4
1 My son, deprive not the poor of his living,
And make not the needy eyes to wait long.
2 Make not a hungry soul sorrowful;
Neither provoke a man in his distress.
3 To a heart that is provoked add not more trouble;
And defer not to give to him that is in need.
4 Reject not a suppliant in his affliction;
And turn not away thy face from a poor man.
5 Turn not away thine eye from one that asketh of thee,
And give none occasion to a man to curse thee:
6 For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul,
He that made him will hear his supplication.
7 Get thyself the love of the congregation;
And to a great man bow thy head.
8 Incline thine ear to a poor man,
And answer him with peaceable words in meekness.
9 Deliver him that is wronged from the hand of him that wrongeth him;
And be not fainthearted in giving judgement.
10 Be as a father unto the fatherless,
And instead of a husband unto their mother:
So shalt thou be as a son of the Most High,
And he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.
11 Wisdom exalteth her sons,
And taketh hold of them that seek her.
12 He that loveth her loveth life;
And they that seek to her early shall be filled with gladness.
13 He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory;
And where * he entereth, the Lord will bless.
14 They that do her service shall minister to the Holy One;
And them that love her the Lord doth love.
15 He that giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations;
And he that giveth heed unto her shall dwell securely.
16 If he trust her, he shall inherit her;
And his generations shall have her in possession.
17 For at the first she will walk with him in crooked ways,
And will bring fear and dread upon him,
And torment him with her discipline,
Until she may trust his soul, and try him by her judgements:
18 Then will she return again the straight way unto him,
And will gladden him, and reveal to him her secrets.
19 If he go astray, she will forsake him,
And give him over † to his fall.
20 Observe the opportunity, and beware of ‡ evil;
And be not ashamed concerning thy soul.
21 For there is a shame that bringeth sin;
And there is a shame that is glory and grace.
22 Accept not the person of any against thy soul;
And § reverence no man unto thy falling.
23 Refrain not speech, ** when it tendeth to safety;
†† And hide not thy wisdom for the sake of fair-seeming.
24 For by speech wisdom shall be known;
And instruction by the word of the tongue.
25 Speak not against the truth;
And be abashed for thine ignorance.
26 Be not ashamed to make confession of thy sins;
And force not the current of the river.
27 Lay not thyself down for a fool to tread upon;
And accept not the person of one that is mighty.
28 Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord God shall fight for thee.
29 Be not ‡‡ hasty in thy tongue,
And in thy deeds slack and remiss.
30 Be not as a lion in thy house,
Nor fanciful among thy servants.
31 Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and §§ closed when thou shouldest repay.
* 4:13 Or, she † 4:19 Gr. to the hands of his fall. ‡ 4:20 Or, an evil man § 4:22 Or, be not abashed ** 4:23 Gr. in an occasion of safety. †† 4:23 Most authorities omit this line. ‡‡ 4:29 Some authorities read rough. §§ 4:31 Or, drawn back