Psalm

This Psalm is a genuine one of David, though supernumerary, composed when he fought in single combat with ¹Goliad.

¹ I was small among my brethren, and youngest in my father's house: I tended my father's sheep. ² My hands formed a musical instrument, and my fingers tuned a psaltery. ³ And who shall tell my Lord? the Lord himself, he himself hears. ⁵ He sent forth his angel, and took me from my father's sheep, and he anointed me with the oil of his anointing. ⁵ My brothers were handsome and tall; but the Lord did not take pleasure in them. ⁶ I went forth to meet the Philistine; and he cursed me by his idols. ⁷ But I drew his own sword, and beheaded him, and removed reproach from the children of Israel.

788

Proverbs

Chapter 1

¹ The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel; ² to know wisdom and instruction, and to perceive words of understanding; ³ to receive also ²hard saying, and to understand true justice, and how to direct judgement; ⁴ that he might give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man ³discernment and understanding. ⁵ For by the hearing of these a wise man will be wiser, and man of understanding will gain direction; ⁶ and will understand a parable, and a dark speech; the saying of the wise also, and riddles.

⁷ The fear of the Lord is the ⁴beginning of wisdom; and there is good understanding to all that practise it: and piety toward God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nought wisdom and instruction. ⁸ Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and reject not the rules of thy mother. ⁹ For thou shalt receive for thine head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round thy neck.

¹⁰ My son, let not ungodly men lead thee astray, neither consent thou to them. ¹¹ If they should exhort thee, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth: ¹² and let us swallow him alive, as Hades would, and remove the memorial of him from the earth: ¹³ let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils: ¹⁴ but do thou cast in thy lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch: ¹⁵ go not in the way with them, but turn aside thy foot from their paths: ⁵¹⁷ for nets are not without cause spread for birds. ¹⁸ For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil. ¹⁹ These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.

²⁰ Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly. ²¹ And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says, ²² So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs. ²³ Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.

789

²⁴ Since I called, and ye did not hearken; and I spoke at length, and ye gave no heed; ²⁵ but ye set at nought my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs; ²⁶ therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against you when ruin comes upon you: ²⁷ yea when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and your overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you. ²⁸ For it shall be that when ye call upon me, I will not hearken to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find me. ²⁹ For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord: ³⁰ neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs. ³¹ Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness. ³² For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly. ³³ But he that hearkens to me shall dwell in ⁶confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.