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the instruction of wisdom: and before honour is humility.

16 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

17 The Lord will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

18 And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up.

19 Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

20 Surely he scorneth the scorners but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

¶21 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart

15 The fear of the Lord is from evil.

SECTION VIII.—Industry.

LESSON LVII.

I WENT by the field of the slothful; and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

2 And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone-wall thereof was broken down.

3 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

¶4 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

5 Prepare thy work without,

and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

6 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread : but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

7 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

8 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty, only to want.

9 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. 10 He that gathereth in sum

mer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

11 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

12 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

13 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth, and spareth not.

14 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

¶15 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

16 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

17 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.

18 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns : but the way of the righteous is made plain.

20 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit then seven men that can render a reason.

21 The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

22 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

24 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

25 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

26 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

27 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

28 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?

29 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep :

30 So shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth, and thy want as an armed man.

31 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds:

32 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?

33 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.

34 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.

35 And thou shalt have goat's milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for maintenance for thy maidens.

36 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

37 There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man

23 He also that is slothful in spendeth it up..

38 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

39 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.

40 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall in

crease.

41 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, and the recompense of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.

LESSON LVIII.

WHO can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 2 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

3. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

4 She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

5 She is like the merchant's ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

6 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

7. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

8 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her

arms.

9 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

10 She layeth her hands to

the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

11 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

12 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

13 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry: her clothing is silk and purple.

14 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

15 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

16 Strength and honour are her clothing and she shall rejoice in time to come.

17 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

18 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

19 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her :

20 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

21 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

22 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

23 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

SECTION IX. Wisdom and Discretion.

LESSON LIX.

A WISE man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

2 He that getteth wisdom, loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding, shall find good.

3 A prudent man concealeth knowledge but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

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4 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

5 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

6 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

7 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

8 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

9 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

10 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

11 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

12 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair wo

man which is without discretion.

13 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doth not so.

14 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be

cut out.

15 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

16 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer : but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.

17 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

18 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

19 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him. As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

20 He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

21 A tale-bearer revealeth secrets but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the

matter.

22 He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets : therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

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23 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

24 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

25 Delight is not seemly for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

26 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

27 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

28 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

29 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

30 The lips of the righteous feed many but fools die for want of wisdom.

31 Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

32 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

33 With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days, understanding. With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

34 The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

35 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles.

36 A man's belly shall be

satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

37 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

38 The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

LESSON LX.

A FOOL uttereth all his mind; but a wise man keepeth it in, till afterwards.

2 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

3 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

4 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

5 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof, erreth.

6 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

7 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

8 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.

9 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

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