XIV. aBlessed is the man that hath not abslipt with his mouth,

And is not cpricked with the * multitude of sins.

2  dBlessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him,

And who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.

3  Riches are not comely for a niggard:

And what should an envious man do with money?

4  He that gathereth by defrauding his own soul egathereth for others,

That shall spend his goods riotously.

5  He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good?

He shall not take pleasure in his goods.

6  There is none worse than he that envieth himself;

And this is a recompence of his wickedness.

7  And if he doeth good, he doeth it unwillingly;

And fat the last he will declare his wickedness.

8  The envious man hath a wicked eye;

He turneth away his face, and despiseth men.

9  A covetous man’s eye gis not satisfied with his pportion;

And the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul.

10  hA wicked eye ienvieth his bread,

And he is a niggard at his table.

11  My son, according to thy ability do good to thyself,

And kgive the Lord his due offering.

12  Remember that death will not be long in coming,

And that the covenant of the grave is not shewed unto thee.

13  lDo good unto thy friend before thou die,

And according to thy mability stretch out nthy hand and give to him.

14  oDefraud not thyself of * the good day,

And let not the ppart of a good desire overpass thee.

15  eShalt thou not leave thy travails unto another?

And thy labours to be divided by lot?

16  Give, and take, and sanctify thy soul;

For there is no seeking of dainties in the grave.

17  All flesh qwaxeth old as a garment:

For the covenant from the beginning is, rThou shalt die the death.

18  As of the green leaves on a thick tree,

Some fall, and some grow;

So is the generation of sflesh and blood,

tOne cometh to an end, and another is born.

19  Every work rotteth and consumeth away,

And the worker thereof shall go withal.

20  uBlessed is the man that doth meditate good things in wisdom,

And that reasoneth of holy things by his understanding.

21  xHe that considereth her ways in his heart

Shall also have understanding in her secrets.

22  Go after her as one that traceth,

And lie in wait in her ways.

23  He that yprieth in at her windows

zShall also hearken at her doors.

24  He that doth lodge near her house

Shall also fasten a * apin in her walls.

25  He shall pitch his tent nigh unto her,

And bshall lodge in a lodging where good things are.

26  He shall set his children under her shelter,

And shall lodge under her branches.

27  By her he shall be ccovered from heat,

And in her glory shall he dwell.