Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

and the fear of the Lord are riches, honour, and life. 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. 6 Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity, and the rod of his anger shall fail. 9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed: for he giveth of his bread to the poor. 10 Cast out the

scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. 12 The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. 13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets. 15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

:

come to want.

16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely 17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. 19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. 20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee? 22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: 23 For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. 24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. 26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or

of them that are sureties for debts. 27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? 28 Remove not the ancient land-mark which thy fathers have set. 29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

3

CHAP. XXIV. Contentment and Discretion. Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them: 2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief. Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: 4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches 5 A wise man is strong: yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. 6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. 7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. 8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person. 9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomina.

tion to men. 10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. 11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain ; 12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not: doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his restingplace: 16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again but the wicked shall fall into mischief. 17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

:

18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease

him, and he turn away his wrath from him. 19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked: 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. 21 My son, fear thou the Lord, and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: 22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? long to the wise, It is not of persons in judgment.

23 These things also begood to have respect 24 He that saith unto

the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: 25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. 27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

30 I went by the field of the slothful; and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw, and considered it well. I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

CHAP. XXV. Causes of Quarrels.

8 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. 9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another; 10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away. 11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. 12 As an ear ring of gold, and

Prov. an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. 13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that sent him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters. 14 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift, is like clouds and wind without rain. 16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith. 17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house: lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, 19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint. 20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre; so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart. 21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink : 22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. 23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue. 25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. 26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring. 27 It is not good to eat much honey so for men to search their own glory is not glory. 28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit, is like a city that is broken down and with out walls.

1

CHAP. XXVI. Strife and Indolence criminal.

As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. 3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. 10 The great God that formed all things, both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. 12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. 13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. 14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. 15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. 16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. 18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death; 19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? 20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out so where there is no tale bearer, the strife ceaseth.

CHAP. XXVII. Friendship.

BOAST not thyself of to-morrow: for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. 2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth: a stranger, and not thine own lips. 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

« FöregåendeFortsätt »