PROVERBS.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Who covers an error, seeks love;

Who harps on it, loses a friend.

Without wood, fire goes out ;

Without a slanderer, contention ceases.

He catches a strange dog by the ears,

That meddles in other men's strife.

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Like a madman dealing death with firebrands and arrows,

Is he that deceives his neighbor, and says: Am I not in

sport?

The simpleton believes every thing;

The wise looks before he steps.

He that guards his mouth is safe;
He that opens his mouth is lost.

Like the sparrow for wandering,
Like the swallow for flying;
The causeless curse does not light.

Better a dinner of herbs with love,
Than a fatted calf with hate.

Better open rebuke

Than hidden love.

The life of the flesh is a sound heart,

But envy is rottenness of bones.

Pride before destruction,

A haughty spirit before a fall.

Let another praise you, and not yourself;

A stranger, and not your own lips.

Some are rich and have nothing;

Some are poor with great wealth.

The man that loves pleasure is poor;

He that loves luxury does not grow rich.

The sluggard desires, and has not;

The diligent prosper.

Bray the fool with pestle and mortar along with the corn,

And his folly will not leave him.

A whip for the horse,

A bridle for the ass;

And a rod for the fool's back.

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Spare the rod, hate the child;
Love him, chasten him betimes.

Too much honey is not good;
There is honor in hard tasks.

A gold ring in a pig's nose;
A fair woman without sense.

Clouds and wind without rain;

A man that promises and does not give.

Boast not of to-morrow,

For you know not what a day brings.

And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, bringing gifts from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. And the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, and came to prove him with riddles. And after this manner were the riddles of those days:

Under three things the earth doth tremble,

And under four it cannot stand?

Answer. Under a slave, when he is made king,
And a godless man, when he is fed full;
Under an odious woman, when she marrieth,
And an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

There are four small things of earth,
Which are exceeding wise?

Answer. The ants are a people not strong,

Yet they provide their food in summer.
The conies are a feeble folk,

But they make their homes in the rock.
The locusts have no king,

Yet they go forth in troops.

The lizard thou canst seize in the hand,
But it is in kings' palaces.

Three are stately in their march,
And four stately in their going?

Answer. The lion, hero of the beasts,
That turneth aside for nought;

The greyhound, and the he-goat,

And the king at the head of his troops.

And the Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem with a very great train, camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones. And when she was come to Solomon, she spake with him of all that was in her mind. And Solomon answered her all her questions; there was not any thing hid from the king which he could not tell her. And the Queen of Sheba saw all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the housing of his slaves, and the at

tendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his burnt-offering which he offered in the house of Jehovah; and there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king: It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the reports until I came, and mine eyes had seen it. And, behold, the half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the report which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, who stand continually before thee, hearing thy wisdom. Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel. Because Jehovah loved Israel, to establish it forever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and very great store of spices and precious stones. There came no more such abundance of spices as the Queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. And King Solomon gave to the Queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which he gave her of his royal bounty. So she returned, and went unto her own country, she and her servants.

CHAPTER XVII.

I. KINGS, v., vi., viii., ix. II. CHRONICLES, ii.-viii.

THE TEMPLE.

Treaty with Hirom-Building the Temple-The Temple ProperThe Chambers-The Oracle-The Cherubim-Jachin and BoazThe Brazen Sea--The Ten Lavers-Vessels of Brass and GoldBringing in the Ark-The Temple Given to God-Solomon's Prayer-Will God Dwell on Earth-Prayer towards the TempleBenediction-The Feast of Tabernacles.

Now when Hirom king of Tyre heard that they had anointed Solomon king in the room of his father, he sent his servants unto Solomon to wish him success; for Hirom was ever a friend of David. And Solomon sent to Hirom, saying: Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of Jehovah his God, because of the enemies that were about him on every side, until Jehovah put them under the soles of his feet. But now Jehovah my God hath given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary, nor disturbance. And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of Jehovah my God, as Jehovah spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build the house unto my name. Now therefore command that they hew me trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants; and I will give thee hire for thy servants according as thou shalt appoint. For thou knowest that