Here end the prayers of David, the son of Jesse.

The earth is weak, and all that is therein; but I bear up her pillars. Selah.

She stretched out her branches unto the sea, and her boughs unto the river.

Why hast thou then broken down her hedge, that all they which go by, pluck off her grapes?

For the sparrow hath found her a house, and the swallow a nest, where she may lay her young; even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.

Yea, the LORD shall show loving-kindness, and our land shall give her increase.

{A Psalm and song of the sons of Korah} Her foundations are upon the holy hills;

And of Zion it shall be reported, that he was born in her; and the most high shall establish her.

Arise, therefore, and have mercy upon Zion, for it is time to have mercy upon her; yea, the time is come.

And why? Thy servants think upon her stones, and it pitieth them to see her in the dust.

Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hands of her mistress, even so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until he have mercy upon us.

For the LORD hath chosen Zion, to be a habitation for himself; he hath longed for her.

"This shall be my rest; here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.

I will bless her victuals with increase, and will satisfy her poor with bread.

I will deck her priests with health, and her saints shall rejoice and sing.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my righthand forget her cunning.

Wisdom crieth without and putteth forth her voice in the streets.

She calleth before the congregation in the open gates, and showeth her words through the city, saying,

If thou seekest after her as after money, and diggest for her as for treasures;

That thou mayest be delivered also from the strange woman, and from her that is not thine own: which giveth sweet words,

forsaketh the husband of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

For her house is inclined unto death, and her paths into hell.

All they that go in unto her, come not again, neither take they hold of the way of life.

Wisdom is more worth than precious stones, and all the things that thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Upon her righthand is long life, and upon her left hand is riches and honour.

Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peaceable.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and blessed are they that keep her fast.

Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

Make much of her and she shall promote thee: Yea, if thou embracest her, she shall bring thee unto honour.

Take fast hold of doctrine, let her not go: keep her, for she is thy life.

For the lips of a harlot are a dropping honeycomb, and her throat is softer than oil.

Her feet go down unto death, and her steps pierce through unto hell.

She regardeth not the path of life, so unsteadfast are her ways, that thou canst not know them.

Keep thy way far from her, and come not nigh the doors of her house:

Let her be as the loving hind, and pleasant roe: let her breasts alway satisfy thee, and hold thee ever content with her love.

Go to the Emmet, thou sluggard: consider her ways, and learn to be wise.

yet in the summer she provideth her meat, and gathereth her food together in the harvest.

that thou lust not after her beauty in thine heart, and lest thou be taken with her fair looks.

Even so, whosoever goeth in to his neighbour's wife, and toucheth her, can not be unguilty.

And behold, there met him a woman with open tokens of a harlot. Only her heart was hid.

Thus with many sweet words she overcame him, and with her flattering lips she enticed him

suddenly to follow her - as it were an ox to the slaughter, and like as it were a fool that laugheth when he goeth to the stocks to be punished -

so long till she hath wounded his liver with her dart: like as if a bird hasted to the snare, not knowing that the peril of his life lieth thereupon.

Let not thine heart wander in her ways, and be thou not deceived in her paths.

Her houses are the way to hell, where men go down into the chambers of death.

Doth not wisdom cry? Doth not understanding put forth her voice?

She hath killed her victuals, poured out her wine, and prepared her table.

She hath sent forth her maidens to cry upon the highest place of the city:

sitteth in the doors of her house upon a stool above in the city,

But they consider not that death is there, and that her guests go down to hell.

A steadfast woman is a crown unto her husband; but she that behaveth herself dishonestly is a corruption in his bones.

A wise woman upholdeth her house; but a foolish wife plucketh it down.

The hell with her pain is known to the LORD; how much more then the hearts of men?

A troublous soul disquieteth herself; for her own mouth hath brought her thereto.

It were better to come against a she Bear robbed of her whelps, than against a fool in his foolishness.

O give ear unto good counsel, and be content to be reformed; that thou mayest be wise here after.

She lurketh like a thief, and those that be not aware, she bringeth unto her.

Like as the bird, and the swallow take their flight and flee here and there; so the curse that is given in vain, shall not light upon a man.

He that oft times flitteth, is like a bird that forsaketh her nest.

He that refraineth her, refraineth the wind, and holdeth oil fast in his hand.

Because of sin the land doth oft change her prince; but through men of understanding and wisdom a realm endureth long.

Such is the way also of a wife that breaketh wedlock, which wipeth her mouth like as when she hath eaten, and sayeth, "As for me, I have done no harm."

through an idle housewife, and through a handmaiden that is heir to her mistress.

The spider laboureth with her hands, and that in the kings' palace.

The heart of her husband may safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoils.

She rendereth him good and not evil all the days of her life.

She occupieth wool and flax, and laboureth gladly with her hands.

She is like the merchants' ship, that bringeth her victuals from afar.

She riseth ere day and giveth meat to her household, and food to her maidens.

She considereth land, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

She girdeth her loins with strength, and courageth her arms.

And if she perceiveth that her housewifery doth good, her candle goeth not out by night.

She layeth her fingers to the spindle, and her hand taketh hold of the rock.

She openeth her hand to the poor, yea she stretcheth forth her hands to such as have need

She feareth not that the cold of winter shall hurt her house, for all her household folks are double clothed.

She maketh herself fair ornaments; her clothing is white silk and purple.

Her husband is much set by in the gates, when he sitteth among the rulers of the land.

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

She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of grace.

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not her bread with idleness.

Her children arise, and call her blessed: and her husband maketh much of her.

Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Moreover, he seeth not the Sun, and knoweth of no rest neither here nor there:

yea, and so deep that I might not reach unto her.

And I found, that a woman is bitterer than death: for she is a very angle, her heart is a net, and her hands are chains. Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner will be taken with her.

Wish the king no evil in thy thought, and speak no hurt of the rich in thy privy chamber; for a bird of the air shall betray thy voice, and with her feathers shall she betray thy words.

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes and hinds of the field, that ye wake not up my love nor touch her, till she be content herself.

The fig tree hath brought forth her figs, and the vine blossoms give a savour.

So when I was a little past them, I found him whom my soul loveth. I have gotten hold upon him, and will not let him go, until I bring him into my mother's house, and in to her chamber that bare me.

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes, and Hinds of the field, that ye wake not up my love nor touch her, till she be content herself.

But one is my dove, my darling. She is the only beloved of her mother, and dear unto her that bare her. When the daughters saw her, they said, she was blessed: Yea the Queens and concubines praised her.

I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, that ye wake not up my love, nor touch her, till she be content herself. What is she, this that cometh up from the wilderness, and leaneth upon her love?

O set me as a seal upon thine heart, and as a seal upon thine arm: for love is mighty as the death, and jealousy as the hell. Her coals are of fire, and a very flame of the LORD:

If she be a wall, we shall build a silver bulwark thereupon: if she be an open door, we shall fasten her with boards of Cedar tree.

But Zion shall be redeemed with equity, and they shall turn again unto her in righteousness.

Therefore gapeth hell, and openeth her mouth marvelous wide: that their pride, boasting, and wealth, with such as rejoice therein, may descend into it.

After this I heard the voice of the LORD, taking advisement on this manner, "Whom shall I send, and who will be our messenger?" Then I said, "Here am I, send me."

For before the child come to knowledge, to eschew the evil and chose the good, the land that thou so abhorest shall be desolate of both her kings.

My hand hath found out the Hosts of the people, as it were a nest. And like as eggs, that were laid here and there, are gathered together: So do I gather all countries. And there is no man, that dare be so bold as to touch a feather, that dare open his mouth, or once whisper."

Moreover, I will so shake the heaven, that the earth shall remove out of her place. Thus shall it go with Babylon in the wrath of the LORD of Hosts in the day of his fearful indignation.