by Septuagint
Psalm 146
Alleluia, a Psalm of Aggaeus and Zacharias.
[1] My soul, praise the Lord. [2] While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist. [3] Trust not in princes, nor in the children of men, in whom there is no safety. [4] His breath shall go forth, and he shall return to his earth; in that day all his thoughts shall perish.
[5] Blessed is he whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God: [6] who made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all things in them: who keeps truth for ever: [7] who executes judgment for the wronged: who gives food to the hungry. The Lord looses the fettered ones: [8] the Lord gives wisdom to the blind:
The Lord sets up the broken down: the Lord loves the righteous: the Lord preserves the strangers; [9] he will relieve the orphan and widow: but will utterly remove the way of sinners. [10] The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Sion, to all generations.
Psalm 147
Alleluia, a Psalm of Aggaeus and Zacharias.
[1] Praise ye the Lord: for psalmody is a good thing; let praise be sweetly sung to our God. [2] The Lord builds up Jerusalem; and he will gather together the dispersed of Israel. [3] He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds. [4] He numbers the multitudes of stars; and calls them all by names. [5] Great is our Lord, and great is his strength; and his understanding is infinite. [6] The Lord lifts up the meek; but brings sinners down to the ground.
[7] Begin the song with thanksgiving to the Lord; sing praises on the harp to our God: [8] who covers the heaven with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who causes grass to spring up on the mountains, [and green herb for the service of men;] [9] and gives cattle their food, and to the young ravens that call upon him. [10] He will not take pleasure in the strength of a horse; neither is he well-pleased with the legs of a man. [11] The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, and in all that hope in his mercy.
Alleluia, a Psalm of Aggaeus and Zacharias.
[12] Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Sion. [13] For he has strengthened the bars of thy gates; he has blessed thy children within thee. [14] He makes thy borders peaceful, and fills thee with the flour of wheat. [15] He sends his oracle to the earth: his word will run swiftly. [16] He gives snow like wool: he scatters the mist like ashes. [17] Casting forth his ice like morsels: who shall stand before his cold? [18] He shall send out his word, and melt them: he shall blow with his wind, and the waters shall flow. [19] He sends his word to Jacob, his ordinances and judgments to Israel. [20] He has not done so to any other nation; and he has not shewn them his judgments.
Psalm 148
Alleluia, a Psalm of Aggaeus and Zacharias.
[1] Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the highest. [2] Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. [3] Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars and light. [4] Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and the water that is above the heavens. [5] Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he spoke, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created. [6] He has established them for ever, even for ever and ever: he has made an ordinance, and it shall not pass away.
[7] Praise the Lord from the earth, ye serpents, and all deeps. [8] Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy wind; the things that perform his word. [9] Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: [10] wild beasts, and all cattle; reptiles, and winged birds: [11] kings of the earth, and all peoples; princes, and all judges of the earth: [12] young men and virgins, old men with youths: [13] let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name only is exalted; his praise is above the earth and heaven, [14] and he shall exalt the horn of his people, there is a hymn for all his saints, even of the children of Israel, a people who draw near to him.
Psalm 149
Alleluia.
[1] Sing to the Lord a new song: his praise is in the assembly of the saints. [2] Let Israel rejoice in him that made him; and let the children of Sion exult in their king. [3] Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sings praises to him with timbrel and psaltery. [4] For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; and will exalt the meek with salvation.
[5] The saints shall rejoice in glory; and shall exult on their beds. [6] The high praises of God shall be in their throat, and two-edged swords in their hands; [7] to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments among the peoples; [8] to bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with manacles of iron; [9] to execute on them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints.
Psalm 150
Alleluia.
[1] Praise God in his holy places: praise him in the firmament of his power. [2] Praise him on account of his mighty acts: praise him according to his abundant greatness. [3] Praise him with the sound of a trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp. [4] Praise him with timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and the organ. [5] Praise him with melodious cymbals: praise him with loud cymbals. [6] Let every thing that has breath praise the Lord.
Psalm 151
This Psalm is a genuine one of David, though supernumerary, composed when he fought in single combat with Goliad.
1 I was small among my brethren, and youngest in my father’s house: I tended my father’s sheep. [2] My hands formed a musical instrument, and my fingers tuned a psaltery. [3] And who shall tell my Lord? the Lord himself, he himself hears. [5] He sent forth his angel, and took me from my father’s sheep, and he anointed me with the oil of his anointing. [5] My brothers were handsome and tall; but the Lord did not take pleasure in them. [6] I went forth to meet the Philistine; and he cursed me by his idols. [7] But I drew his own sword, and beheaded him, and removed reproach from the children of Israel.
Psalm 152
Prayer of Manasses
[1] O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed; [2] who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; [3] who hast bound the sea by the word of thy commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name; [4] whom all men fear, and tremble before thy power; [5] for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening toward sinners is importable: [6] but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; [7] for thou art the most high Lord, of great compassion, longsuffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. [8] Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner: [9] for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied: my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities. [10] I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift up mine head, neither have any release: for I have provoked thy wrath, and done evil before thee: I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments: I have set up abominations, and have multiplied offences. [11] Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. [12] I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities: [13] wherefore, I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me to the lower parts of the earth. For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent; [14] and in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. [15] Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life: for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Proverbs
Chapter 1
[1] The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel; [2] to know wisdom and instruc
tion, and to perceive words of understanding; [3] to receive also hard saying, and to understand true justice, and how to direct judgement; [4] that he might give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man discernment and understanding. [5] For by the hearing of these a wise man will be wiser, and man of understanding will gain direction; [6] and will understand a parable, and a dark speech; the saying of the wise also, and riddles.
[7] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and there is good understanding to all that practise it: and piety toward God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nought wisdom and instruction. [8] Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and reject not the rules of thy mother. [9] For thou shalt receive for thine head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round thy neck.
[10] My son, let not ungodly men lead thee astray, neither consent thou to them. [11] If they should exhort thee, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth: [12] and let us swallow him alive, as Hades would, and remove the memorial of him from the earth: [13] let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils: [14] but do thou cast in thy lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch: [15] go not in the way with them, but turn aside thy foot from their paths: [16] 17 for nets are not without cause spread for birds. [18] For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil. [19] These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.
[20] Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly. [21] And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says, [22] So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs. [23] Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.
[24] Since I called, and ye did not hearken; and I spoke at length, and ye gave no heed; [25] but ye set at nought my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs; [26] therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against you when ruin comes upon you: [27] yea when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and your overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you. [28] For it shall be that when ye call upon me, I will not hearken to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find me. [29] For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord: [30] neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs. [31] Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness. [32] For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly. [33] But he that hearkens to me shall dwell in confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.
Chapter 2
[1] My son, if thou wilt receive the utterance of my commandment, and hide it with thee; [2] thine ear shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son.
[3] For it thou shalt call to wisdom, and utter thy voice for understanding; [4] and if thou shalt seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures; [5] then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
[6] For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence come knowledge and understanding, [7] and he treasures up salvation for them that walk uprightly: he will protect their way; [8] that he may guard the righteous ways: and he will preserve the way of them that fear him. [9] Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgement; and shalt direct all thy course aright.
[10] For if wisdom shall come into thine understanding, and discernment shall seem pleasing to thy soul, [11] good counsel shall guard thee, and holy understanding shall keep thee; [12] to deliver thee from the evil way, and from the man that speaks nothing faithfully.
[13] Alas for those who forsake right paths, to walk in ways of darkness; [14] who rejoice in evils, and delight in wicked perverseness; [15] whose paths are crooked, and their courses winding; [16] to remove thee far from the straight way, and to estrange thee from a righteous purpose. My son, let not evil counsel overtake thee, [17] of her who has forsaken the instruction of her youth, and forgotten the covenant of God. [18] For she has fixed her house near death, and guided her wheels near Hades with the giants. [19] None that go by her shall return, neither shall they take hold of right paths, for they are not apprehended of the years of life. [20] For had they gone in good paths, they would have found the paths of righteousness easy. [21] For the upright shall dwell in the earth, and the holy shall be left behind in it. [22] The paths of the ungodly shall perish out of the earth, and transgressors shall be driven away from it.
Chapter 3
[1] My son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words: [2] for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee. [3] Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck: [4] so shalt thou find favour: and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
[5] Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom. [6] In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths. [7] Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil. [8] Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.
[9] Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness: [10] that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.
[11] My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: [12] for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
[13] Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence. [14] For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver. [15] And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value. [16] For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue. [17] Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful. [18] She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is a secure help to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
[19] God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens. [20] By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
[21] My son, let them not pass from thee, but keep my counsel and understanding: [22] that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones: [23] that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble. [24] For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly. [25] And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men. [26] For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.
[27] Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have power to help him. [28] Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do him good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth. [29] Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.
[30] Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.
[31] Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways. [32] For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous. [33] The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed. [34] The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace t
o the humble. [35] The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted their own dishonour.
Chapter 4
[1] Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. [2] For I give you a good gift; forsake ye not my law. [3] For I also was a son obedient to my father, and loved in the sight of my mother: [4] who spoke and instructed me, saying, Let our speech be fixed in thine heart, keep our commandments, forget them not: [5] and do not neglect the speech of my mouth. [6] And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love it, and it shall keep thee. [7] 8 Secure it, and it shall exalt thee: honour it, that it may embrace thee; [9] that it may give unto thy head a crown of graces, and may cover thee with a crown of delight.
[10] Hear, my son, and receive my words; and the years of thy life shall be increased, that the resources of thy life may be many. [11] For I teach thee the ways of wisdom; and I cause thee to go in right paths. [12] For when thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not be distressed. [13] Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, — but keep it for thyself for thy life.
[14] Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors. [15] In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not thither; but turn from them, and pass away. [16] For they cannot sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not. [17] For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression. [18] But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come. [19] But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.