15 Now when these things were done, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: Fear not, Abram, I am thy protector, and thy reward exceeding great.

² And Abram said: Lord God, what wilt thou give me? I shall go without children: and the son of the steward of my house is this Damascus Eliezer.

³ And Abram added: But to me thou hast not given seed: and lo my servant, born in my house, shall be my heir.

⁴ And immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying: He shall not be thy heir: but he that shall come out of thy bowels, him shalt thou have for thy heir.

⁵ And he brought him forth abroad, and said to him: Look up to heaven and number the stars, if thou canst. And he said to him: So shall thy seed be.

⁶ Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.

⁷ And he said to him: I am the Lord who brought thee out from Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land, and that thou mightest possess it.

⁸ But he said: Lord God, whereby may I know that I shall possess it?

⁹ And the Lord answered, and said: Take me a cow of three years old, and a she goat of three years, and a ram of three years, a turtle also, and a pigeon.

¹⁰ And he took all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid the two pieces of each one against the other; but the birds he divided not.

¹¹ And the fowls came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

¹² And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great and darksome horror seized upon him.

¹³ And it was said unto him: Know thou beforehand that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not their own, and they shall bring them under bondage, and afflict them four hundred years.

¹⁴ But I will judge the nation which they shall serve, and after this they shall come out with great substance.

¹⁵ And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and be buried in a good old age.

⁷ The lips of the wise shall disperse knowledge: the heart of fools shall be unlike.

⁸ The victims of the wicked are abominable to the Lord: the vows of the just are acceptable.

⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: he that followeth justice is beloved by him.

¹⁰ Instruction is grievous to him that forsaketh the way of life: he that hateth reproof shall die.

¹¹ Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more the hearts of the children of men?

¹² A corrupt man loveth not one that reproveth him: nor will he go to the wise.

¹³ A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by grief of mind the spirit is cast down.

¹⁴ The heart of the wise seeketh instruction: and the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

¹⁵ All the days of the poor are evil: a secure mind is like a continual feast.

¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasures without content,

¹⁷ It is better to be invited to herbs with love, than to a fatted calf with hatred.

¹⁸ A passionate man stirreth up strifes: he that is patient appeaseth those that are stirred up.

¹⁹ The way of the slothful is as a hedge of thorns; the way of the just is without offence.