6 In all thy ways acknowledge him,

And he will direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes;

Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil;

8 It shall be a healing medicine to thy navel, And a lotion to thy bones.

9 Honour Jehovah with thy substance,

And with the first-fruits of all thy produce; 10 And thy barns shall be filled with plenty, And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.

11 My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah ; Neither be weary of his correction:

12 For whom Jehovah loveth he correcteth,

And chasteneth the son in whom he delighteth.

13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,

And the man that getteth understanding;

14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver,

And the produce of it than fine gold.

15 She is more precious than gems,

And all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

16 Length of days is in her right hand, And in her left, riches and honour. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, And happy is every one that retaineth her.

19 Jehovah by wisdom hath founded the earth,

By understanding hath he established the heavens.

20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, And the clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, let not these things depart from thine eyes;

Keep sound wisdom and discretion.

22 And they shall be life unto thy soul,

And an ornament to thy neck.

23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely,

And thy foot shall not stumble.

24 When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid, Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be

sweet.

25 Be not afraid of sudden fear;

Nor of the desolation of the wicked, when it
cometh.

26 For Jehovah shall be thy confidence,
And shall keep thy foot from being taken.

27 Withhold not good from the indigent,

When it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

28 Say not unto thy neighbour,

Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give thee,"

When thou hast it by thee.

29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, When he dwelleth in security by thee.

32 For the wicked are an abomination to Jehovah, But his intercourse is with the righteous.

33 The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked; But he blesseth the habitation of the just.

34 Surely he scorneth the scorners;

But he giveth grace unto the lowly.

35 The wise shall inherit glory;

But shame shall exalt fools. /

CHAPTER IV.

1 HEAR, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding.

2 Because I give you good doctrine,

Forsake not my precepts.

3 For I was a son very dear to my father,
And well beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 He taught me also, and said unto me,
"Let thine heart retain my words;

"Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live."

5 Get wisdom, get understanding;

Forget not this; and decline not from the words of my mouth.

6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will guard thee.

7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom;

Even with all thy possessions purchase wisdom.

8 Esteem her, and she will exalt thee;

She will bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her.

9 She will give to thy head a graceful wreath;
A glorious crown will she deliver to thee.
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,

And the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I teach thee in the way of wisdom;
I lead thee in the right paths.

12 When thou goest thy steps shall not be straitened; And when thou runnest thou shalt not stumble. 13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go; Keep her; for she is thy life.

14 Enter not into the path of the wicked,

And go not in the way of the base.

15 Avoid it, proceed not in it;

Turn from it, and pass away.

16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief,

And their sleep is taken away unless they cause

some to fall.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness,

And drink the wine of violence.

18 But the path of the righteous is as the light of the dawn,

Which shineth more and more until perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is as thick darkness; They discern not that at which they stumble. 20 My son, attend to my words;

Incline thine ear unto my sayings.

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thine heart:

22 For they are life unto those that find them, And a healing medicine to all their flesh.

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23 Guard thy heart with all diligence;
For out of it are the issues of life.
24 Put away from thee a depraved mouth,

And perverse lips remove far from thee. 25 Let thine eyes be fixed on that which is right; And let thine eyelids direct the way before thee. 26 Ponder well the path of thy feet,

And all thy ways shall be established.

27 Turn not to the right hand, nor to the left; Remove thy feet from evil.

CHAPTER V.

1 My son, attend unto my wisdom;
Incline thine ear to my understanding;
2 That thou mayst preserve discretion,
And that thy lips may keep knowledge.

* 3 Although the lips of an harlot distil honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil;

4 Yet in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a twoedged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death;

Her steps take hold on Hades.

6 Lest she should ponder the way of life,

Her steps are moveable; she regards nothing."

7 And now, ye children, hearken unto me,

And depart not from the words of my mouth.

8 Remove thy way from her,

And come not nigh the door of her house; 9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, And thy years to the cruel harlot :