CAPI. III.
[ A] O My sonne, forget not my lawe: but se that thyne hert kepe my commaunde∣mentes.
For they shal prolonge the dayes and yeres of thy lyfe, and bring the peax.
Let mercy and faythfulnesse neuer go from the: bynde them about thy necke, and wryte them in the tables of thyne herte.
So shalte thou fynde fauoure and good vnderstandynge in the syghte of God and men.
Put thy truste in the Lorde with all thyne herte: and leane not vnto thyne owne vnder∣standynge.
In al thy wayes haue respect vnto him, and he shall ordre thy goinges.
* 1.1Be not wyse in thyne owne conceyte, but [ B] feare the Lorde, and departe frome euyll: so shall thy nauell be hole, and thy bones stronge.
Honoure the Lorde with thy substaunce, and with the fyrstlinges of all thyne encrease:* 1.2 so shall thy barnes be fylled with plenteous∣nesse, and thy presses shall flowe ouer with swete wyne.
My sonne despyse not the chastening of the Lorde, neither faynt when thou art rebuked of him.
* 1.3For whom the Lorde loueth, him he cha∣steneth: and yet deliteth in him euen as a fa∣ther in his owne sonne.
Well is hym that fyndeth wysdome, and opteyneth vnderstandynge,* 1.4 for the get∣tynge of it, is better then anye marchaundise of syluer, and the profyee of it is better then golde.
Wysdome is more worth then precious sto∣nes: and al the thinges that thou canst desyre [ C] are not to be compared vnto her.
Vpon her ryghte hande is longe lyfe: and vpon her lefte hande is rychesse and ho∣noure.
Her wayes are pleasaunt wayes, and al her pathes are peaceable.
She is a tree of lyfe to them that laye holde vpon her, and blessed are they that kepe her fast.
With wysdome hathe the Lorde layde the foundacyon of the earthe: and thorowe vnderstandynge he hathe establysshed the he∣uens.
Thorowe his wysdome, the deapthes breake vp: and the cloudes drop downe of dewe.
My sonne, let not these thinges depar•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thyne eyes, but kepe my law and my 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so shall it be lyfe vnto thy soule, and gra•••• to thy mouth.
Then shalt thou walke safely in thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and thy fote shall not stomble.
Yf thou slepest, thou shalte not be afra•••• but shalt take thy rest, and slepe swetely.
Thou nedest not to be afrayde of any•• so∣dayne feare: neyther for the vyolente ••••s∣shynge in of the vngodlye, when it com∣meth.
For the Lorde shal besiege the, and kepe thy fote that thou be not taken.
Refuse not to do good vnto him that Gold haue it: so longe as thyne hande is hab••e to doo it.
Saye not vnto thy neyghboure: goo thy waye, and come agayne, to morowe wyll I gyue the: where as thou haste nowe to gyue him.
Intende no hurt vnto thy neyghbour, seing he hopeth to dwell in rest by the.
Striue not lightly with any man, where as he hath done the no harme.
Folowe not a wycked man, and chose none of his wayes: for the Lord abhor••••th the ••ro∣warde, but his secrete is amonge the rygh∣tous.
The curse of the Lord is in the house of the vngodly: but he blesseth the dwellynges of the ryghtous.
As for the scornefull, he shall laughe them to scorne: but he shall gyue g••ace vnto the lowly.
The wyse shall haue honour in possession: but shame is the promocion that fooles shall haue.