The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

There is no riches above the riches of the health of the body: and there is no pleasure above the joy of the heart.

Better is death than a bitter life, and everlasting rest, than continual sickness.

Good things that are hidden in a mouth that is shut, are as messes of meat set about a grave.

What good shall an offering do to an idol? for it can neither eat, nor smell:

So is he that is persecuted by the Lord, bearing the reward of his iniquity:

He seeth with his eyes, and groaneth, as an eunuch embracing a virgin, and sighing.

Give not up thy soul to sadness, and afflict not thyself in thy own counsel.

The joyfulness of the heart, is the life of a man, and a never failing treasure of holiness: and the joy of a man is length of life.

Have pity on thy own soul, pleasing God, and contain thyself: gather up thy heart in his holiness: and drive away sadness far from thee.

For sadness hath killed many, and there is no profit in it.

Envy and anger shorten a man's days, and pensiveness will bring old age before the time.

A cheerful and good heart is always feasting: for his banquets are prepared with diligence.

Watching for riches consumeth the flesh, and the thought thereof driveth away sleep.

The thinking beforehand turneth away the understanding, and a grievous sickness maketh the soul sober.

The rich man hath laboured in gathering riches together, and when he resteth he shall be filled with his goods.

The poor man hath laboured in his low way of life, and in the end he is still poor.

He that loveth gold, shall not be justified: and he that followeth after corruption, shall be filled with it.

Many have been brought to fall for gold, and the beauty thereof hath been their ruin.

Gold is a stumblingblock to them that sacrifice to it: woe to them that eagerly follow after it, and every fool shall perish by it.

Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish: and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures.

Who is he, and we will praise him? for he hath done wonderful things in his life.

Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting. He that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed: and could do evil things, and hath not done them:

Therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the church of the saints shall declare his alms.

Art thou set at a great table? be not the first to open thy mouth upon it.

Say not: There are many things which are upon it.

Remember that a wicked eye is evil.

What is created more wicked than an eye? therefore shall it weep over all the face when it shall see.

Stretch not out thy hand first, lest being disgraced with envy thou be put to confusion.

Be not hasty in a feast.

Judge of the disposition of thy neighbour by thyself.

Use as a frugal man the things that are set before thee: lest if thou eatest much, thou be hated.

Leave off first, for manners' sake: and exceed not, lest thou offend.

And if thou sittest among many, reach not thy hand out first of all, and be not the first to ask for drink.

How sufficient is a little wine for a man well taught, and in sleeping thou shalt not be uneasy with it, and thou shalt feel no pain.

Watching, and choler, and gripes, are with an intemperate man:

Sound and wholesome sleep with a moderate man: he shall sleep till morning, and his soul shall be delighted with him.

And if thou hast been forced to eat much, arise, go out, and vomit: and it shall refresh thee, and thou shalt not bring sickness upon thy body.

Hear me, my son, and despise me not: and in the end thou shalt find my words.

In all thy works be quick, and no infirmity shall come to thee.

The lips of many shall bless him that is liberal of his bread, and the testimony of his truth is faithful.

Against him that is niggardly of his bread, the city will murmur, and the testimony of his niggardliness is true.

Challenge not them that love wine: for wine hath destroyed very many.

Fire trieth hard iron: so wine drunk to excess shall rebuke the hearts of the proud.

Wine taken with sobriety is equal life to men: if thou drink it moderately, thou shalt be sober.

What is his life, who is diminished with wine?

What taketh away life? death.

Wine was created from the beginning to make men joyful, and not to make them drunk.

Wine drunken with moderation is the joy of the soul and the heart.

Sober drinking is health to soul and body.

Wine drunken with excess raiseth quarrels, and wrath, and many ruins.

Wine drunken with excess is bitterness of the soul.

The heat of drunkenness is the stumblingblock of the fool, lessening strength and causing wounds.

Rebuke not thy neighbour in a banquet of wine: and despise him not in his mirth.

Speak not to him words of reproach: and press him not in demanding again.

Have they made thee ruler? be not lifted up: be among them as one of them.

Have care of them, and so sit down, and when thou hast acquitted thyself of all thy charge, take thy place:

That thou mayst rejoice for them, and receive a crown as an ornament of grace, and get the honour of the contribution.

Speak, thou that art elder: for it becometh thee,

To speak the first word with careful knowledge, and hinder not music.

Where there is no hearing, pour not out words, and be not lifted up out of season with thy wisdom.

A concert of music in a banquet of wine is as a carbuncle set in gold.

As a signet of an emerald in a work of gold: so is the melody of music with pleasant and moderate wine.

Hear in silence, and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.

Young man, scarcely speak in thy own cause.

If thou be asked twice, let thy answer be short.

In many things be as if thou wert ignorant, and hear in silence and withal seeking.

In the company of great men take not upon thee: and when the ancients are present, speak not much.

Before a storm goeth lightning: and before shamefacedness goeth favour: and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.

And at the time of rising be not slack: but be first to run home to thy house, and there withdraw thyself, and there take thy pastime.

And do what thou hast a mind, but not in sin or proud speech.

And for all these things bless the Lord, that made thee, and that replenisheth thee with all his good things.

He that feareth the Lord, will receive his discipline: and they that will seek him early, shall find a blessing.

He that seeketh the law, shall be filled with it: and he that dealeth deceitfully, shall meet with a stumblingblock therein.

They that fear the Lord, shall find just judgment, and shall kindle justice as a light.

A sinful man will flee reproof, and will find an excuse according to his will.

A man of counsel will not neglect understanding, a strange and proud man will not dread fear:

Even after he hath done with fear without counsel, he shall be controlled by the things of his own seeking.

My son, do thou nothing without counsel, and thou shalt not repent when thou hast done.

Go not in the way of ruin, and thou shalt not stumble against the stones: trust not thyself to a rugged way, lest thou set a stumblingblock to thy soul.

And beware of thy own children, and take heed of them of thy household.

In every work of thine regard thy soul in faith: for this is the keeping of the commandments.

He that believeth God, taketh heed to the commandments: and he that trusteth in him, shall fare never the worse.

No evils shall happen to him that feareth the Lord, but in temptation God will keep him and deliver him from evils.

A wise man hateth not the commandments and justices, and he shall not be dashed in pieces as a ship in a storm.

A man of understanding is faithful to the law of God, and the law is faithful to him.

He that cleareth up a question, shall prepare what to say, and so having prayed he shall be heard, and shall keep discipline, and then he shall answer.

The heart of a fool is as a wheel of a cart: and his thoughts are like a rolling axletree.

A friend that is a mocker, is like a stallion horse: he neigheth under every one that sitteth upon him.

Why doth one day excel another, and one light another, and one year another year, when all come of the sun?

By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished, the sun being made, and keeping his commandment.

And he ordered the seasons, and holidays of them, and in them they celebrated festivals at an hour.

Some of them God made high and great days, and some of them he put in the number of ordinary days. And all men are from the ground, and out of the earth, from whence Adam was created.

With much knowledge the Lord hath divided them and diversified their ways.

Some of them hath he blessed, and exalted: and some of them hath he sanctified, and set near himself: and some of them hath he cursed and brought low, and turned them from their station.

As the potter's clay is in his hand, to fashion and order it:

All his ways are according to his ordering: so man is in the hand of him that made him, and he will render to him according to his judgment.

Good is set against evil, and life against death: so also is the sinner against a just man. And so look upon all the works of the most High. Two and two, and one against another.

And I awaked last of all, and as one that gathereth after the grapegatherers.

In the blessing of God I also have hoped: and as one that gathereth grapes, have I filled the winepress.

See that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all that seek discipline.