Day 102 of 365

¹ Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.

² Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

³ For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.

⁴ My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.

⁵ By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

⁶ I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.

⁷ I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

⁸ Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.

⁹ For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,

¹⁰ Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.

¹¹ My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

¹² But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.

¹³ Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

¹⁴ For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.

¹⁵ So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

¹⁶ When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.

¹⁷ He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

¹⁸ This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

¹⁹ For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

²⁰ To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

²¹ To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

²² When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

²³ He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

²⁴ I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.

²⁵ Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

²⁶ They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

²⁷ But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

²⁸ The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

¹ Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:

² She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.

³ She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,

⁴ Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

⁵ Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

⁶ Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

⁷ He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

⁸ Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

⁹ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

¹¹ For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

¹² If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

¹³ A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.

¹⁴ For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,

¹⁵ To call passengers who go right on their ways:

¹⁶ Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

¹⁷ Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

¹⁸ But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.