My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation.

Set thy heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble.

Cleave unto him, and depart not away, that thou mayest be increased at thy last end.

Whatsoever is brought upon thee take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate.

For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.

Believe in him, and he will help thee; order thy way aright, and trust in him.

Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and go not aside, lest ye fall.

Ye that fear the Lord, believe him; and your reward shall not fail.

Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlasting joy and mercy.

Look at the generations of old, and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, and was confounded? or did any abide in his fear, and was forsaken? or whom did he ever despise, that called upon him?

For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy, longsuffering, and very pitiful, and forgiveth sins, and saveth in time of affliction.

In the day of thine affliction it shall be remembered; thy sins also shall melt away, as the ice in the fair warm weather.

Wisdom exalteth her children, and layeth hold of them that seek her.

He that loveth her loveth life; and they that seek to her early shall be filled with joy.

For at the first she will walk with him by crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline, until she may trust his soul, and try him by her laws.

Then will she return the straight way unto him, and comfort him, and shew him her secrets.

My son, gather instruction from thy youth up: so shalt thou find wisdom till thine old age.

Come unto her as one that ploweth and soweth, and wait for her good fruits: for thou shalt not toil much in labouring about her, but thou shalt eat of her fruits right soon.

She is very unpleasant to the unlearned: he that is without understanding will not remain with her.

She will lie upon him as a mighty stone of trial; and he will cast her from him ere it be long.

For wisdom is according to her name, and she is not manifest unto many.

Give ear, my son, receive my advice, and refuse not my counsel,

And put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chain.

Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with her bonds.

Come unto her with thy whole heart, and keep her ways with all thy power.

Search, and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee: and when thou hast got hold of her, let her not go.

For at the last thou shalt find her rest, and that shall be turned to thy joy.

Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and her chains a robe of glory.

For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are purple lace.

Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour, and shalt put her about thee as a crown of joy.

My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be taught: and if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be prudent.

If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive understanding: and if thou bow thine ear, thou shalt be wise,

Stand in the multitude of the elders; and cleave unto him that is wise.

Be willing to hear every godly discourse; and let not the parables of understanding escape thee.

And if thou seest a man of understanding, get thee betimes unto him, and let thy foot wear the steps of his door.

Let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the Lord and meditate continually in his commandments: he shall establish thine heart, and give thee wisdom at thine owns desire.

* * *

Take a good heart, O Jerusalem: for he that gave thee that name will comfort thee.

Miserable are they that afflicted thee, and rejoiced at thy fall.

Miserable are the cities which thy children served: miserable is she that received thy sons.

For as she rejoiced at thy ruin, and was glad of thy fall: so shall she be grieved for her own desolation.

For I will take away the rejoicing of her great multitude, and her pride shall be turned into mourning.

For fire shall come upon her from the Everlasting, long to endure; and she shall be inhabited of devils for a great time.

O Jerusalem, look about thee toward the east, and behold the joy that cometh unto thee from God.

Lo, thy sons come, whom thou sentest away, they come gathered together from the east to the west by the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God.

Put off, O Jerusalem, the garment of mourning and affliction, and put on the comeliness of the glory that cometh from God for ever.

Cast about thee a double garment of the righteousness which cometh from God; and set a diadem on thine head of the glory of the Everlasting.

For God will shew thy brightness unto every country under heaven.

For thy name shall be called of God for ever The peace of righteousness, and The glory of God's worship.

Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high, and look about toward the east, and behold thy children gathered from the west unto the east by the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the remembrance of God.

For they departed from thee on foot, and were led away of their enemies: but God bringeth them unto thee exalted with glory, as children of the kingdom.

For God hath appointed that every high hill, and banks of long continuance, should be cast down, and valleys filled up, to make even the ground, that Israel may go safely in the glory of God,

Moreover even the woods and every sweetsmelling tree shall overshadow Israel by the commandment of God.

For God shall lead Israel with joy in the light of his glory with the mercy and righteousness that cometh from him.