CHAPTER XXVII.

1 BOAST not thyself of to-morrow;

For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

2 Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips.

3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty;
But a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.
4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous;
But who is able to stand before envy?

5 Open rebuke is better than secret love: 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend;

But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb;
But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest;
So is a man that wandereth from his place.

9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart;

So doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.

10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake

not;

Neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity,

For better is a friend that is near than a brother

far off.

11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,

That I may answer him that reproacheth me.

12 The prudent man forseeth the evil, and avoids it; But the simple pass on, and are punished.

13 Take his garment when a stranger is surety; And take a pledge of him where strangers are witnesses.

14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,

It shall be counted a curse to him.

15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day, And a contentious woman are alike.

16 He that hideth her hideth the wind ;

And the ointment of his right hand betrayeth itself.

17 As iron is brightened by iron;

So a man exhilarates the countenance of his friend.

18 Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof;

And he that waiteth on his master shall be

honoured.

19 As the face is to the face in water; 11

So is the heart of a man to a man.

20 Hades and the seats of destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21 As the fining-pot to silver, and the furnace to gold; So is a man to the speech of him that praiseth /

him.

22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar, / Among things pounded with a pestle;

Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

23 Be diligent to know the state of thy flock;

Look well to thy herds:

24 For riches are not for ever;

Neither is the crown from generation to generation.

25 The grass appeareth, and the herbage showeth itself,

And the herbs upon the mountains are gathered: 26 The lambs are for thy clothing,

And the he goats are the price of the field:
27 And there shall be goats' milk enough,
For thy food, and the food of thy household,
And for the maintenance of thy maidens.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

1 THE wicked flee when no man pursueth; But the righteous are bold as a lion.

2 By the rebellion of a land many are the princes thereof;

But by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.

3 A man in power that is needy, and oppresseth

the poor,

Is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.

4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked; But such as keep the law contend with them.

5 Evil men understand not judgment,

But they that seek Jehovah understand all things.

6 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, Than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

7 He that keepeth the law is a wise son;

But he that is a companion of prodigals shameth his father.

8 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance,

He shall gather it for him that hath pity on the poor. 9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer shall be an abomination.

10 He that causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way,

He shall fall himself into his own pit;

But the upright shall have good things in possession.

11 The rich man is wise in his own conceit;

But the poor man that hath understanding searcheth him out.

12 When the righteous rejoice there is great glory; But when the wicked rise men conceal themselves.

13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper;

But he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall

have mercy.

14 Happy is the man that feareth always,

But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into evil.

15 As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear;

So is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

16 A prince void of understanding is a great op

pressor;

But he that hateth covetuousness shall prolong his days.

17 A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person,

Although he may flee to the pit, let no man stay him.

18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall he saved;

But he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at

once.

19 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread,

But he that followeth vanity shall have poverty

enough.

20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings; But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

21 To have respect of persons is not good;

Yet for a piece of bread will a man transgress. 22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, And considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

23 He that rebuketh a man after my precepts,

Shall find more favour than he that flattereth with

his tongue.

24 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, And saith, "It is no transgression;"

The same is the companion of a destroyer.