THE BOOK OF PROVERBS
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
30:19. The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man in youth.
30:20. Such also is the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.
30:21. By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear.
30:22. By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:
30:23. By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.
30:24. There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise.
30:25. The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:
30:26. The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:
30:27. The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands:
30:28. The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings' houses.
The stellio... A kind of house lizard marked with spots like stars, from whence it has its name.
30:19. There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:
30:30. A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:
30:31. A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.
30:32. There is that hath appeared a fool after he was lifted up on high: for if he had understood, he would have laid his hand upon his mouth.
30:33. And he that strongly squeezeth the paps to bring out milk, straineth out butter: and he that violently bloweth his nose, bringeth out blood: and he that provoketh wrath, bringeth forth strife.
Proverbs Chapter 31
An exhortation to chastity, temperance, and works of mercy; with the praise of a wise woman.
31:1. The words of king Lamuel. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him.
Lamuel... This name signifies God with him, and is supposed to have been one of the names of Solomon.
31:2. What, O my beloved, what, O the beloved of my womb, what, O the beloved of my vows?
31:3. Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.
31:4. Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth:
31:5. And lest they drink and forget judgments, and pervert the cause of the children of the poor.
31:6. Give strong drink to them that are sad; and wine to them that are grieved in mind:
31:7. Let them drink, and forget their want, and remember their sorrow no more.
31:8. Open thy mouth for the dumb, and for the causes of all the children that pass.
31:9. Open thy mouth, decree that which is just, and do justice to the needy and poor.
31:10. Who shall find a valiant woman? far, and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.
31:11. The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils.
31:12. She will render him good, and not evil all the days of her life.
31:13. She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.
31:14. She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.
31:15. And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.
31:16. She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
31:17. She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.
31:18. She hath tasted, and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night.
31:19. She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.
31:20. She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.
31:21. She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments.