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cunning workman than fhe? 13 Moreover, by the 7 And if a man love righ-means of her I fhall obtain teoufnefs, her labours are immortality, and leave bevirtues for fhe teacheth hind me an everlasting metemperance and prudence, morial to them that come afjuftice and fortitude; which ter me. are fuch things as men can have nothing more profitable in their life.

14 I fhall fet the people in order, and the nations fhall be fubject unto me.

8 If a man defire much 15 Horrible tyrants fhall experience, fhe knoweth be afraid, when they do but things of old, and conjectur-hear of me; I fhall be found eth aright what is to come: good among the multitude, fhe knoweth the fubtilties of and valiant in war. fpeeches, and can expound dark fentences: fhe forefeeth figns and wonders, and the events of feafons and times,

9 Therefore I purposed to take her to me to live with me, knowing that she would be a counfellor of good things, and a comfort in cares and grief,

10 For her fake I fhall have estimation among the multitude, and honour with the elders, though I be young.

III fhall be found of a quick conceit in judgment, and fhall be admired in the fight of great men,

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16 After I am come into mine houfe, I will repofe myfelf with her for her converfation hath no bitterness, and to live with her, hath no forrow, but mirth and joy.

17 Now when I confidered these things in myself, and pondered them in my heart, how that to be allicd unto wifdom, is immortality,

18 And great pleasure it is to have her friendship, and in the works of her hands are infinite riches, and in the exercife of conference with her prudence; and in talking with her, a good report: I 12 When I hold my went about feeking how to tongue, they fhall bide my take her to me. leifure; and when I fpeak, 19 For I was a witty they fhall give good ear un-child, and had a good spirit. to me: if I talk much, they 20 Yea, rather being good, fhal lay their hands upon I came into a body undetheir mouth,

filed.

21 Never

21 Nevertheless, when I 7 Thou haft chosen me perceived that I could not to be a king of thy people, otherwife obtain her, ex- and a judge of thy fons and cept God gave her me, (and daughters. that was a point of wisdom alfo to know whofe gift fhe was;) I prayed unto the Lord, and befought him, and with my whole heart I faid,

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CHAP. IX.

God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who haft made all things with thy word,

8 Thou haft commanded me to build a temple upon thy holy mount, and an altar in the city wherein thou dwelleft, a refemblance of the holy tabernacle which thou haft prepared from the beginuing.

9 And wifdom was with thee: which knoweth thy works, and was prefent when thou madeft the world, and knew what was acceptable in thy fight, and right in thy

2 And ordained man through thy wisdom, that he fhould have dominion over the creatures which thou haft commandments. made,

10 O fend her out of thy 3 And order the world ac- holy heavens, and from the cording to equity and righ-throne of thy glory, that beteousness, and execute judg-ing prefent fhe may labour ment with an upright heart: with me, that I may know 4 Give me wisdom that what is pleafing unto thee. fitteth by thy throne, and reject me not from among thy children:

5 For I thy fervant, and fon of thine handmaid, am a feeble perfon, and of a short time, and too young for the understanding of judgment

and laws.

6 For though a man be ever fo perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, he fhall be nothing regarded.

II For fhe knoweth and understandeth all things, and fhe fhall lead me foberly in my doings, and preferve me in her power.

12 So fhall my works be acceptable, and then shall I judge thy people righteously, and be worthy to fit in my father's feat.

13 For what man is he that can know the counsel of God; or who can think what the will of the Lord is?

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14 For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain. 15 For the corruptible body preffeth down the foul, and the earthy tabernacle weigheth down the mind that mufeth upon many things.

16 And hardly do we guefs aright at things that are upon earth, and with labour do we find the things that are before us but the things that are in heaven, who hath fearched out?

17 And thy counfel who hath known, except thou give wifdom, and fend thy Holy Spirit from above?

18 For fo the ways of them which lived on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleafing unto thee, and were faved through wifdom.

CHAP. X.

HE preferved the firftformed father of the world, that was created alone, and brought him out of his fall,

2 And gave him power to rule all things.

3 But when the unrighteous went away from her in his anger, he perished also in the fury, wherewith he murdered his brother.

4 For whofe cause the earth being drowned with the flood, wisdom again preferved it, and directed the courfe of the righteous in a piece of wood of fmall value.

5¶ Moreover, the nations in their wicked confpiracy being confounded, the found out the righteous, and preferved him blameless unto God, and kept him ftrong against his tender compaffion toward his fon.

6 When the ungodly perifhed, the delivered the righteous man, who fled from the fire which fell down upon the five cities.

7 Of whofe wickedness even to this day, the waste land that fmoketh is a teftimony, and plants bearing fruit that never come ripeness: and a standing pillar of falt is a monument of an unbelieving foul.

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8 For regarding not wifdom, they gat not only this hurt, that they knew not the things which were good; but also left behind them to the world a memorial of their foolifhnefs; fo that in the things wherein they offended, they could not fo much as be hid.

9 But wifdom delivered from pain those that attended upon her.

10 ¶ When

10 When the righteous Lord, and withstood dreadfed from his brother's wrath, ful kings in wonders and fhe guided him in right paths, figns; fhewed him the kingdom of

17 Rendered to the God, and gave him know-righteous a reward of their ledge of holy things, made labours, guided them in a him rich in his travels, and marvellous way, and was multiplied the fruit of his labours.

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13 ¶ When the righteous was fold, the forfook him not, but delivered him from fin: fhe went down with him into the pit,

14 And left him not in bonds, till fhe brought him the fcepter of the kingdom, and power against those that oppreffed him as for them that had accufed him, the fhewed them to be liars, and gave him perpetual glory.

15 She delivered the righteous people and blameless feed from the nation that oppreffed them.

16 She entered into the foul of the fervant of the

unto them for a cover by day, and a light of stars in the night feafon:

18 Brought them through the red fea, and led them through much water.

19 But the drowned their enemies, and caft them up out of the bottom of the deep.

20 Therefore the righteous fpoiled the ungodly, and praifed thy holy name, O Lord, and magnified with one accord thine hand that fought for them.

21 For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of them that cannot speak, eloquent.

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enemies, and were avenged of their adversaries.

4 When they were thirsty, they called upon thee, and water was given them out of the flinty rock, and their thirft was quenched out of the hard ftone.

5¶ For by what things their enemies were punished, by the fame they in their need were benefited.

6 For instead of a fountain of a perpetual running river troubled with foul blood,

7 For a manifeft reproof of that commandment, whereby the infants were flain, thou gaveft unto them abundance of water, by a means which they hoped not for:

8 Declaring by that thirft then, how thou hadft punished their adverfaries.

9 For when they were tried, albeit but in mercy chaftifed, they knew how the ungodly were judged in wrath, and tormented, thirfting in another manner than the juft.

10 For these thou didst admonish and try as a father: but the other, as a fevere king, thou didft condemn and punish.

1 Whether they were abfent or prefent, they were vexed alike.

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12 For a double grief came upon them, and groaning for the remembrance of things past,

13 For when they heard by their own punishments the other to be benefited, they had fome feeling of the Lord.

14 For whom they rejected with fcorn, when he was long before thrown out, at the cafting forth of the infants, him in the end, when they faw what came to pass, they admired.

15 But for the foolish devices of their wickedness, wherewith being deceived, they worshipped ferpents void of reafon, and vile beafts, thou didft fend a multitude of unreasonable beasts upon them for vengeance;

16 That they might know that wherewithal a man finneth, by the fame alfo fhall he be punished.

17 For thy almighty hand that made the world of matter without form, wanted not means to fend among them a multitude of bears, or fierce lions,

18 Or unknown wild beafts, full of rage, newly created, breathing out either a fiery vapour, or filthy fcents of fcattered fmoke, or shoot

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