Proverbs 2:14–17

²³It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.

^23* It is as a sport to a foole to doe mischiefe: but a man of vnderstanding hath wisedome.

³²Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

³²Who knowing the iudgement of God, (that they which commit such things, are worthy of death) not onely do the same, but ^‖haue pleasure in them that doe them.

¹⁵What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

^15*†‖What hath my beloued to doe in mine house, seeing shee hath wrought lewdnesse with many? and the holy flesh is passed from thee: when thou doest euill, then thou reioycest.

⁶Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

⁶Reioyceth not in iniquitie, but reioyceth ^‖in the trueth:

⁴And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

⁵And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

⁴And he went his way, and communed with the chiefe Priests and captaines, how he might betray him vnto them.

⁵And they were glad, and couenanted to giue him money.

³They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

³They make the king glad with their wickednesse, and the princes with their lies.

¹¹In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

¹¹In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that reioyce in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty ^†because of mine holy mountaine.

¹⁵They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.

¹⁵They take vp all of them with the angle: they catch them in their net, and gather them in their ^‖dragge; therefore they reioyce and are glad.

⁵As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.

⁵As for such as turne aside vnto their crooked wayes, the LORD shall lead them foorth with the workers of iniquitie: but peace shalbe vpon Israel.

⁸The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

⁸The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure; his worke is right.

⁵They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.

^5†They haue corrupted themselues, ^‖their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a peruerse and crooked generation.

¹⁵That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

¹⁵That yee may bee blamelesse and ^‖harmelesse, the sonnes of God, without rebuke, in the middes of a crooked and peruerse nation, among whom ^‖ye shine as lights in the world:

⁸The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

^8‖The way of peace they know not, and there is no iudgement in their goings: they haue made them crooked pathes; whosoeuer goeth therein, shall not know peace.

⁸¶ Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:

⁹That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord:

¹⁰Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

¹¹Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

¹²Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:

¹³Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.

⁸¶ ^†Now goe, write it before them in a table, and note it in a booke, that it may bee for the time to come for euer and euer:

⁹That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not heare the Law of the LORD:

¹⁰Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophecie not vnto vs right things: speake vnto vs smooth things, prophecie deceits.

¹¹Get ye out of the way: turne aside out of the path: cause the Holy one of Israel to cease from before vs.

^12‖Wherefore, thus saith the Holy one of Israel: Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and peruersnesse, and stay thereon:

¹³Therefore this iniquitie shalbe to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking commeth suddenly at an instant.

²⁶And 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.

^26*†And I finde more bitter then death, the woman whose heart is snares & nets, and her handes as bands: who so pleaseth God, shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

¹⁴The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein.

^14*The mouth of strange women is a deepe pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

²⁷For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

^27*For an whore is a deepe ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

²⁴To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

^24*‖To keepe thee from the euill woman, from the flatterie of the tongue of a strange woman.

⁵That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

⁶¶ For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,

⁷And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

⁸Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

⁹In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

¹⁰And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

¹¹(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

¹²Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

¹³So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

¹⁴I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

¹⁵Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

¹⁶I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

¹⁷I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

¹⁹For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

²⁰He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

²¹With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

²²He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

²³Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

^5*That they may keepe thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

⁶¶ For at the windowe of my house I looked through my casement,

^7†And behelde among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a yong man void of vnderstanding,

⁸Passing through the streete neere her corner, and he went the way to her house,

^9†In the twilight in the euening, in the blacke and darke night:

¹⁰And behold, there met him a woman, with the attire of an harlot, and subtill of heart.

^11*(She is loud and stubburne, her feet abide not in her house:

¹²Now is shee without, now in the streetes, and lieth in waite at euery corner.)

^13†So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face, said vnto him,

^14† I haue peace offerings with me: this day haue I paid my vowes.

¹⁵Therefore came I forth to meete thee, diligently to seeke thy face, and I haue found thee.

¹⁶I haue deckt my bed with couerings of tapestrie, with carued workes, with fine linnen of Egypt.

¹⁷I haue perfumed my bed with myrrhe, aloes, and cynamom.

¹⁸Come, let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning, let vs solace our selues with loues.

¹⁹For the good-man is not at home, he is gone a long iourney.

^20†‖He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

²¹With much faire speech she caused him to yeeld, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

^22†He goeth after her straightway, as an oxe goeth to the slaughter, or as a foole to the correction of the stocks,

²³Til a dart strike through his liuer, as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

³And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

⁴And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

⁵And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

⁶And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

⁷¶ And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

⁸But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

⁹There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

¹⁰And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

¹¹And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

¹²And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

³And his master sawe that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did, to prosper in his hand.

⁴And Ioseph found grace in his sight, and he serued him; and hee made him ouerseer ouer his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

⁵And it came to passe from the time that hee had made him overseer in his house, and ouer all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptians house for Iosephs sake: and the blessing of the LORD was vpon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

⁶And he left all that he had, in Iosephs hand: and he knew not ought he had, saue the bread which he did eate: and Ioseph was a goodly person, and well fauoured.

⁷¶ And it came to passe after these things, that his masters wife cast her eyes vpon Ioseph, and shee said, Lie with me.

⁸But he refused, and said vnto his masters wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with mee in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath, to my hand.

⁹ There is none greater in this house then I: neither hath hee kept backe any thing from me, but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I doe this great wickednesse, and sinne against God?

¹⁰And it came to passe as she spake to Ioseph day by day, that hee hearkened not vnto her, to lie by her, or to bee with her.

¹¹And it came to passe about this time, that Ioseph went in to the house, to doe his busines, and there was none of the men of the house there within.

¹²And shee caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

²⁶Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

²⁷Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?

²⁶Did not Solomon king of Israel sinne by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloued of his God, and God made him king ouer all Israel: ^*neuerthelesse, euen him did outlandish women cause to sinne.

²⁷Shall wee then hearken vnto you, to doe all this great euill, to transgresse against our God, in marrying strange wiues?

⁵A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

⁵A man that flattereth his neighbour, spreadeth a net for his feet.

³¶ For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

⁴But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.

⁵Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

⁶Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

⁷Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

⁸Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:

⁹Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:

¹⁰Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;

¹¹And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,

¹²And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

¹³And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!

¹⁴I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

¹⁵¶ Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

¹⁶Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.

¹⁷Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee.

¹⁸Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

¹⁹Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

²⁰And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

³¶ ^*†For the lips of a strange woman drop as an hony combe, and her mouth is smoother then oyle.

⁴But her end is bitter as wormewood, sharpe as a two edged sword.

^5*Her feete goe downe to death: her steps take hold on hell.

⁶Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her wayes are moueable, that thou canst not know them.

⁷Heare me now therefore, O yee children: & depart not from the words of my mouth.

⁸Remoue thy way farre from her, and come not nie the doore of her house:

⁹Lest thou giue thine honour vnto others, and thy yeeres vnto the cruell:

^10†Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and thy labors be in the house of a stranger,

¹¹And thou mourne at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,

¹²And say, How haue I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproofe?

¹³And haue not obeyed the voyce of my teachers, nor inclined mine eare to them that instructed me?

¹⁴I was almost in all euill, in the midst of the congregation & assembly.

¹⁵¶ Drinke waters out of thine owne cisterne, and running waters out of thine owne well.

¹⁶Let thy fountaines bee dispersed abroad, and riuers of waters in the streets.

¹⁷Let them be onely thine owne, and not strangers with thee.

¹⁸Let thy fountaine be blessed: and reioyce with the wife of thy youth.

^19††Let her bee as the louing Hinde and pleasant Roe, let her breasts satisfie thee at all times, and be thou rauisht alwayes with her loue.

²⁰And why wilt thou, my sonne, be rauisht with a strange woman, and imbrace the bosome of a stranger?

⁵⁹For thus saith the Lord God; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

⁶⁰¶ Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.

⁵⁹For thus saith the LORD God; I will euen deale with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the couenant.

⁶⁰¶ Neuerthelesse I will remember my couenant with thee in the dayes of thy youth, and I will establish vnto thee an euerlasting couenant.

⁸Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.

⁸Now when I passed by thee, and looked vpon thee, behold, thy time was the time of loue, and I spread my skirt ouer thee, and couered thy nakednesse: yea, I sware vnto thee, and entred into a couenant with thee, sayth the LORD God, and thou becamest mine.

⁴Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?

⁴Wilt thou not from this time cry vnto me; My father, thou art the guide of my youth?

¹⁴¶ Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

¹⁵And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

¹⁶For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

¹⁴¶ Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath bene witnes betweene thee and the wife of thy youth, against whome thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy couenant.

^15‖†‖And did not he make one? yet had he the residue of the spirit: and wherefore one? that hee might seeke a godly seed: therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deale treacherously against the wife of his youth.

^16‖†For the LORD the God of Israel saith, that he hateth putting away: for one couereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts, therfore take heed to your spirit, that ye deale not treacherously.

¹⁸Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

¹⁸Let thy fountaine be blessed: and reioyce with the wife of thy youth.