The Bible Part 131

7:6 For at the window of my house I looked through my cas.e.m.e.nt, 7:7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, 7:8 Pa.s.sing 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 h.e.l.l, 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 n.o.bles, 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 lead 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 compa.s.s 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 pa.s.s 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 pa.s.sengers 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 h.e.l.l.

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 mult.i.tude 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 pa.s.seth, 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 mult.i.tude of counsellors there is safety.