A blessing of wisdom
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My sonne, forget not thou my Lawe, but let thine heart keepe my commandements.
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For they shall increase the length of thy dayes and the yeeres of life, and thy prosperitie.
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Let not mercie and trueth forsake thee: binde them on thy necke, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.
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So shalt thou finde fauour and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man.
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Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and leane not vnto thine owne wisdome.
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In all thy wayes acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy wayes.
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Be not wise in thine owne eyes: but feare the Lord, and depart from euill.
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So health shalbe vnto thy nauel, and marowe vnto thy bones.
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Honour the Lord with thy riches, and with the first fruites of all thine increase.
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So shall thy barnes be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall burst with newe wine.
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My sonne, refuse not the chastening of the Lord, neither be grieued with his correction.
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For the Lord correcteth him, whome he loueth, euen as the father doeth the childe in whom he deliteth.
Wisdom is more valuable than riches
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Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome, and the man that getteth vnderstanding.
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For the marchandise thereof is better then the marchandise of siluer, and the gaine thereof is better then golde.
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It is more precious then pearles: and all things that thou canst desire, are not to be compared vnto her.
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Length of dayes is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
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Her wayes are wayes of pleasure, and all her pathes prosperitie.
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She is a tree of life to them that lay holde on her, and blessed is he that retaineth her.
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The Lord by wisdome hath layde the foundation of the earth, and hath stablished the heauens through vnderstanding.
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By his knowledge the depthes are broken vp, and the cloudes droppe downe the dewe.
The ways of the wise
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My sonne, let not these things depart from thine eyes, but obserue wisdome, and counsell.
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So they shalbe life to thy soule, and grace vnto thy necke.
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Then shalt thou walke safely by thy way: and thy foote shall not stumble.
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If thou sleepest, thou shalt not bee afraide, and when thou sleepest, thy sleepe shalbe sweete.
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Thou shalt not feare for any sudden feare, neither for the destruction of the wicked, when it commeth.
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For the Lord shall be for thine assurance, and shall preserue thy foote from taking.
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Withhold not the good from the owners thereof, though there be power in thine hand to doe it.
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Say not vnto thy neighbour, Go and come againe, and to morow wil I giue thee, if thou now haue it.
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Intend none hurt against thy neighbour, seeing he doeth dwell without feare by thee.
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Striue not with a man causelesse, when he hath done thee no harme.
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Bee not enuious for the wicked man, neither chuse any of his wayes.
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For the frowarde is abomination vnto the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.
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The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
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With the scornefull he scorneth, but hee giueth grace vnto the humble.
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The wise shall inherite glorie: but fooles dishonour, though they be exalted.