ye the Lord with the whole heart and mouth, and blefs the name of the Lord. G CHAP. XL. REAT travail is created for every man, and an heavy yoke is upon the fons of Adam, from the day that they go out of their mother's womb, till the day that they return to the mother of all things. 2 Their imagination of things to come, and the day of death [trouble] their thoughts, and [caufe] fear of heart ; 3 From him that fitteth on a throne of glory, unto him that is humbled in earth and afhes; 4 From him that weareth purple and a crown, unto him that is clothed with a linen frock. 5 Wrath and envy, trouble and unquietnefs, fear of death, and anger and ftrife, and in the time of reft upon his bed his night fleep do change his knowledge. 6 A little or nothing is his reft, and afterward he is in a fleep, as in a day of keeping watch, troubled in the vifion of his heart, as if he were escaped out of a battle: 7 When all is fafe, he awaketh and marvelleth that the fear was nothing. 8 [Such things happen] unto all flesh, both man and beaft, and that is fevenfold more upon finners. 9 Death, and blood-fhed, ftrife, and fword, calamities, famine, tribulation, and the fcourge; 10 These things are created for the wicked, and for their fakes came the flood. 11 All things that are of the earth fhall turn to the earth again: and that which is of the waters doth return into the fea. 12 All bribery and injuftice fhall be blotted out: but true dealing fhall endure for ever. 13 The goods of the unjuft fhall be dried up like a river, and fhall vanish with a noife, like a great thunder in rain. 14 While he openeth his hand, he fhall rejoice; fo fhall tranfgreffors come to nought. 15 The children of the ungodly fhall not bring forth many branches: but are as unclean roots upon a hard rock. 16 The weed growing upon every water and bank of a river, fhall be pulled up before all grafs. 17 Boun 17 Bountifulness is as a moft fruitful garden, and mercifulness endureth for ever. 18 To labour, and to be content with that a man hath, is a sweet life but he that findeth a treasure is above them both. : 27 The fear of the Lord is a fruitful garden, and covereth him above all glory. 28 My fon, lead not a beggar's life, for better it is 19 Children, and the to die than to beg, building of a city, continue 29 The life of him that a man's name: but a blame-dependeth on another man's lefs wife is counted above table, is not to be counted. them both. 20 Wine and mufick rejoice the heart but the love of wisdom is above them both. 21 The pipe and the pfaltery make sweet melody: but a pleasant tongue is above them both, 22 Thine eye defireth favour and beauty: but more than both, corn while it is green. 23 A friend and companion never meet amifs: but - above both is a wife with her hufband. 24 Brethren and help are against time of trouble: but alms fhall deliver more than them both. 25 Gold and filver make the foot ftand fure : but counsel is esteemed above them both. lift for a life: for he polluteth himself with other men's meat, but a wife man wellnurtured will beware thereof. 30 Begging is fweet in the mouth of the fhameless: but in his belly there shall burn a fire. CHAP. XLI. Death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at reft in his poffeffions, unto the man that hath nothing to vex him, and that hath prosperity in all things; yea, unto him that is yet able to receive meat! 2 O death, acceptable is thy fentence unto the needy, and unto him whose strength faileth, that is now in the laft age, and is vexed with 26 Riches and ftrength 004 defpaireth, despaireth, and hath loft pa-jagain; fo the ungodly fhall go from a curfe to deftruc tience! tion. 3 Fear not the fentence of death, remember them II The mourning of men that have been before thee, and that come after; for this is the fentence of the Lord over all flesh. 4 And why art thou against the pleasure of the moft High there is no inquifition in the grave, whether thou have lived ten, or an hundred, or a thousand years. is about their bodies: but an ill name of finners shall be blotted out. 12 Have regard to thy name: for that fhall continue with thee above a thoufand great treasures of gold. 13 A good life hath but few days: but a good name endureth for ever. 14 My children, keep 5 The children of finners difcipline in peace: for wifare abominable children, and dom that is hid, and a treathey that are converfant in fure that is not feen, what the dwelling of the ungod-profit is in them both? ly. 6 The inheritance of finners children fhall perish, and their pofterity shall have a perpetual reproach. 15 A man that hideth his foolishness, is better than a man that hideth his wisdom, 16 Therefore be fhamefaced according to my word: 7 The children will com- for it is not good to retain plain of an ungodly father, all fhamefacednefs; neither because they fhall be re- is it altogether approved in proached for his fake, every thing. 8 Wo be unto you, un- 17 Be ashamed of whoregodly men, which have for- dom before father and mofaken the law of the moft ther, and of a lie before a high God! for if ye in-prince and a mighty man: crease, it fhall be to your deftruction. 9 And if ye be born, ye fhall be born to a curfe: and if ye die, a curfe fhall be your portion. 18. Of an offence before a judge and ruler, of iniquity before a congregation and people, of unjuft dealing before thy partner and friend: 19 And of theft in regard 10 All that are of the of the place where thou soearth fhall turn to earth journeft, and in regard of the the truth of God and his covenant; and to lean with thine elbow upon the meat, and of fcorning to give and take: 20 And of filence before them that falute thee, and to look upon an harlot : 21 And to turn away thy face from thy kinfman, or to take away a portion or a gift, or to gaze upon another man's wife. 22 Or to be over-bufy with his maid, and come not near her bed; or of upbraiding speeches before friends and after thou haft given, upbraid not : and weights, or of getting much or little : 5 And of merchants indifferent felling, of much correction of children, and to make the fide of an evil fervant to bleed. 6 Sure keeping is good where an evil wife is, and fhut up where many hands are. 7 Deliver all things in number and weight, and put all in writing that thou giveft out, or receivest in. 8 Be not ashamed to inform the unwife and foolish, and the extreme aged that contendeth with those that are young: thus fhalt thou be truly learned, and approv 23 Or of iterating and fpeaking again that which thou haft heard, and of reed of all men living. vealing of fecrets. 24 So fhalt thou be truly fhamefaced, and find favour before all men, 9 The father waketh for the daughter when no man knoweth, and the care for her taketh away fleep: when fhe is young, left the pass away the flower of her age; F these things be not and being married, left she thou afhamed, and ac-fhould be hated. cept no person to fin thereby: CHAP. XLII. 2 Of the law of the moft High, and his covenant, and of judgment to justify the ungodly: 3 Of reckoning with thy partners and travellers, or of the gift of the heritage of friends: 4 Of exactness of balance 11 Keep a fure watch over a fhameless daughter, left fhe make thee a laughing-ftock to thine enemies, and a by-word in the city, and a reproach among the people, and make thee afhamed before the multitude. 12 Behold not every bo dy's the midst of women: 13 For from garments cometh a moth, and from women wickednefs. dy's beauty, and fit not in 21 He hath garnished the excellent works of his wif dom, and he is from everlafting to everlasting: unto him may nothing be added, neither can he be diminished, and he hath no need of any counfellor, 14 Better is the churlishnefs of a man than a courteous woman, a woman, I fay, which bringeth fhame and reproach. 15¶I will now remember the works of the Lord, and declare the things that I have feen In the words of the Lord are his works. 16 The fun that giveth light, looketh upon all things, and the work thereof is full of the glory of the Lord. 17 The Lord hath not given power to the faints to declare all his marvellous works, which the Almighty Lord firmly fettled, that whatsoever is, might be eftablished for his glory. 18 He feeketh out the deep, and the heart, and confidereth their crafty devices: for the Lord knoweth all that may be known, and he beholdeth the figns of the world. 19 He declareth the things that are paft, and for to come, and revealeth the steps of hidden things. 20 No thought escapeth him, neither any word is hidden from him. 22 Oh, how defirable are all his works! and that a man may fee even to a spark. 23 All these things live and remain for ever, for all ufes; and they are all obedient. 24 All things are double one against another: and he hath made nothing imperfect. 25 One thing establisheth the good of another; and who fhall be filled with beholding his glory? CHAP, XLIII. HE pride of the height, the clear firmament, the beauty of heaven, with his glorious fhew; 2 The fun when it appeareth, declaring at his rifing a marvellous inftrument, the work of the moft High. 3 At noon it parcheth the country, and who can abide the burning heat thereof? 4 A man blowing a furnace is in works of heat, but the fun burneth the mountains three times more; breathing out fiery vapours, and |