horfe [is] prepared against the day of battle: but safety [is] of the LORD; no military preparations will do, unless he gives fuccefs. This is a powerful motive to prayer, efpecially in time of war, to commit all our national interefts and concerns to him, and to go forth in his ftrength. I A CHA P. XXII. [GOOD] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] loving favour rather than filver and gold; without the respect and kindness of a man's neighbours and friends his riches will not make him comfortable; let us be thankful if we have a good reputation, and 2 do nothing to forfeit it. The rich and poor meet together the LORD [is] the maker of them all, with regard to happiness they are much upon the fame footing; God hath fixed their respective circumftances, and at death they fhall all certainly meet together and be upon a level; let 3 the rich therefore be humble, and the poor contented. A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; he makes provifion against it: but the fimple pass on, and are punished; they never think of it till they fall into it ; 4 this is applicable both to worldly and religious concerns. By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, 5 honour, and life. Thorns [and] fnares, continual perplexity and vexation, [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his foul, that watches over his actions and words, and is of a friendly obliging difpofition, fhall be far 6 from them. Train up a child in the way he fhould go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it; this is generally tho' not univerfally true, and a great motive it is to a prudent and pious education of children. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] fervant to the lender: this should be a motive to diligence and frugality, 8 that we may not be dependant upon others. He that foweth iniquity fhall reap vanity, that is, mortification and disappointment: and the rod of his anger, the power 9 with which he injures others, fhall fail. He that hath a bountiful eye, who fees and compaffionates the mifery of others, others, fhall be bleffed; for he giveth of his bread to 10 the poor. Caft out the fcorner, him who difdains advice and counsel, and is obftinately bent on his own way, and contention fhall go out; yea, ftrife and reproach shall I cease. He that loveth purenefs of heart, an upright man, who delivers his mind in acceptable language, [for] the grace of his lips, the king [fhall be] his friend. 12 The eyes of the LORD preferve knowledge, God graciously watches over thofe who make his law their rule and religion their care; and he overthroweth the words of the tranfgreffor; he cuts fhort the power of the wicked, 13 So that they do not what they intend. The flothful [man] faith, [There is] a lion without, I fhall be flain in the ftreets; a very unlikely thing to meet a lion in the streets; it 14 shows the folly of flothful people's excufes. The mouth of ftrange women [is] a deep pit; their fociety is a gulf of deftruction: he that is abhorred of the LORD, who is 15 given up to his wicked lufts, fhall fall therein. Foolishnefs [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction fhall drive it far from him; in many cafes 16 this is the only method. He that oppreffeth the poor to increase his [riches, and] he that giveth to the rich, [fhall] furely [come] to want; providence often delivers unjust men into the hands of oppreffors, who ferve them as 17 they ferved others. Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wife, and apply thine heart unto my 18 knowledge, the wife leffons which I teach thee. For [it is] a pleafant thing if thou keep them within thee; they fhall withal be fitted in thy lips; they will be thy delight and ornament; and enable thee to speak properly and ufe19 fully. That thy truft may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee; Ihave acquainted thee with these things, that thou mayeft thereby be encouraged 20 to trust only in God. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counfels and knowledge; I refer to thy 21 own judgment and difcretion; That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mighteft answer the words of truth to them that fend unto thee? be useful to thofe that confult thee or employ thee in any business; this is one great advantage of wisdom, that 22 it fits men for useful fervices in life. Rob not the poor, because he [is] poor: neither opprefs the afflicted in the gate, that is, in the court of justice; let him not be overthrown or injured because he wants money to defend 23 his caufe: For the LORD, the fupreme judge, will plead their caufe, and fpoil the foul of thofe that fpoiled 24 them. Make no friendship with an angry man; and 25 with a furious man thou shalt not go: Left thou learn his ways, and get a fnare to thy foul; left his paffions provoke thine; or left his example corrupt thee, and lead thee 26 into fin. Be not thou [one] of them that ftrike hands, 27 [or] of them that are fureties for debts. If thou haft nothing to pay, why fhould he take away thy bed from under thee? It is prudent to avoid being bound for others, left the creditor in the rage of his disappointment go beyond what the law allows, and reduce thee to great extremity 28 thro' thy own folly. Remove not the antient land mark, which thy fathers have fet, for the diftinction of one in29 heritance from another. Seeft thou a man diligent in his bufinefs, a man that looks about him, is active and diligent in his own proper work, he fhall ftand before kings; he fhall not ftand before mean [men;] he is likely to rife and be advanced in life. If we defire to stand before the King of kings, and to be numbered among his favourites, let us not be flothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. W HEN thou fitteft to eat with a ruler, or any perfon of fuperior rank or quality, confider diligently what [is] before thee, and how eafily thou mayeft 2 be drawn into excefs: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou [be] a man given to appetite; ufe any violence with દિ 3 thyself rather than fall into intemperance. Be not defirous of his dainties: for they [are] deceitful meat; persons by visiting thofe above their rank get an habit of high living, which often proves a fnare to them; plain fare is less expenfive, more nourishing, and free from the temptations 4 which attend dainty meats. Labour not to be rich; fatigue not thyself; make not a flavery of business; fet bounds to thy contrivances; do not place thy happiness in riches, nor feek them too eagerly: ceafe from thine own wifdom, which may prompt thee to fuch à dangerous and destructive 5 conduct. Wilt thou fet thine eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Solomon, tho' a rich man, fpeaks of riches in a very contemptuous manner here, as if they had no real existence. They are often loft thro' fuch an exceffive defire of more, as fets men upon hazardous enterprises, which, if they do not fucceed, leffen their former gain; while hoarding them up is but letting their wings grow, which makes them more readily fly away. 6 Eat thou not the bread of [him that hath] an evil eye, a man of a covetous temper, who grudgeth thee every thing 7 thou eateft; neither defire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, fo [is] he: Eat and drink, faith he to thee; but his heart [is] not with thee; he is to be judged of by his difpofition, and not by his compliments; 8 whatever he fays, he has no real regard for thee. The morfel [which] thou haft eaten shalt thou wish to vomit up, and lofe thy fweet words; repent of all thy compliments 9 and thanks. Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will 10 despise the wifdom of thy words. Remove not the old land mark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherI lefs, who are not able to right themselves. For their redeemer [is] mighty; he fhall plead their caufe with thee; if they have no near relation, kinfman, or friend to 12 avenge their wrong, God will do it. Apply thine heart unto inftruction, and thine ears to the words of know13 ledge. Withhold not correction from the child out of foolish pity: for [if] thou beateft him with the rod, he 14 fhall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and fhalt deliver his foul from hell; fave him from those fin15 ful courfes that might lead him to deftruction. My fon, if thine heart be wife, my heart fhall rejoice, even mine. 16 Yea, my reins fhall rejoice, when thy lips fpeak right things, and nothing that favours of impiety to God or un17 dutifulness to me. Let not thine heart envy finners: but [be [be thou] in the fear of the LORD all the day long; this will preferve thee from all corrupt affections and irregular 18 paffions. For furely there is an end; and thine expectation fhall not be cut off, thou wilt not upon the whole lofe by thy religion, but have a glorious reward here and 19 hereafter. Hear thou, my fon, and be wife, and guide 20 thine heart in the way which I prefcribe to thee. Be notamong wine bibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh; 21 avoid the fociety of gluttons and drunkards: For the drunkard and the glutton fhall come to poverty: and drowfinefs fhall clothe [a man] with rags; an idle, trifling, fleepy habit, will make men neglect their business, 22 and expofe them to want and infamy. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and defpife not thy mother when fhe is old, for her age is an additional argument for 23 thy dutiful regards to her. Buy the truth at any price, and fell [it] not upon any confideration whatever, for thou wilt furely lofe by the bargain; [alfo] wisdom, and in24 ftruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous fhall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wife [child] fhall have joy of him, in the virtue and regularity 25 of his behaviour. Thy father and thy mother fhall be glad, and the that bare thee fhall rejoice; all her pains 26 in thy birth and education fhall be abundantly repaid. My fon, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes obferve my ways; do not only look grave and attentive, but fet thine heart and affections on what I fay, and fee that thou a&test on the rules I have given thee, and after the example I have 27 fet thee. For a whore [is] a deep ditch; and a strange woman [is] a narrow pit; a man may easily flide into them, 28 but it may be difficult if not impoffible to get out. She alfo lieth in wait as [for] a prey, and increaseth the tranfgreffors among men; whatever profeffions of love she might make, 29 fhe draws multitudes into fin and ruin. Who hath woe? who hath forrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without caufe? who hath 30 redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to feek mixed wine. This shows the mifchief of drunkenness, that it hurts the body, the character, the comfort of life, the peace of fociety, and the good order of |