. sit down. thou shalt be undismayed; the years of thy life shall be increased, and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber that the resources of thy life may be sweetly. 25 And thou shalt not be many. For I teach thee the ways afraid of alarm coming upon thee, nei- of wisdom; and I cause thee to go in ther of approaching attacks of ungodly right paths. 12 For when+Gr. wheelmen. 26 For the Lord shall be over thou goest, thy steps shall tacks, te all thy ways, and shall establish thy not be straitened; and when Heb. 12. 13. foot that thou be not moved. 27 For- thou runnest, thou shalt not be disbear not to do good to the poor, when-tressed. 13 Take hold of my instruc soever thy hand may have power to tion; let it not go, but keep it for help him. 28 Say not, Come back thyself for thy life. 14 Go not in the another time, to-morrow I will give; ways of the ungodly, neither covet the while thou art able to do him good: ways of transgressors. 15 In whatever for thou knowest not what the next place they shall pitch their camp, go not day will bring forth. 29 Devise not thither; but turn from them, and pass evil against thy friend, living near away. 16 For they cannot sleep, unless thee and trusting in thee. 30 Be not they have done evil: their sleep is 11 thee: love + 8 Secure trench about chap. 2. 18. + Gr. order heart. 11 'not.' 10 lest 14 I taken away, and they rest not. 17 For the doors of her house: 9 lest thou these live upon the bread of ungod-give away thy life to others, and thy lines, and are drunken with wine of substance to the merciless : transgression. 18 But the ways of the strangers be filled with thy strength, righteous shine like light; they go on and thy labours come into the houses and shine, until the day be fully come. of strangers; and thou repent at 19 But the ways of the un- last, when the flesh of thy body is conitself aright. godly are dark; they know sumed, 12 and thou shalt say, How not how they stumble. 20 My son, have I hated instruction, and my heart attend to my speech; and apply thine avoided reproofs! 13 I heard not the ear to my words: 21 that thy fountains voice of him that instruct- Alex. omits may not fail thee; keep them in thine ed me and taught me, 22 For they are life to those neither did I apply mine ear. + Or, healing. that find them, and health was almost in all evil in the midst to all their flesh. 23 Keep thine heart of the congregation and assembly. with the utmost care; for out of these 15 Drink waters out of thine own are the issues of life. 24 Remove from thee a froward mouth, and put far away from thee unjust lips. 25 Let thine look right on, and let thine eyes eyelids assent to that which is just. 25 Make straight paths for thy feet, and order thy ways aright. 27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away thy foot from an evil Heb. omits. Way: [for God knows the ways on the right hand, but those on the left are crooked] and he will make thy ways straight, and will guide thy steps in peace. 17 Let 18 Let vessels, and out of thine own springing wells. 16 Let not waters out of thy fountain be spilt by thee, but let thy waters go into thy streets. them be only thine own, and let no stranger partake with thee. thy fountain of water be truly thine own; and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. 19 Let thy loving hart and thy graceful colt company with thee, and let her be considered thine own, and be with thee at all times; for ravished with her love thou shalt be greatly increased. 20 Be not intimate with a strange woman, neither fold thyself in 5. My son, attend to my wisdom, the arms of a woman not thine own. and apply thine ear to my words; 21 For the ways of a man are before the that thou mayest keep good under-eyes of God, and he looks on all his standing, and the discretion of my lips gives thee a charge. Give no heed to a worthless woman; 3 for honey drops from the lips of a harlot, who for a season pleases thy palate: but afterwards thou wilt find her more bitter Gr. a more than gall, and sharper than bitter thing. a two-edged sword. 5 For the feet of folly lead those who deal 6. My son, if thou become surety with her down to the grave with for thy friend, thou shalt deliver thine death; and her steps are not estab-hand to an enemy. For a man's own lished. 6 For she goes not upon the lips become a strong snare to him, and paths of life; but her ways are slip- he is caught with the lips of his own pery, and not easily known. Now mouth. 3 My son, do what I comthen, my son, hear me, and make not mand thee, and deliver thyself; for on my 8 Remove thy friend's account thou art come into thy way far from her; draw not near to the power of evil men: faint not, but 2 + words of none effect. 4 paths. 22 Iniquities ensnare a man, and every one is bound in the chains of his own sins. 23 Such a man dies with the uninstructed; and he is cast forth from the abundance of his own substance, and has perished through folly. 2 5 8 4 27 forth causes referred to. stir up even thy friend for whom thou | 'brings on quarrels between brethren. art become surety. Give not sleep 20 My son, keep the laws of Gr. sends to thine eyes, nor slumber with thine thy father, and reject not or judgments. eyelids; that thou mayest deliver the ordinances of thy mother: 21 but thyself as a doe out of the toils, and bind them upon thy soul continually, as a bird out of a snare. 6 Go to the and hang them as a chain about thy ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate neck. 22 Whensoever thou walkest, his ways, and become wiser than he. lead this along and let it be with thee;" For whereas he has no husbandry, and when thou sleepest let tq. d. to be nor any one to compel him, and is it keep thee; that it may under no master, he prepares food talk with thee when thou wakest. for himself in the summer, and lays by 23 For the commandment of the law is abundant store in harvest. Or go to a lamp and a light; a way of life; rethe bee, and learn how diligent she is, proof also and correction: 24 to keep and how carnestly she is engaged in thee continually from a married woman, her work whose labours kings and and from the calumny of a strange private men use for health, and she is tongue. 25 Let not the desire of beauty desired and respected by all although overcome thee, neither be thou caught + Gr. strength. weak in body she is ad- by thine eyes, neither be captivated vanced by honouring wisdom. How with her eyelids. 26 For the value of long wilt thou lie, O sluggard? and a harlot is as much as of one loaf; and when wilt thou awake out of sleep? a woman hunts for the precious souls 10 Thou sleepest a little, and thou of men. Shall any one bind fire in restest a little, and thou slumberest his bosom, and not burn his garments? a short time, and thou foldest thine 28 Or will any one walk on coals of arms over thy breast a little. 11 Then fire, and not burn his feet? 29 So is he poverty comes upon thee as an evil that goes in to a married woman; he traveller, and want as a swift courier: shall not be held guiltless, neither any but if thou be diligent, thine har- one that touches her. 30 It is not vest shall arrive as a fountain, and to be wondered at if one should be poverty shall flee away as a bad taken stealing, for he steals that when courier. 12 A foolish man and a hungry he may satisfy his soul: 31 but transgressor goes in ways that are if he should be taken, he shall repay not good. And the same winks sevenfold; and shall deliver himself by with the eye, and makes a sign giving all his goods. 32 But the adulwith his foot, and teaches with the terer through want of sense procures beckonings of his fingers. 14 His per- destruction to his soul. 33 He endures verse heart devises evils: at all times both pain and disgrace, and his reproach such a one causes troubles to a city. shall never be wiped off. 34 For the 15 Therefore his destruction shall come soul of her husband is full of jealousy: suddenly; overthrow and irretrievable he will not spare in the day of ven+ Comp. Heb. ruin.* 16 For he rejoices in geance. 35 He will not forego his all things which God hates, and is enmity for any ransom: neither will ruined by reason of impurity of soul. he be reconciled for many gifts. 17 The following are objects of hatred + Or, He has to God:- the eye of the the eye, &c. haughty, an unjust tongue, hands shedding the blood of the just; 18 and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil. 19 An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and 13 7. My son, keep my words, and hide with thee my commandments. 'My son, honour the Lord, and thou shalt be strong; and fear none but him: keep my commandments, and thou shalt live; and keep my words as |