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Say not, What profit is there of my service? and what good things shall I have hereafter?

Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil can come to me hereafter?

Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.

Many such things have I seen with mine eyes, and mine ear hath heard greater things than these.

Say not thou, I will hide myself from the Lord: shall any remember me from above? I shall not be remembered among so many people: for what is my soul among such an infinite number of creatures?

Say not thou, I will hide myself from the Lord: shall any remember me from above? I shall not be remembered among so many people: for what is my soul among such an infinite number of creatures?

I will shew forth doctrine in weight, and declare his knowledge exactly.

If a servant say to his master, I will not do as it pleaseth thee; though afterward he do it, he angereth him that nourisheth him.

The fool saith, I have no friends, I have no thank for all my good deeds, and they that eat my bread speak evil of me.

The fool saith, I have no friends, I have no thank for all my good deeds, and they that eat my bread speak evil of me.

I will not be ashamed to defend a friend; neither will I hide myself from him.

I will not be ashamed to defend a friend; neither will I hide myself from him.

Who shall set a watch before my mouth, and a seal of wisdom upon my lips, that I fall not suddenly by them, and that my tongue destroy me not?

Lest mine ignorances increase, and my sins abound to my destruction, and I fall before mine adversaries, and mine enemy rejoice over me, whose hope is far from thy mercy.

A man that breaketh wedlock, saying thus in his heart, Who seeth me? I am compassed about with darkness, the walls cover me, and no body seeth me; what need I to fear? the most High will not remember my sins:

A man that breaketh wedlock, saying thus in his heart, Who seeth me? I am compassed about with darkness, the walls cover me, and no body seeth me; what need I to fear? the most High will not remember my sins:

I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.

I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.

I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.

In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.

With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?

With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?

He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.

In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.

In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion.

And I took root in an honourable people, even in the portion of the Lord’s inheritance.

I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree upon the mountains of Hermon.

I was exalted like a palm tree in En-gaddi, and as a rose plant in Jericho, as a fair olive tree in a pleasant field, and grew up as a plane tree by the water.

I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus, and I yielded a pleasant odour like the best myrrh, as galbanum, and onyx, and sweet storax, and as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle.

I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aspalathus, and I yielded a pleasant odour like the best myrrh, as galbanum, and onyx, and sweet storax, and as the fume of frankincense in the tabernacle.

As the turpentine tree I stretched out my branches, and my branches are the branches of honour and grace.

As the vine brought I forth pleasant savour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches.

I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him.

I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him.

I also came out as a brook from a river, and as a conduit into a garden.

I said, I will water my best garden, and will water abundantly my garden bed: and, lo, my brook became a river, and my river became a sea.

I said, I will water my best garden, and will water abundantly my garden bed: and, lo, my brook became a river, and my river became a sea.

I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.

I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.

Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom.

In three things I was beautified, and stood up beautiful both before God and men: the unity of brethren, the love of neighbours, a man and a wife that agree together.

Three sorts of men my soul hateth, and I am greatly offended at their life: a poor man that is proud, a rich man that is a liar, and an old adulterer that doateth.

There be nine things which I have judged in mine heart to be happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: A man that hath joy of his children; and he that liveth to see the fall of his enemy:

There be nine things which I have judged in mine heart to be happy, and the tenth I will utter with my tongue: A man that hath joy of his children; and he that liveth to see the fall of his enemy:

I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to keep house with a wicked woman.

There be three things that mine heart feareth; and for the fourth I was sore afraid: the slander of a city, the gathering together of an unruly multitude, and a false accusation: all these are worse than death.

I have hated many things, but nothing like him; for the Lord will hate him.

Give place, thou stranger, to an honourable man; my brother cometh to be lodged, and I have need of mine house.

My son, hear me, and despise me not, and at the last thou shalt find as I told thee: in all thy works be quick, so shall there no sickness come unto thee.

I awaked up last of all, as one that gathereth after the grapegatherers: by the blessing of the Lord I profited, and filled my winepress like a gatherer of grapes.

I awaked up last of all, as one that gathereth after the grapegatherers: by the blessing of the Lord I profited, and filled my winepress like a gatherer of grapes.

Consider that I laboured not for myself only, but for all them that seek learning.

When I travelled, I saw many things; and I understand more than I can express.

When I travelled, I saw many things; and I understand more than I can express.

When I travelled, I saw many things; and I understand more than I can express.

When I travelled, I saw many things; and I understand more than I can express.

I was ofttimes in danger of death: yet I was delivered because of these things.

I was ofttimes in danger of death: yet I was delivered because of these things.

Every friend saith, I am his friend also: but there is a friend, which is only a friend in name.

Yet have I more to say, which I have thought upon; for I am filled as the moon at the full.

Yet have I more to say, which I have thought upon; for I am filled as the moon at the full.

Yet have I more to say, which I have thought upon; for I am filled as the moon at the full.

Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and thought upon these things, and have left them in writing.

Better is the churlishness of a man than a courteous woman, a woman, I say, which bringeth shame and reproach.

I will now remember the works of the Lord, and declare the things that I have seen: In the words of the Lord are his works.

I will now remember the works of the Lord, and declare the things that I have seen: In the words of the Lord are his works.

And before his long sleep he made protestations in the sight of the Lord and his anointed, I have not taken any man’s goods, so much as a shoe: and no man did accuse him.

I will thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name:

I will thank thee, O Lord and King, and praise thee, O God my Saviour: I do give praise unto thy name:

And hast delivered me, according to the multitude of thy mercies and greatness of thy name, from the teeth of them that were ready to devour me, and out of the hands of such as sought after my life, and from the manifold afflictions which I had;

From the choking of fire on every side, and from the midst of the fire which I kindled not;

They compassed me on every side, and there was no man to help me: I looked for the succour of men, but there was none.

Then thought I upon thy mercy, O Lord, and upon thy acts of old, how thou deliverest such as wait for thee, and savest them out of the hands of the enemies.

Then lifted I up my supplications from the earth, and prayed for deliverance from death.

I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the days of my trouble, and in the time of the proud, when there was no help.

I will praise thy name continually, and will sing praises with thanksgiving; and so my prayer was heard:

For thou savedst me from destruction, and deliveredst me from the evil time: therefore will I give thanks, and praise thee, and bless thy name, O Lord.

When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.

When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.

When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer.

I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end.

Even from the flower till the grape was ripe hath my heart delighted in her: my foot went the right way, from my youth up sought I after her.

I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and gat much learning.

I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe glory unto him that giveth me wisdom.

I profited therein, therefore will I ascribe glory unto him that giveth me wisdom.

For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.

For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.

For I purposed to do after her, and earnestly I followed that which is good; so shall I not be confounded.

My soul hath wrestled with her, and in my doings I was exact: I stretched forth my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.

My soul hath wrestled with her, and in my doings I was exact: I stretched forth my hands to the heaven above, and bewailed my ignorances of her.

I directed my soul unto her, and I found her in pureness: I have had my heart joined with her from the beginning, therefore shall I not be foresaken.

I directed my soul unto her, and I found her in pureness: I have had my heart joined with her from the beginning, therefore shall I not be foresaken.

I directed my soul unto her, and I found her in pureness: I have had my heart joined with her from the beginning, therefore shall I not be foresaken.

I directed my soul unto her, and I found her in pureness: I have had my heart joined with her from the beginning, therefore shall I not be foresaken.

My heart was troubled in seeking her: therefore have I gotten a good possession.

The Lord hath given me a tongue for my reward, and I will praise him therewith.

I opened my mouth, and said, Buy her for yourselves without money.

Behold with your eyes, how that I have but little labour, and have gotten unto me much rest.

Thus saith the Lord, Bow down your shoulders to serve the king of Babylon: so shall ye remain in the land that I gave unto your fathers.

I will cause to cease out of the cites of Judah, and from without Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of joy, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: and the whole land shall be desolate of inhabitants.