World English Bible

1 The Lord created man of the earth,

And turned him back to it again.

2 He gave them days by number, and a set time,

And gave them authority over the things that are thereon.

3 He endued them with strength proper to them;

And made them according to his own image.

4 He put the fear ofman upon all flesh,

Andgave himto have dominion over beasts and fowls.

5

6 Counsel, and tongue, and eyes,

Ears, and heart, gave he them to understand withal.

7 He filled them with the knowledge of wisdom,

And showed them good and evil.

8 He set his eye upon their hearts,

To show them the majesty of his works.

9

10 And they shall praise the name ofhisholiness,

That they may declare the majesty of his works.

11 He added to them knowledge,

And gave them a law of life for a heritage.

12 He made an everlasting covenant with them,

And showed them his judgements.

13 Their eyes saw the majesty ofhisglory;

And their ear heard the glory ofhis voice.

14 And he said to them, Beware of all unrighteousness;

And he gave them commandment, each man concerning his neighbor.

15 Their ways are ever before him;

They shall not be hid from his eyes.

16

17 For every nation he appointed a ruler;

And Israel is the Lord’s portion.

18

19 All their works are as the sun before him;

And his eyes are continually upon their ways.

20 Their iniquities are not hid from him;

And all their sins are before the Lord.

21

22 With him the alms of a man is as a signet;

And he will keep the bounty of a man as the apple of the eye.

23 Afterwards he will rise up and recompense them,

And render their recompense upon their head.

24 Howbeit to them that repent he granteth a return;

And he comforteth them that are losing patience.

25 Return to the Lord, and forsake sins:

Make your prayer beforehisface, and lessen the offence.

26 Turn again to the Most High, and turn away from iniquity;

And greatly hate the abominable thing.

27 Who shall give praise to the Most High inthe grave,

Instead of them which live and return thanks?

28 Thanksgiving perishes from the dead, as from one that is not:

He that is in life and health shall praise the Lord.

29 How great is the mercy of the Lord,

And his forgiveness to them that turn to him!

30 For all things can’t be in men,

Because the son of man is not immortal.

31 What is brighter than the sun? yet this fails:

And an evil man will think on flesh and blood.

32 He looks upon the power of the height of heaven:

And all men are earth and ashes.

1 He that lives for ever created all things in common.

2 The Lord alone shall be justified.

3

4 To none has he given power to declare his works:

And who shall trace out his mighty deeds?

5 Who shall number the strength of his majesty?

And who shall also tell out his mercies?

6 As for the wondrous works of the Lord, it is not possible to take from them nor add to them,

Neither is it possible to track them out.

7 When a man has finished, then he is but at the beginning;

And when he ceaseth, then shall he be in perplexity.

8 What is man, and whereto serves he?

What is his good, and what is his evil?

9 The number of man’s days at the most are a hundred years.

10 As a drop of water from the sea, and a pebble from the sand;

So are a few years in the day of eternity.

11 For this cause the Lord was longsuffering over them,

And poured out his mercy upon them.

12 He saw and perceived their end, that it is evil;

Therefore he multiplied his forgiveness.

13 The mercy of a man is upon his neighbor;

But the mercy of the Lord is upon all flesh;

Reproving, and chastening, and teaching,

And bringing again, as a shepherd does his flock.

14 He has mercy on them that accept chastening,

And that diligently seek after his judgements.

15 My son, to your good deeds add no blemish;

And no grief of words in any of your giving.

16 Shall not the dew assuage the scorching heat?

So is a word better than a gift.

17 Behold, is not a word better than a gift?

And both are with a gracious man.

18 A fool will upbrade ungraciously;

And the gift of an envious man consumes the eyes.

19 Learn before you speak;

And have a care of your health or ever you be sick.

20 Before judgement examine yourself;

And in the hour of visitation you shall find forgiveness.

21 Humble yourself before you be sick;

And in the time of sins show repentance.

22 Let nothing hinder you to pay your vow in due time;

And wait not until death to be justified.

23 Before you make a vow, prepare yourself;

And be not as a man that tempts the Lord.

24 Think upon the wraththat shall bein the days of the end,

And the time of vengeance, when he turns away his face.

25 In the days of fulness remember the time of hunger,

Andpoverty and lack in the days of wealth.

26 From morning until evening the time changes;

And all things are speedy before the Lord.

27 A wise man will fear in everything;

And in days of sinning he will beware of offence.

28 Every man of understanding knows wisdom;

And he will give thanks to him that found her.

29 They that were of understanding in sayings became also wise themselves,

And poured forth apt proverbs.

30 Go not after your lusts;

And refrain yourself from your appetites.

31 If you give fully to your soul the delight of her desire,

She will make youthe laughing stock of your enemies.

32 Make not merry in much luxury;

Neither be tied to the expense thereof.

33 Be not made a beggar by banqueting upon borrowing,

When you have nothing in your purse.

1 A workman that is a drunkard shall not become rich:

He that despises small things shall fall by little and little.

2 Wine and women will make men of understanding to fall away:

And he that cleaves to harlots will be the more reckless.

3 Moths and worms shall have him to heritage;

And a reckless soul shall be taken away.

4 He that is hasty to trust is light-minded;

And he that sins shall offend against his own soul.

5 He that makes merry in his heart shall be condemned:

6 And he that hates talk has the less wickedness.

7 Never repeat what is told you,

And you shall fare never the worse.

8 Whether it be of friend or foe, tell it not;

And unless it is a sin to you, reveal it not.

9 For he has heard you, and observed you,

And when the time comes he will hate you.

10 Hast you heard a word? let it die with you:

Be of good courage, it will not burst you.

11 A fool will travail in pain with a word,

As a woman in labor with a child.

12 As an arrow that sticks in theflesh of the thigh,

So is a word in a fool’s belly.

13 Reprove a friend; it may be he did it not:

And if he did something, that he may do it no more.

14 Reprove your neighbor; it may be he said it not:

And if he has said it, that he may not say it again.

15 Reprove a friend; for many times there is slander:

And trust not every word.

16 There is one that slips, and not from the heart:

And who is he that has not sinned with his tongue?

17 Reprove your neighbor before you threaten him;

And give place to the law of the Most High.

18-19

20 All wisdom is the fear of the Lord;

And in all wisdom is the doing of the law.

21

22 And the knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom;

And the prudence of sinners is not counsel.

23 There is a wickedness, and the same is abomination;

And there is a fool lacking in wisdom.

24 Better is one that has small understanding, and fears,

Than one that has much prudence, and transgresses the law.

25 There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is unjust;

And there is one that perverteth favorto gain a judgement.

26 There is one that does wickedly, that hangs down his head with mourning;

But inwardly he is full of deceit,

27 Bowing down his face, and making as if he were deaf of one ear:

Where he is not known, he will be beforehand with you.

28 And if for lack of power he be hindered from sinning,

If he find opportunity, he will do mischief.

29 A man shall be known by his look,

And one that has understanding shall be known by his face, when you meet him.

30 A man’s attire, andgrinning laughter,

And gait, show what he is.

1 There is a reproof that is not comely;

And there is a man that keeps silence, and he is wise.

2 How good is it to reprove, rather than to be angry;

And he that makes confession shall be kept back from hurt.

3

4 As is the lust of an eunuch to deflower a virgin;

So is he that executes judgements with violence.

5 There is one that keeps silence, and is found wise;

And there is one that is hated for his much talk.

6 There is one that keeps silence, for he has no answer to make;

And there is that keeps silence, as knowing his time.

7 A wise man will be silent till his time come;

But the braggart and fool will overpass his time.

8 He that uses many words shall be abhorred;

And he that takes to himself authority therein shall be hated.

9 There is a prosperity that a man finds in misfortunes;

And there is a gain that turns to loss.

10 There is a gift that shall not profit you;

And there is a gift whose recompense is double.

11 There is an abasement because of glory;

And there is that has lifted up his head from a low estate.

12 There is that buys much for a little,

And pays for it again sevenfold.

13 He that is wise in words shall make himself beloved;

But the pleasantries of fools shall be wasted.

14 The gift of a fool shall not profit you;

For his eyes are many instead of one.

15 He will give little, and upbraid much;

And he will open his mouth like a crier:

Today he will lend, and tomorrow he will ask it again:

Such an one is a hateful man.

16 The fool will say, I have no friend,

And I have no thanks for my good deeds;

They that eat my bread are of evil tongue.

17 How often, and of how many, shall he be laughed to scorn!

18 A slip on a pavement is better thana slipwith the tongue;

So the fall of the wicked shall come speedily.

19 A man without grace isasa tale out of season:

It will be continually in the mouth of the ignorant.

20 Awise sentence from a fool’s mouth will be rejected;

For he will not speak it in its season.

21 There is that is hindered from sinning through lack;

And when he takes rest, he shall not be troubled.

22 There is that destroys his soul through bashfulness;

And by a foolish countenance he will destroy it.

23 There is that for bashfulness promises to his friend;

And he makes him his enemy for nothing.

24 A lie is a foul blot in a man:

It will be continually in the mouth of the ignorant.

25 A thief is better than a man that is continually lying:

But they both shall inherit destruction.

26 The disposition of a liar is dishonor;

And his shame is with him continually.

27 He that is wise in words shall advance himself;

And one that is prudent will please great men.

28 He that tils his land shall raise his heap high;

And he that pleases great men shall get pardon for iniquity.

29 Presents and gifts blind the eyes of the wise,

And as a muzzle on the mouth, turn away reproofs.

30 Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is out of sight,

What profit is in them both?

31 Better is a man that hides his folly

Than a man that hides his wisdom.

32

1 My son, have you sinned? add no more thereto;

And make supplication for your formersins.

2 Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent;

For if you draw near it will bite you:

The teeth thereof are the teeth of a lion,

Slaying the souls of men.

3 All iniquity is as a two-edged sword;

Its stroke has no healing.

4 Terror and violence will lay waste riches;

So the house of a haughty man shall be laid waste.

5 Supplication from a poor man’s mouth reaches to the ears ofGod,

And his judgement comes speedily.

6 One that hates reproof is in the path of the sinner;

And he that fears the Lord will turn again in his heart.

7 He that is mighty in tongue is known afar off:

But the man of understanding knows when he slips.

8 He that builds his house with other men’s money

Is like one that gathers himself stones against winter.

9 The congregation of wicked men isastow wrapped together;

And the end of them is a flame of fire.

10 The way of sinners is made smooth with stones;

And at the last end thereof is the pit of Hades.

11 He that keeps the law becomes master of the intent thereof;

And the end of the fear of the Lord is wisdom.

12 He that is not clever will not be instructed;

And there is a cleverness which makes bitterness to abound.

13 The knowledge of a wise man shall be made to abound as a flood;

And his counsel as a fountain of life.

14 The inward parts of a fool are like a broken vessel;

And he will hold no knowledge.

15 If a man of knowledge hear a wise word,

He will commend it, and add to it:

The dissolute man hears it, and it displeases him,

And he puts it away behind his back.

16 The discourse of a fool is like a burden in the way;

But grace shall be found on the lips of the wise.

17 The mouth of the prudent man shall be sought for in the congregation;

And they will ponder his words in their heart.

18 As a house that is destroyed, so is wisdom to a fool;

And the knowledge of an unwise man isastalk without sense.

19 Instruction isasfetters on the feet of an unwise man,

And as manacles on the right hand.

20 A fool lifts up his voice with laughter;

But a clever man will scarce smile quietly.

21 Instruction is to a prudent man as an ornament of gold,

And as a bracelet upon his right arm.

22 The foot of a fool is soon inanother man’shouse;

But a man of experience will be ashamed of entering.

23 A foolish man peepeth in from the door ofanother man’shouse;

But a man that is instructed will stand without.

24 It is a lack of instruction in a man to listen at the door;

But the prudent man will be grieved with the disgrace.

25 The lips of strangers will be grieved at these things;

But the words of prudent men will be weighed in the balance.

26 The heart of fools is in their mouth;

But the mouth of wise men is their heart.

27 When the ungodly curses Satan,

He curses his own soul.

28 A whisperer defiles his own soul,

And shall be hated wherever he sojourneth.

1 A slothful man is compared to a stone that is defiled;

And every one will hiss him out in his disgrace.

2 A slothful man is compared to the filth of a dunghill:

Every man that takes it up will shake out his hand.

3 A father has shame in having begotten an uninstructedson;

And afoolishdaughter is born to his loss.

4 A prudent daughter shall inherit a husband of her own;

And she that brings shame is the grief of her father.

5 She that is bold brings shame upon father and husband;

And she shall be despised of them both.

6 Unseasonable discourse isasmusic in mourning;

But stripes and correction are wisdom at every season.

7 He that teaches a fool isasone that glues a potsherd together;

Even asone that wakes a sleeper out of a deep sleep.

8 He that discourseth to a fool isasone discoursing to a man that slumbereth;

And at the end he will say, What is it?

9-10

11 Weep for the dead, for light has failedhim;

And weep for a fool, for understanding has failedhim:

Weep more sweetly for the dead, because he has found rest;

But the life of the fool is worse than death.

12 Seven days arethe days ofmourning for the dead;

But for a fool and an ungodly man, all the days of his life.

13 Talk not much with a foolish man,

And go not to one that has no understanding:

Beware of him, lest you have trouble;

Andsoyou shall not bedefiled in his onslaught:

Turn aside from him, and you shall find rest;

Andsoyou shall not be wearied in his madness.

14 What shall be heavier than lead?

And what is the name thereof, but a fool?

15 Sand, and salt, and a mass of iron, is easier to bear,

Than a man without understanding.

16 Timber girded and bound into a building shall not be loosed with shaking:

So a heart established in due season on well advised counsel shall not be afraid.

17 A heart settled upon a thoughtful understanding

Is as an ornament of plaister on a polished wall.

18 Pales set on a high place will not stand against the wind:

So a fearful heart in the imagination of a fool will not stand against any fear.

19 He that pricks the eye will make tears to fall;

And he that pricks the heart makes it to show feeling.

20 Whoso casts a stone at birds frays them away;

And he that upbraids a friend will dissolve friendship.

21 If you have drawn a sword against a friend, despair not;

For there may be a returning.

22 If you have opened your mouth against a friend, fear not;

For there may be a reconciling;

Except it be for upbraiding, and arrogance, and disclosing of a secret, and a treacherous blow:

For these things every friend will flee.

23 Gain trust with your neighbor in his poverty,

That in his prosperity you may have gladness:

Abide stedfast to him in the time of his affliction,

That you may be heir with him in his inheritance.

24 Before fire is the vapor and smoke of a furnace;

So revilings before bloodshed.

25 I will not be ashamed to shelter a friend;

And I will not hide myself from his face:

26 And if any evil happen to me because of him,

Every one that hears it will beware of him.

27 Who shall set a watch over my mouth,

And a seal of shrewdness upon my lips,

That I fall not from it, and that my tongue destroy me not?

1 O Lord, Father and Master of my life,

Abandon me not to their counsel:

Suffer me not to fall by them.

2 Who will set scourges over my thought,

And a discipline of wisdom over mine heart?

That they spare me not for mine ignorances,

Andmy heartpass not by their sins:

3 That mine ignorances be not multiplied,

And my sins abound not;

And I shall fall before mine adversaries,

And mine enemy rejoice over me.

4 O Lord, Father and God of my life,

Give me not aproud look,

5 And turn away concupiscense from me.

6 Let notgreediness and chambering overtake me;

And give me not over to a shameless mind.

7 Hear you⌃, my children, the discipline of the mouth;

And he that keeps it shall not be taken.

8 The sinner shall beovertaken in his lips;

And the reviler and the proud man shall stumble therein.

9 Accustom not your mouth to an oath;

And be not accustomed to the naming of the Holy One.

10 For as a servant that is continually scourged shall not lack a bruise,

So he also that swears and namesGodcontinually shall not be cleansed from sin.

11 A man of many oaths shall be filled with iniquity;

And the scourge shall not depart from his house:

If he shall offend, his sin shall be upon him;

And if he disregard it, he has sinned doubly;

And if he has sworn in vain, he shall not be justified;

For his house shall be filled with calamities.

12 There is a manner of speech that is clothed about with death:

Let it not be found in the heritage of Jacob;

For all these things shall be far from the godly,

And they shall not wallow in sins.

13 Accustom not your mouth to gross rudeness,

For therein is the word of sin.

14 Remember your father and your mother,

For you sit in the midst of great men;

That you be not forgetful before them,

And become a fool by your custom;

So shall you wish that you had not been born,

And curse the day of your nativity.

15 A man that is accustomed to words of reproach

Will not be corrected all the days of his life.

16 Two sortsof menmultiply sins,

And the third will bring wrath:

A hot mind, as a burning fire, will not be quenched till it be consumed:

A fornicator in the body of his flesh will never cease till he hasburned out the fire.

17 All bread is sweet to a fornicator:

He will not leave off till he die.

18 A man that goes astray from his own bed,

Saying in his heart, Who sees me?

Darkness is round about me, and the walls hide me,

And no man sees me; of whom am I afraid?

The Most High will not remember my sins;

19 —And the eyes of men are his terror,

And he knows not that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun,

Beholding all the ways of men,

And looking into secret places.

20 All things were known to him or ever they were created;

And in like manner also after they were perfected.

21 This man shall be punished in the streets of the city;

And where he suspected not he shall be taken.

22 So also a wife that leaves her husband,

And brings in an heir by a stranger.

23 For first, she was disobedient in the law of the Most High;

And secondly, she trespassed against her own husband;

And thirdly, she played the adulteress in whoredom,

And brought in children by a stranger.

24 She shall be brought out into the congregation;

And upon her children shall there be visitation.

25 Her children shall not spread into roots,

And her branches shall bear no fruit.

26 She shall leave her memory for a curse;

And her reproach shall not be blotted out.

27 And they that are left behind shall know that there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord,

And nothing sweeter than to take heed to the commandments of the Lord.

28

1 Wisdom shall praiseherself,

And shall glory in the midst of her people.

2 In the congregation of the Most High shall she open her mouth,

And glory in the presence of his power.

3 I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,

And covered the earth as a mist.

4 I lived in high places,

And my throne is in the pillar of the cloud.

5 Alone I compassed the circuit of heaven,

And walked in the depth of the abyss.

6 In the waves of the sea, and in all the earth,

And in every people and nation, I got a possession.

7 With all these I sought rest;

And in whose inheritance shall I lodge?

8 Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment;

And he that created me made my tabernacle to rest,

And said, Let your tabernacle be in Jacob,

And your inheritance in Israel.

9 He created me from the beginning before the world;

And to the end I shall not fail.

10 In the holy tabernacle I ministered before him;

And so was I established in Sion.

11 In the beloved city likewise he gave me rest;

And in Jerusalem was my authority.

12 And I took root in a people that was glorified,

Even in the portion of the Lord’s own inheritance.

13 I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus,

And as a cypress tree on the mountains of Hermon.

14 I was exalted like a palm tree on the sea shore,

And as rose plants in Jericho,

And as a fair olive tree in the plain;

And I was exalted as a plane tree.

15 As cinnamon and aspalathus, I have given a scent of perfumes;

And as choice myrrh, I spread abroad a pleasant odour;

Asgalbanum, and onyx, and stacte,

And as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle.

16 As the terebinth I stretched out my branches;

And my branches are branches of glory and grace.

17 As the vine I put forth grace;

And my flowers are the fruit of glory and riches.

18

19 Come to me, you⌃ that are desirous of me,

And be you⌃ filled with my produce.

20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey,

And mine inheritance than the honeycomb.

21 They that eat me shall yet be hungry;

And they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.

22 He that obeys me shall not be ashamed;

And they that work in me shall not do amiss.

23 All these things are the book of the covenant of the Most High God,

Eventhe law which Moses commanded us for a heritage to the assemblies of Jacob.

24

25 It is he that makes wisdom abundant, as Pishon,

And as Tigris in the days of newfruits;

26 That makes understanding full as Euphrates,

And as Jordan in the days of harvest;

27 That makes instruction to shine forth as the light,

As Gihon in the days of vintage.

28 The first man knew her not perfectly;

And in like manner the last has not traced her out.

29 For her thoughts are filled from the sea,

And her counsels from the great deep.

30 And I came out as astream from a river,

And as a conduit into a garden.

31 I said, I will water my garden,

And will water abundantly my garden bed;

And, behold, my stream became a river,

And my river became a sea.

32 I will yet bring instruction to light as the morning,

And will makethese things to shine forth afar off.

33 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy,

And leave it to generations of ages.

34 Behold that I have not laboured for myself only,

But for all them that diligently seek her.

1 In three things I was beautified,

And stood up beautiful before the Lord and men:

The concord of brethren, and friendship of neighbors,

And a woman and her husband that walk together in agreement.

2 But three sortsof menmy soul hates,

And I am greatly offended at their life:

A poor man that is haughty, and a rich man that is a liar,

Andan old man that is an adulterer lacking understanding.

3 Inyouryouth you have not gathered,

And how should you find in your old age?

4 How beautiful a thing is judgement for gray hairs,

And for elders to know counsel!

5 How beautiful is the wisdom of old men,

And thought and counsel to men that are in honor!

6 Much experience is the crown of old men;

And their glorying is the fear of the Lord.

7 There be nine things that I have thought of, and in mine heart counted happy;

And the tenth I will utter with my tongue:

A man that has joy of his children;

A man that lives and looks upon the fall of his enemies:

8 Happy is he that dwells with a wife of understanding;

And he that has not slipped with his tongue;

And he that has not served a man that is unworthy of him:

9 Happy is he that has found prudence;

And he that discourseth in the ears of them that listen.

10 How great is he that has found wisdom!

Yet is there none above him that fears the Lord.

11 The fear of the Lord passes all things:

He that holds it, to whom shall he be likened?

12

13 Give meany plague but the plague of the heart;

And any wickedness but the wickedness of a woman;

14 Any calamity, but a calamity from them that hate me;

And any vengeance, but the vengeance of enemies.

15 There is no head above the head of a serpent;

And there is no wrath above the wrath of an enemy.

16 I will rather dwell with a lion and a dragon,

Than keep house with a wicked woman.

17 The wickedness of a woman changes her look,

And darkens her countenance as a bear does.

18 Her husband shall sit at meat among his neighbors,

And when he hears it he sighs bitterly.

19 All malice is but little to the malice of a woman:

Let the portion of a sinner fall on her.

20 Asthe going up a sandy wayisto the feet of the aged,

So is a wife full of words to a quiet man.

21 Throw not yourself upon the beauty of a woman;

And desire not a woman for her beauty.

22 There is anger, and impudence, and great reproach,

If a woman maintain her husband.

23 A wicked woman is abasement of heart,

And sadness of countenance, and a wounded heart:

A woman that will not make her husband happy

Isashands that hang down, and palsied knees.

24 From a womanwasthe beginning of sin;

And because of her we all die.

25 Give not water an outlet;

Neither to a wicked woman freedom of speech.

26 If she go notas you would have her,

Cut her off from your flesh.

1 Happy is the husband of a good wife;

And the number of his days shall be twofold.

2 A brave woman rejoices her husband;

And he shall fulfil his years in peace.

3 A good wife is a good portion:

She shall be given in the portion of such as fear the Lord.

4 Whether a man be rich or poor,

A good heartmakesat all times a cheerful countenance.

5 Of three things my heart was afraid;

And concerning the fourthkind I made supplication:

The slander of a city, and the assembly of a multitude, and a false accusation:

All these are more grievous than death.

6 A grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous ofanotherwoman,

And the scourge of a tongue communicating to all.

7 A wicked woman isasa yoke of oxen shaken to and fro:

He that takes hold of her is as one that graspeth a scorpion.

8 A drunken womancausesgreat wrath;

And she will not cover her own shame.

9 The whoredom of a woman is in the lifting up of her eyes;

And it shall be known by her eyelids.

10 Keep strict watch on a headstrong daughter,

Lest she find liberty for herself, and use it.

11 Look well after an impudent eye;

And marvel not if it trespass against you.

12 She will open her mouth, as a thirsty traveller,

And drink of every water that is near:

At every post will she sit down,

And open her quiver againstanyarrow.

13 The grace of a wife will delight her husband;

And her knowledge will fatten his bones.

14 A silent woman is a gift of the Lord;

And there is nothing so much worth as a well-instructed soul.

15 A shamefast woman is grace upon grace;

And there is noprice worthy of a continent soul.

16 As the sun when it arises in the highest places of the Lord,

So is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering ofa man’s house.

17 As the lamp that shineth upon the holy candlestick,

So is the beauty of the face in ripe age.

18 As the golden pillars are upon a base of silver,

So are beautiful feet with the breasts of one that is stedfast.

19-27

28 For two things my heart is grieved;

And for the third anger comes upon me:

A man of war that suffers for poverty;

And men of understanding that are counted as refuse:

One that turns back from righteousness to sin;

The Lord shall prepare him for the sword.

29 A merchant shall hardly keep himself from wrong doing;

And a huckster shall not be acquitted of sin.