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with thine own feed, trufting in the goodness of thy ftock..

21 So thy race which thou leaveft fhall be magnified, having the confidence of their good defcent.

22 An harlot shall be accounted as fpittle; but a married woman is a tower against death to her hufband.

ftanding that are not set by: and one that returneth from righteousness to fin, the Lord prepareth fuch an one for the sword.

29 A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong; and an huckster shall not be freed from fin.

23 A wicked woman is M

CHAP. XXVII.

ANY have finned for a small matter:

given as a portion to a wick-and he that feeketh for abuned man; but a godly wo- dance will turn his eyes aman is given to him that way feareth the Lord.

24 A difhoneft woman contemneth fhame; but an honeft woman will reverence her husband.

25 A fhameless woman fhall be counted as a dog: but he that is fhame-faced will fear the Lord.

26 A woman that honoureth her husband, fhall be judged wife of all; but fhe that difhonoureth him in her pride, fhall be counted ungodly of all.

27 A loud-crying woman and a fcold fhall be fought out to drive away the enemies.

28 There be two things that grieve my heart; and the third maketh me angry: a man of war that fuffereth poverty, and men of under

2 As a nail fticketh faft between the joinings of the ftones; fo doth fin ftick close between buying and felling.

3 Unless a man hold himfelf diligently in the fear of the Lord, his house shall foon be overthrown.

4 As when one fifteth with a fieve, the refuse remaineth; fo the filth of man in his talk.

5 The furnace proveth the potter's veffels; fo the trial of man is in his reafoning.

6 The fruit declareth if the tree have been dreffed; fo is the utterance of a conceit in the heart of man.

7 Praise no man before thou heareft him speak; for this is the trial of men.

8 If thou followeft righ- ftroyed his enemy; fo haft teousness, thou fhalt obtain thou loft the love of thy neighher, and put her on, as a glo- bour.

rious long robe.

19 As one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, fo haft thou let thy neighbour

9 The birds will refort unto their like; fo will truth return unto them that prac-go, and shall not get him atife in her.

IO As the lion lieth in wait for the prey; fo fin for them that work iniquity.

II The discourse of a godly man is always with wisdom; but a fool changeth as the

moon.

12 If thou be among the indifcreet, obferve the time; but be continually among men of understanding.

13 The difcourfe of fools is irksome, and their sport is in the wantonnefs of fin.

14 The talk of him that fweareth much, maketh the hair ftand upright; and their brawls make one ftop his

ears.

15 The ftrife of the proud is blood-fhedding, and their revilings are grievous to the

ear.

16 Whofo difcovereth fecrets, lofeth his credit; and fhall never find a friend to his mind.

17 Love thy friend, and be faithful unto him: but if thou bewrayeft his fecrets, follow no more after him.

18 For as a man hath de

gain.

20 Follow after him no more, for he is too far off, he is as a roe efscaped out of the fnare.

21 As for a wound, it may be bound up; and after reviling there may be reconcilement: but he that bewrayeth fecrets, is without hope.

22 He that winketh with the eyes, worketh evil, and he that knoweth him, will depart from him.

23 When thou art prefent, he will speak fweetly, and will admire thy words: but at the laft he will writhe his mouth and flander thy fayings.

24 I have hated many things, but nothing like him, for the Lord will hate him.

25 ¶ Whofo cafteth a ftone on high, cafteth it on his own head; and a deceitful ftroke fhall make wounds.

26 Whofo diggeth a pit, shall fall therein; and he that fetteth a trap, shall be taken therein.

27 He that worketh mifchief, it fhall fall upon him, Nn 2

and

member] corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.

and he shall not know whence it cometh.

28 Mockery and reproach are from the proud: but vengeance as a lion fhall lie in wait for them.

7 Remember the commandments, and bear no malice to thy neighbour: [remember] the covenant of the Highest, and wink at ig

29 They that rejoice at the fall of the righteous, fhall be taken in the fnare, and an-norance. guifh fhall confume them before they die.

8 Abftain from ftrife, and thou fhalt diminish thy 30 Malice and wrath, fins: for a furious man will even these are abomina-kindle ftrife.

tions, and the finful man 9 A finful man difquietfhall have them both. eth friends, and maketh debate among them that be at peace.

CHAP. XXVIII.

fhall

10 ¶ As the matter of the

HE that revenge from fire is, fo it burneth; and as

the Lord, and he will furely keep his fins [in remembrance.]

a man's ftrength is, fo is his wrath; and according to his riches his anger riseth; and 2 Forgive thy neighbour the stronger they are which the hurt that he hath done un-contend, the more they will to thee, fo fhall thy fins alfo be inflamed. be forgiven when thou prayeft.

3 One man beareth hatred against another, and doth he seek pardon from the Lord?

4 He fheweth no mercy to a man which is like himfelf; and doth he afk forgiveness of his own fins?

5 If he that is but flesh nourifh hatred, who will entreat for pardon of his fins?

6 Remember thy end, and let enmity ceafe; [re

II An hafty contention kindleth a fire and an hafty fighting fheddeth blood.

12 If thou blow the spark, it fhall burn; if thou fpit upon it, it fhall be quenched: and both these come out of thy mouth.

13 Curfe the whisperer and double-tongued : for fuch have deftroyed many that were at peace.

14 A backbiting tongue hath difquieted many, and driven them from nation to

nation:

nation: ftrong cities hath it | vour them as a leopard. pulled down, and overthrown 24 Look that thou hedge the houses of the great men. thy poffeffion about with 15¶ A backbiting tongue thorns, and bind up thy filver hath caft out virtuous wo- and gold: men, and deprived them of their labours.

16 Whofo hearkeneth unto it, fhall never find reft, and never dwell quietly.

17 The ftroke of the whip maketh marks in the flefh: but the ftroke of the tongue breaketh the bones.

18 Many have fallen by the edge of the fword; but not so many as have fallen by the tongue.

19 Well is he that is defended from it, and hath not paffed through the venom thereof: who hath not drawn the yoke thereof, nor hath been bound in her bands.

20 For the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, and the bands thereof are bands of brafs.

21 The death thereof is an evil death, the grave were better than it.

22 It shall not have rule over them that fear God, neither fhall they be burnt with the flame thereof.

23 Such as forfake the Lord fhall fall into it, and it fhall burn in them, and not be quenched; it shall be sent upon them as a lion, and de

25 And weigh thy words in a balance, and make a door and bar for thy mouth.

26 Beware thou flide not by it, left thou fall before him that lieth in wait.

HE

CHAP. XXIX. E that is merciful, will lend unto his neighbour, and he that ftrengtheneth his hand, keepeth the commandments.

2 Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season.

3 Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him, and thou fhalt always find the thing that is neceflary for thee.

4 Many, when a thing was lent them, reckoned it to be found, and put them to trouble that helped them.

5 Till he hath received, he will kifs a man's hand; and for his neighbour's money he will fpeak fubmifly: but when he should repay, he will prolong the time, and return words of grief, and complain of the time.

6 If he prevail, he fhall hardly receive the half, and Nn 3

he

he will count as if he had him.
found it: if not, he hath de-
prived him of his money, and
he hath gotten him an ene-given his life for thee.
my without caufse: he pay-
eth him with curfings and
railings; and for honour he
will pay him difgrace.

15 Forget not the friendship of thy furety, for he hath

16 A finner will overthrow the good estate of his furety:

17 And he that is of an 7 Many therefore have re- unthankful mind, will leave fufed to lend for other men's him in [danger] that deliill dealing, fearing to be de-vered him. frauded.

8 Yet have thou patience with a man in poor eftate, and delay not to fhew him mercy.

9 Help the poor for the commandments fake, and turn him not away because of his poverty.

10 Lofe thy money for thy brother and thy friend, and let it not ruft under a stone to be loft.

11 Lay up thy treafure according to the commandments of the Moft High, and

18 Suretiship hath undone many of good eftate, and fhaken them as a wave of the fea: mighty men hath it driven from their houses, fo that they wandered among ftrange nations.

19 A wicked man transgreffing the commandments of the Lord, fhall fall into furetifhip: and he that un|dertaketh and followeth other men's business for gain, fhall fall into fuits.

20 Help thy neighbour according to thy power, and

it shall bring thee more pro-beware that thou thyself fall

fit than gold.

not into the fame.

12 Shut up alms in thy 21 The chief thing for ftore-houses: and it fhall life is water and bread, and deliver thee from all afflic-clothing, and an house to cover fhame.

tion.

13 It fhall fight for thee against thine enemies, better than a mighty fhield and ftrong fpear.

14 An honeft man is furety for his neighbour: but he that is impudent will forfake

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