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inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

8. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the feast and go to seek mixed wine. Look not upon the wine when it giveth its color in the cup and moveth itself aright, for at the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. Be not among winebibbers, nor among excessive eaters; for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe such men with rags.

SELECTION XVII.

THE righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way, but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his own spirit than he that taketh a city. Say not: I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his deserts!

2. I went by the field of the slothful and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding, and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns; nettles had covered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw and considered it well, I looked upon it and received instruction; a little more sleep, a little |

more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to sleep! so shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth and thy want as an armed man. The slothful man saith: There is a lion in the way, a lion is in the streets! he hideth his hand in his bosom, and it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

3. He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls. A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. Where no wood is, the fire goeth out, so where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

4. If thine enemy be hungry give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty give him water to drink. Open rebuke is better than secret love; faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. The full soul loatheth an honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

5. Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. It is the glory of the Holy One to conceal a thing that the wisdom of noble men may search it out. A just man falleth seven times and riseth up again, but the wicked continue in their errors.

6. Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; for there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out; their calamity shall rise suddenly; who knoweth the end of them! He that saith unto the wicked: Thou art righteous! him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him; but to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

7. He that by unjust gain increaseth his substance shall leave it to them that will pity the poor. He that turneth away his deeds from righteousness, even his prayer shall be an abomination unto the Holy One. Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way shall fall himself into his own pit.

8. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh forsaketh them shall them shall have mercy. Happy is the man that revereth alway; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

SELECTION XVIII.

WHO can find a virtuous woman! her price is far above rubies; the heart of her household doth safely trust in her so that they have no need of spoil; she will do them good, and not evil, all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands; like the merchants' ships, she bringeth food from afar. She riseth while it is yet night to give meat to her

household. She considereth a field and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her fingers hold the distaff.

2. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household; all her household are clothed with scarlet; she maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Children arise up and call her blessed; her neighbors also praise her.

3. Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman that reverences the Holy One shall be exalted. Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates.

SELECTION XIX.

I SAID in mine heart: Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, I will enjoy pleasure! And, behold, this also proved to be vanity. I found laughter to be madness and mirth to be folly. Then I sought in mine

heart to give myself unto pleasure while yet acquainting my mind with knowledge; and so to lay hold on folly, till I might see what is good for the sons of men and what they ought to do under the heaven all the days of their life.

2. So I made me great works, I builded me houses, I planted me vineyards, I made me gardens and orchards for all kinds of fruits, I made me pools to water therewith the trees; I also got me servants and maidens, I had great possessions of all kinds of cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me; I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got me men singers and women singers, and all the delights of the sons of men such as musical instruments of all sorts. Thus I became great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem; also knowledge increased with me. Whatsoever

mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for I rejoiced in all my labor as though this were my portion.

good in His sight, Wisdom and its joy; but to the sinner He giveth travail to gather and to heap up that which in the end shall be possessed by those who are upright before Him.

4. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away; a time to rend and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time of war and a time of peace.

5. I have seen the travail which the Holy One hath given to the sons of men for their discipline; how He hath made every thing beautiful and hath set the world before them so that man may find out the work that He maketh from the beginning to the end. I know that whatsoever He doeth shall be for ever; nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it; and He doeth it that men should reverence Him.

3. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and vex- 6. That which hath been is now, ation of spirit! there was no profit and that which is to be hath already under the sun. Therefore I turned been; for the Holy One restoreth myself to seek Wisdom; and I found that which is past. Moreover I saw Wisdom excelleth folly as far as under the sun the place of judgment light excelleth darkness. For the that wickedness was there, and the Holy One giveth to man as his chief | place of righteousness that happi

ness was there; and I said in mine heart: the Holy One shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is an appointed time for every purpose and for every work.

SELECTION XX.

CAST thy seed into the furrows, and thou shalt find it after many days. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike fruitful. Dost thou, in thy youth seek pleasure and cheer thy heart to follow in the ways of thy desires, and in the lust of thine eyes! know thou, that for all these things the Holy One will bring thee into judgment. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that revere the Holy One; but it shall not be well with the wicked who revereth not the Holy One.

2. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say: I have no pleasure in them! while the sun, or the moon, or the stars be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain; in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves; when the grinders cease because they are few and those that look out of the windows be darkened; when the doors are shut in the streets, and

the sound of the grinding is low; when men rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music are brought low; when the almond tree shall flourish and the grasshopper shall be a burden; when desire shall fail because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets; or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern;-for then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto the Holy One who gave it.

3. Let us hear the conclusion of

the whole matter: Revere the Holy One, and keep His commandments; this is the whole duty of man. For He shall bring every work into judg ment with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

SELECTION XXI.

HEAR, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Holy One hath spoken! I have nourished and brought up children who have rebelled against Me. The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib; My children do not know, My people do not consider. They are corrupters; they have forsaken Me; they have provoked Me unto anger; they are gone away backward. To what purpose is the multitude of your rituals unto Me! saith the Holy One; I delight not in your ceremonies; Who hath required such offerings at your hand!

2. Bring to Me no more vain oblations, they are an abomination unto me; your sabbaths and sacred assemblies I cannot endure; even your solemn meetings are an iniquity; your appointed feasts My soul hateth; they are a trouble unto Me; I am weary to bear them! When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear! for your hands are full of iniquity.

3. Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings; cease to do evil and learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now and let us reason together, saith the Holy One! your sins are as scarlet; ye should be white as

snow.

4. It shall come to pass in the last days, that the sanctuary of the Holy One shall be established in the top of the mountains and all nations shall flow unto it. Many people shall say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Holy One and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths; and He will judge among the nations and will instruct many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall no more lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

5. The people that walk in darkness shall see a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow

of death, upon them a light shall shine. For unto us a child shall be born, unto us a son given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders; he shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty One, Enduring Father, Prince of Peace; of the increase of his government of peace there shall be no end to establish judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever. The faithfulness of the Holy One will perform this.

6. He shall come forth as a branch out of a tree, as a branch shall he grow out of the roots; and the spirit of the Holy One shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of reverence; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his ears, but with righteousness shall he judge and reprove with equity; righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

7. And then the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them; the cow with the bear shall feed and their young ones shall lie down together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all the Holy Mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Holy One, as the waters cover the sea.

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