Day 230 of 365

¹ Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

² Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.

³ Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

⁴ O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

⁵ Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

⁶ Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.

⁷ Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

⁸ Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

⁹ Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.

¹⁰ The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.

¹¹ She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.

¹² Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?

¹³ The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.

¹⁴ Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;

¹⁵ And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.

¹⁶ It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

¹⁷ Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.

¹⁸ So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.

¹⁹ Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

¹ A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

² A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.

³ He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

⁴ The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

⁵ A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.

⁶ Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.

⁷ There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

⁸ The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.

⁹ The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

¹⁰ Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

¹¹ Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.

¹² Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

¹³ Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

¹⁴ The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

¹⁵ Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.

¹⁶ Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.

¹⁷ A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.

¹⁸ Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

¹⁹ The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.

²⁰ He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

²¹ Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.

²² A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

²³ Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.

²⁴ He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

²⁵ The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.