The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

Seest thou a man hastie in his matters? there is more hope of a foole, then of him.

He that delicately bringeth vp his seruant from youth, at length he will be euen as his sone.

An angrie man stirreth vp strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

The pride of a man shall bring him lowe: but the humble in spirit shall enioy glory.

He that is partner with a thiefe, hateth his owne soule: he heareth cursing, and declareth it not.

The feare of man bringeth a snare: but he that trusteth in the Lord, shalbe exalted.

Many doe seeke the face of the ruler: but euery mans iudgement commeth from the Lord.

A wicked man is abomination to the iust, and he that is vpright in his way, is abomination to the wicked.

THE WORDS OF AGUR THE SONNE OF JAKEH. The prophecie which ye man spake vnto Ithiel, euen to Ithiel, and Vcal.

Surely I am more foolish then any man, and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me.

For I haue not learned wisedome, nor atteined to the knowledge of holy things.

Who hath ascended vp to heauen, and descended? Who hath gathered the winde in his fist? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the endes of the world? What is his name, and what is his sonnes name, if thou canst tell?

Euery worde of God is pure: he is a shield to those, that trust in him.

Put nothing vnto his wordes, least he reproue thee, and thou be found a lyar.

Two things haue I required of thee: denie me them not before I die.

Remooue farre from me vanitie and lyes: giue me not pouertie, nor riches: feede me with foode conuenient for me,

Least I be full, and denie thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or least I be poore and steale, and take the Name of my God in vaine.

Accuse not a seruant vnto his master, lest he curse thee, when thou hast offended.

There is a generation that curseth their father, and doeth not blesse their mother.

There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceite, and yet are not washed from their filthinesse.

There is a generation, whose eies are hautie, and their eye liddes are lifted vp.

There is a generation, whose teeth are as swordes, and their chawes as kniues to eate vp the afflicted out of the earth, and the poore from among men.

The horse leache hath two daughters which crye, Giue, giue. There be three things that will not be satisfied: yea, foure that say not, It is ynough.

The graue, and the barren wombe, the earth that cannot be satisfied with water, and the fire that sayeth not, It is ynough.

The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother, let ye rauens of the valley picke it out, and the yong eagles eate it.

There be three thinges hid from me: yea, foure that I knowe not,

The way of an eagle in the aire, the way of a serpent vpon a stone, ye way of a ship in ye middes of the sea, and the way of a man with a maide.

Such is ye way also of an adulterous woman: she eateth and wipeth her mouth, and sayth, I haue not committed iniquitie.

For three things the earth is moued: yea, for foure it cannot susteine it selfe:

For a seruant when he reigneth, and a foole when he is filled with meate,

For the hatefull woman, when she is married, and for a handmaid that is heire to her mistres.

These be foure small things in the earth, yet they are wise and full of wisedome:

The pismires a people not strong, yet prepare they their meate in sommer:

The conies a people not mightie, yet make their houses in the rocke:

The grashopper hath no King, yet goe they forth all by bandes:

The spider taketh holde with her handes, and is in Kings palaces.

There be three thinges that order well their going: yea, foure are comely in going,

A lyon which is strong among beastes, and turneth not at the sight of any:

A lusty grayhound, and a goate, and a King against whom there is no rising vp.

If thou hast bene foolish in lifting thy selfe vp, and if thou hast thought wickedly, lay thine hand vpon thy mouth.

When one churneth milke, he bringeth foorth butter: and he that wringeth his nose, causeth blood to come out: so he that forceth wrath, bringeth foorth strife.

THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL: The prophecie which his mother taught him.

What my sonne! and what ye sonne of my wombe! and what, O sonne of my desires!

Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy Kings.

It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for princes strog drinke,

Lest he drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction.

Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish, and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart.

Let him drinke, that he may forget his pouertie, and remember his miserie no more.

Open thy mouth for the domme in the cause of all the children of destruction.

Open thy mouth: iudge righteously, and iudge the afflicted, and the poore.

Who shall finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue the pearles.

The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall haue no neede of spoyle.

She will doe him good, and not euill all the dayes of her life.

She seeketh wooll and flaxe, and laboureth cheerefully with her handes.

She is like the shippes of marchants: shee bringeth her foode from afarre.

And she riseth, whiles it is yet night: and giueth the portion to her houshold, and the ordinarie to her maides.

She considereth a field, and getteth it: and with the fruite of her handes she planteth a vineyarde.

She girdeth her loynes with strength, and strengtheneth her armes.

She feeleth that her marchandise is good: her candle is not put out by night.

She putteth her handes to the wherue, and her handes handle the spindle.

She stretcheth out her hand to the poore, and putteth foorth her hands to the needie.

She feareth not the snowe for her familie: for all her familie is clothed with skarlet.

She maketh her selfe carpets: fine linen and purple is her garment.

Her husband is knowen in the gates, when he sitteth with the Elders of the land.

She maketh sheetes, and selleth them, and giueth girdels vnto the marchant.

Strength and honour is her clothing, and in the latter day she shall reioyce.

She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and the lawe of grace is in her tongue.

She ouerseeth the wayes of her housholde, and eateth not the bread of ydlenes.

Her children rise vp, and call her blessed: her husband also shall prayse her, saying,

Many daughters haue done vertuously: but thou surmountest them all.

Fauour is deceitfull, and beautie is vanitie: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praysed.

Giue her of the fruite of her hands, and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates.

The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.

Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.

What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?

One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.

The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.

The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.

All the riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: for the riuers goe vnto ye place, whence they returne, and goe.

All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.

What is it that hath bene? that that shalbe: and what is it that hath bene done? that which shalbe done: and there is no newe thing vnder the sunne.

Is there any thing, whereof one may say, Beholde this, it is newe? it hath bene already in the olde time that was before vs.

There is no memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall come after.

I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:

And I haue giuen mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, to humble them thereby)

I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.

That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.

I thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am become great, and excell in wisdome all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.

And I gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirit.

For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.

I said in mine heart, Goe to nowe, I will proue thee with ioy: therefore take thou pleasure in pleasant things: and beholde, this also is vanitie.

I saide of laughter, Thou art mad: and of ioy, What is this that thou doest?

I sought in mine heart to giue my selfe to wine, and to leade mine heart in wisdome, and to take holde of follie, till I might see where is that goodnesse of the children of men, which they enioy vnder the sunne: the whole nomber of the dayes of their life.

I haue made my great workes: I haue built me houses: I haue planted me vineyards.

I haue made me gardens and orchards, and planted in them trees of all fruite.

I haue made me cisternes of water, to water therewith the woods that growe with trees.

I haue gotten seruants and maides, and had children borne in the house: also I had great possession of beeues and sheepe aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem.

I haue gathered vnto me also siluer and gold, and the chiefe treasures of Kings and prouinces: I haue prouided me men singers and women singers, and the delites of the sonnes of men, as a woman taken captiue, and women taken captiues.

And I was great, and increased aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem: also my wisedome remained with me.

And whatsoeuer mine eyes desired, I withheld it not from them: I withdrew not mine heart from any ioy: for mine heart reioyced in al my labour: and this was my portion of all my trauaile.