7

How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!

Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.

Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.

Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.

Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies.

How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince"s daughter! the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman.

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ?

All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.