Lemuel's lesson of chastity.

Before

about 700.

29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: 30 A lion, which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; 31 A || greyhound; a he goat also; + Heb. girt in and a king, against whom there is

Or, horse.

the loins.

tJob 21, 5. & 40.4.

Ecc. 8. 3.

Mic, 7. 16.

about 1015. ach. 30.1.

b Is. 49. 15.

cch, 5.9.

d Deut. 17.17.

Neh. 13. 26,

ch. 7. 26.

Hos. 4. 11.

e Ecc. 10. 17.

f Hos. 4. 11.

† Heb, alter.

† Heh. of all

the sont of

afliction.

g Ps. 104. 15.

† Heb. bitter

of soul,

1 Sana. 1, 10.

Ja Sea Job 29.

1.5, 16.

il Sam. 19. 4.

Esth. 4. 16.

+ Heb, the

sons of de

struction.

k Lev. 19. 15.

Deut. 1. 16.

1 Job 29. 12, 19. 1. 17.

Jer. 22. 16.

m ch. 12. 4. &

18 22.&19.14.

no rising up.

32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

CHAPTER XXXI.

1 Lemuel's lesson of chastity and temperance. 6 The afflicted are to be comforted and defended. 10 The praise and properties of a good wife.

THE words of king Lemuel, a the

prophecy that his mother taught

him.

2 What, my son? and what, bthe son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?

3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways d to that which destroyeth kings.

e

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

5 fLest they drink, and forget the law, and † pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that bef of heavy hearts.

7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery

no more.

8 h Open thy mouth for the dumb iin the cause of all tsuch as are appointed to destruction.

9 Open thy mouth, kjudge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

101 m Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

18 † She perceiveth that her mer- + Heb. She chandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

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

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

22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

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

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

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

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

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

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

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

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

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

+ Heb. She spreadeth. pEph. 4. 28, Heb, 13. 16.

Or, double yarments.

q ch. 12. 4.

Or, have gotten riches.

Before CHRIST about 977.

a ver. 12. ch. 7. 27. & 12. 8, 9, 10. b Ps. 39.5, 6. & 63. 9. &

e Ps. 101. 5. & 119.90.

fPs. 19. 5, 6.

+ Heb.

panteth.

g John 3. 8.

h Job 38. 10.

Ps. 104. 8, 9.

† Heb. re

turn to go.

4. One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: ebut but the

earth abideth for ever.

5f The sun also ariseth, and the sun

The vanity of pleasure.

therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, b this also is vanity.

2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3 dI sought in mine heart † to give myself unto wine, yet acquaint

place where he arose.

6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full: unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they freturn again.

8 All things are full of labour; man i Prov. 27. 20. cannot utter it: i the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

k ch. 3. 15.

Iver. 1.

m Gen. 3. 19. ch. 3. 10.

Or, to

affliot them.

nch. 7. 13,

9 k The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the

sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

12111 the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man || to be exercised therewith.

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

15 That which is crooked cannot + Heb. defect. be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to ol Kin. 3 12, great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart † had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

13. & 4. 30. & 10.7.23.

ch. 2. 9.

+ Heb. had

seen much.

pch. 2. 3, 12.

7. 23, 25.

1 Thess.5.21.

q ch. 12. 12.

17 P And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven fall the days of their life.

4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

7 I got me servants and maidens, and had † servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

Before CHRIST about 977.

b Is 50. 11.

c Prov. 14.13. ch. 7. 6.

dch. 1. 17.

† Heb, to draw my flesh with wine.

† Heb. the number of the days of their life.

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and hch. 1. 3, 14. vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? || even that which hath been already done.

13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

14 k The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that lone event happeneth to them all.

15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it † happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for Cver; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dicth the wise man? as the fool.

17 Therefore I hated life; because

ich. 1. 17. & 7. 25.

|| Or, in those things which have been already done.

+ Heb. that there is an excellency in wisdom more than in folly, fc.

k Prov. 17.24.

ch. 8. 1.

1rs. 49. 10.

ch.9.2, 3,11. 1 Heb. kappeneth to me. even to me.

The vanity of human labour.

Before CHRIST about 977.

+ Heb. laboured

m Ps. 49. 10.

† Heb. give,

nch. 1, 3, &

3.9.

o Job 5. 7. & 14. 1.

p ch. 3. 12, 13,

22. & 5. 18.

& 8. 15.

|| Or, delight

his senses,

kim,

Gen. 7. 1.

the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet

God the judge of all.

8 A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 f What profit hath he that worketh
prom

in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which
God hath given to the sons of men
to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the

Before CHRIST about 977.

e Luke 14. 25. fch, 1. 3.

g ch. 1. 13.

wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he fleave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

also vanity.

24P There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he || should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?

26 For God giveth to a man that is + Heb. before good fin his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Rom. 11. 33.

can find out the work that God mak-
eth from the beginning to the end.
12 i I know that there is no good in i ver, 22,
them, but for a man to rejoice, and
to do good in his life.

13 And also k that every man should keh. 2. 24.
eat and drink, and enjoy the good of
all his labour, it is the gift of God.
14 I know that, whatsoever God
doeth, it shall be for ever: Inothing 1 James 1. 17.
can be put to it, nor any thing taken
from it: and God doeth it, that men
should fear before him.

15 m That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth † that which is past.

16 And moreover "I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

In ch. 1. 9.

Heb. that

which is driven away.

nch, 5.8.

17 I said in mine heart, God shall o Rom. 2. 6,

judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is Pa time there for every purpose and for every work.

18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, || that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

19 9 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20 All go unto one place; "all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

CHAPTER IV.

Vanity is increased unto men by oppres sion, 4 by envy, 5 by idleness, 7 by covetousness, 9 by solitariness, 13 by wilful

ness.

SO

a

8.7. & 10.14.

ach. 3. 16, & 5.8.

NO I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side + Heb. hand, of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

2 b Wherefore I praised the dead hJob 3.17, &c. Vanity through oppression.

Before

about 977.

e Job 3. 11,16,

21.

oh. 6. 3.

f Prov. 27. 20.

1 John 2. 16.

g Ps. 39. 6.

† Heb. who knoweth not to be admonished.

|| Or, word.

thou hast vowed.

5 Better is it that thou shouldest

not vow, than that thou shouldest

6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy

Before CHRIST about 977.

fPs. 66. 13,14.

g Prov. 20, 25. Acts 5. 4.

gether, and eateth his own flesh.

6 "Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his feye satisfied with riches; & neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 13 11 Better is a poor and a wise child, than an old and foolish king, † who will no more be admonished. 14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

CHAPTER V.

1 Vanities in divine service, 8 in murmuring against oppression, 9 and in riches, 18 Joy in riches is the gift of God.

KEEP athy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

2 Be not-rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any || thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and da fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath

8 If thou k seest the oppression of kch. 3. 16. the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for the that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase : this is also vanity.

11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

will, or, purpose.

1 Ps.12,5.458. 11. & 82. 1.

13 m There is a sore evil which I mch, 6, 1, have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

15 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

16 And this also is is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

17 All his days also the eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

Of children and old age.

Before CHRIST

about 977.

a eh, 5, 13,

b Job 21. 10, &c.

Ps. 17. 14. & 73.7.

CHAPTER VI.

1 The vanity of riches without use. 3 of children, 6 and old age without riches. 9 The vanity of sight and wandering

a

desires. 11 The conclusion of vanities. I have

THERE is an evil which have

common among men:

2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth c Luke 12.20. him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

31 If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and

d2 Kin. 9. 35. d also that he have no burial; I say, that ean untimely birth is better than he.

Is. 14. 19, 20,
Jer. 22. 19.

e Job 3. 16,
Ps. 58. 8.

ch. 4. 3.

Or, Anger.

4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known anything: this hath more rest than the other.

6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

7 f All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

917 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is & neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. 11

man:

Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, fall the days of his vain life which he spendeth asha shadow? for iwho can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

CHAPTER VII.

1 Remedies against vanity are, a good name, 2 mortification, 7 patience, llwisdom. 23 The difficulty of getting wisdom.

a GOOD name is better than

Remedies against vanity.

Before

5° It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the CHRIST song of fools.

6 d'For as the fi crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

about 977.

cGee Pa.li1 5. Prov. 13. 18.

& 15, 31, 32.

ch. 2.2.

71 Surely oppression maketh a wise d Ps. 118. 12. man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

+ Heb. sound.

c Ex. 23 8. Deut. 16. 19. f Prov, 14.29.

& 16.32. James 1.19.

9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to Prov. 14. 17. be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. 11 Wisdom is || good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit h to them that see the sun.

† Heb. out of wisdom.

|| Or, as good as an inheritance, ysa, better too.

12 For wisdom is a f defence, and money is a defence: but the excel-heh. 11. 7.

lency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

1 Heb. shadow.

13 Consider the work of God: for i who can make that straight, which i See Job 12. he hath made crooked?

14.

ch, 1. 15.

Is. 14. 27.

k Deut.28.47. ch. 3. 4.

14 k In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that Heb. made. man should find nothing after him.

15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: Ithere is a just man 1 ch.8.14. that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. 16 Be not righteous over much, n neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou † destroy thyself? † Heb. be 17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die f before thy time?

18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also yea, also from this

of death than the day of one's birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

3 || Sorrow is better than laughter: b2 Cor. 7. 10. b for by the sadness of the counte

nance the heart is made better.

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

23 All this have I proved by wisdom: "I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

24 That which is far off, and texceeding deep, who can find it out? 25+ "I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

2 Chr. 6. 36.

Prov. 20.9.

Rom. 3. 23.

1 Johu 1. 8.

† Heb, give not thine. heart,

r Rom. 1. 22.

s Job 28. 12, 20.