And if I say, Surely darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night;

And see if there be any grievous way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.

The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the way-side; they have set traps for me. Selah.

Let burning coals fall on them; let them be cast into the fire; into deep waters, that they rise not up again.

Let not the man of evil tongue be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the man of violence to his ruin.

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening oblation.

And enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight no man living shall be justified.

Answer me speedily, O Jehovah; my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, or I shall be like unto them that go down into the pit.

{A Psalm of David.} Blessed be Jehovah my rock, who teacheth my hands to war, my fingers to fight;

Jehovah, bow thy heavens, and come down; touch the mountains, that they smoke;

That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; our daughters as corner-columns, sculptured after the fashion of a palace:

Great is Jehovah, and exceedingly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; let the sons of Zion be joyful in their King.

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand:

for they shall be a garland of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their way, and be filled with their own devices.

But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be at rest from fear of evil.

but the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful shall be plucked up out of it.

Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:

it shall be health for thy navel, and moisture for thy bones.

so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine.

My son, despise not the instruction of Jehovah, neither be weary of his chastisement;

Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens.

By his knowledge the deeps were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace unto thy neck.

when thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, but thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the destruction of the wicked, when it cometh;

for Jehovah shall be thy confidence, and he will keep thy foot from being taken.

Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.

Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

The wise shall inherit glory; but shame shall be the promotion of the foolish.

Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be multiplied.

When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass away.

But the path of the righteous is as the shining light, going on and brightening until the day be fully come.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be well-ordered.

lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and the fruits of thy toil come into the house of a stranger;

Thy fountains shall be poured forth, as water-brooks in the broadways.

Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.

Let thy fountain be blessed; and have joy of the wife of thy youth.

As a lovely hind and a graceful roe, let her breasts satisfy thee at all times: be thou ravished continually with her love.

And why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

His own iniquities shall take the wicked, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.

Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, since thou hast come into the hand of thy friend: go, humble thyself, and be urgent with thy friend.

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise:

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly: in a moment shall he be broken, and without remedy.

for by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a loaf of bread, and another's wife doth hunt for the precious soul.

Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his garments not be burned?

Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?

So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife: whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

and if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

A wound and contempt shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

for she hath cast down many wounded, and all slain by her were strong.

On the top of high places by the way, at the cross-paths she taketh her stand.

Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not equal to it.

By me kings reign, and rulers make just decrees;

by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.

then I was by him his nursling, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.

For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and years of life shall be added to thee.

If thou art wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; and if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

to call passers-by who go right on their ways:

The memory of the righteous man shall be blessed; but the name of the wicked shall rot.

He that walketh in integrity walketh securely; but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

The fear of a wicked man, it shall come upon him; but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

The fear of Jehovah prolongeth days; but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

The righteous man shall never be moved; but the wicked shall not inhabit the land.

The mouth of a righteous man putteth forth wisdom; but the froward tongue shall be cut out.

The righteousness of the perfect maketh plain his way; but the wicked falleth by his own wickedness.

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted; but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

Hand for hand! an evil man shall not be held innocent; but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

He that withholdeth corn, the people curse him; but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

He that troubleth his own house shall inherit wind; and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

Behold, the righteous shall be requited on the earth: how much more the wicked and the sinner.

A man shall not be established by wickedness; but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

A man is commended according to his wisdom; but he that is of a perverted heart shall be despised.

He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread; but he that followeth the worthless is void of understanding.

A man is satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth; and the recompense of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.

The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

There shall no evil happen to a righteous man; but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule; but the slothful hand shall be under tribute.

A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth; but the soul of the treacherous, violence.

He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his soul; destruction shall be to him that openeth wide his lips.

A sluggard's soul desireth and hath nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

The light of the righteous rejoiceth; but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

By pride there only cometh contention; but with the well-advised is wisdom.

Wealth gotten by vanity diminisheth; but he that gathereth by manual-labour shall increase it.

Whoso despiseth the word shall be held by it; but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction; but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

He that walketh with wise men becometh wise; but a companion of the foolish will be depraved.

Evil pursueth sinners; but to the righteous good shall be repaid.

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

The house of the wicked shall be overthrown; but the tent of the upright shall flourish.

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways, and the good man from what is in himself.

The evil bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous man.

The wicked is driven away by his evil-doing; but the righteous trusteth, even in his death.

A joyful heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.

A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth; and a word in its season, how good is it!