8 It shall be health to thy navel, And marrow to thy bones.

9 Honour Jehovah with thy wealth,

And with the first-fruits of all thy increase:

10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, And thy vats shall burst with new wine.

11 My son, despise not the correction of Jehovah ; Nor be weary of his reproof:

12 For whom Jehovah loveth he reproveth; And as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

13 Happy the man who findeth wisdom,

And the man who obtaineth understanding.

14 For her merchandise is better than that of silver, And her increase than that of fine gold.

15 She is more valuable than diamonds: And all thy delights are not equal to her.

16 Length of days in her right hand; In her left, riches and honour.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her: Happy is he that holdeth her fast.

19 Jehovah in wisdom hath founded the earth; With skill he hath framed the heavens.

20 By his knowledge the deeps are divided, And the clouds distil the dew.

21 My son, let them not depart from thine eyes: Keep sound wisdom and discretion:

22 And they shall be life to thy soul, And grace to thy neck.

23 Then thou shalt walk thy way in safety, And thy foot shall not strike.

24 If thou lie down, thou shalt not fear :

Thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

25 Thou shalt not be afraid of a sudden alarm, Nor of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.

26 For Jehovah shall be thy confidence,

And shall keep thy foot from being caught.

27 Withhold not a good thing from them to whom it is due,

When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.

28 Say not to thy neighbour, Go, and come back, And to-morrow I will give; when it is with thee.

29 Contrive not evil against thy neighbour,

While he dwells in security beside thee.

30 Quarrel not with a man without cause,

If he have not rendered thee evil.

31 Envy not the man of violence,

Nor choose any of his ways.

32 For the perverse man is the abomination of Jehovah : But his secret is with the upright.

33 The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked: But the dwelling of the righteous he will bless.

34 Surely the scorners he will scorn:

But to the meek he will grant favour.

35 The wise shall inherit glory:

But fools shall be held up to contempt.

CHAPTER IV.

1 HEAR, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend to learn understanding.

2 For I give you good counsel,

Forsake ye not my law.

3 For I was my father's beloved son,

A darling in the sight of my mother.

4 And he taught me, and said unto me, Let thy heart hold fast my words: Keep my commands, and live.

5 Get wisdom, get understanding:

Forget it not;

And turn not away from the words of my mouth.

6 Forsake her not, and she will keep thee: Love her, and she will preserve thee.

7 Wisdom is the principal thing; get wisdom: And with all thy getting, get understanding.

8 Exalt her, and she will promote thee:

She will raise thee to honour, when thou shalt embrace her.

9 She will give to thy head a graceful ornament: A glorious crown she will deliver to thee.

10 Hear, my son, and receive my words;

And years of life shall be multiplied to thee.

11 In the way of wisdom I have taught thee;

In the paths of uprightness I have caused thee to walk.

12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; And if thou run, thou shalt not stumble.

13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go : Keep her; for she is thy life.

14 Into the way of the wicked thou shalt not enter,

Nor walk in the road of evil men.

15 Avoid it, pass not through it,

Flee from it, and pass away.

16 For they sleep not, if they have done no evil; And their sleep is taken, if they cause none to

stumble.

17 For they eat the bread of restlessness,

And they drink the wine of violence.

18 And the path of the just is like the light,

Which shines and increases till the day is established.

19 The way of the wicked is as blackness:

They know not at what they stumble.

20 My son, attend to my words;

To my speech incline thine ear.

21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart.

22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.

23 Above all keeping, keep thy heart; For out of it are the issues of life.

24 Put away from thee frowardness of mouth, And perverseness of lips put far from thee.