Considering the great difference between wisdom and folly, 4. it behoveth to resist vehement temptations diligently. 5. As when evil, and ignorant men have authority over the wise. 8. The wicked often fall into their own snares, 10. are hard, yet not impossible to be corrected. 11. Detractors are like serpents. 12. Wise grave princes are profitable; childish are hurtful to the commonwealth; 18. which by their negligence tendeth to ruin: 20. yet subjects ought not to judge evil of them.Considering the great difference betwen wisdom and follie, 4. it behoueth to resist vehement tentations diligently. 5. As when euil, & ignorant men haue auctoritie ouer the wise. 8. The wicked often fal into their owne snares, 10. are hard, yet not vnpossible to be corrected. 11. Detracters are like serpents. 12. Wise graue princes are profitable; childish are hurtful to the commonwealth; 18. which by their negligence tendeth to ruine: 20. yet subiectes ought not to iudge euil of them.✦
Flies dying mar the sweetness of ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious, than a little and ad tempus: worldly, secular; lasting only for a time, transitory folly.FLies dying marre the sweetnes of ointment. Wisdom and glorie is more precious, then a litle and temporal follie.✦Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
2The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.The hart of a wiseman is in his righthand, and the hart of a foole is in his lefthand.✦Cor sapientis in dextera ejus, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
3Yea and the fool walking in the way, whereas himself is unwise, esteemeth all men fools.Yea and the foole walking in the way, wheras himself is vnwise, esteemeth al men fooles.✦Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.
4If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because carefulness will make the greatest sins to cease.If the spirite of him that hath powre, ascend vpon thee, leaue not thy place: because carefulnes wil make the greatest sinnes to cease.✦Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne dimiseris, quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.
5There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by error proceeding from the face of the prince:There is an euil that I haue sene vnder the sunne, as it were by errour proceding from the face of the prince:Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis :
6a fool set in high dignity, and the rich to sit beneath.a foole set in high dignitie, and the rich to sitte beneth.positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
7I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.I haue sene seruants vpon horses: and princes walking on the ground as seruants.✦Vidi servos in equis, et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
8He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.He that diggeth a pitte, shal fal into it: and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shal bite him.✦Qui fodit foveam incidet in eam, et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber.
9He that removeth stones, shall be afflicted in them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded of them.He that remoueth stones, shal be afflicted in them: and he that cutteth trees, shal be wounded of them.Qui transfert lapides affligetur in eis, et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis.
10If the iron shall be blunt, and that not as before, but shall be made blunt, it shall be sharpened by great labour, and after industriam: manufacturing, commercial enterprise; diligence, skill, careful application shall wisdom follow.If the iron shal be blunt, and that not as before, but shal be made blunt, it shal be sharpened by great labour, and after industrie shal wisdom folow.✦Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.
11If a serpent bite in silence, nothing less than it hath he, that detrahit: diminisheth, taketh away; slandereth, backbiteth, disparageth secretly.If a serpent bite in silence, nothing lesse then it hath he, that detracteth secretly.✦Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
12The words of the mouth of a wise man grace: and the lips of the unwise shall throw him down headlong.The wordes of the mouth of a wiseman grace: and the lippes of the vnwise shal throw him downe headlong.✦Verba oris sapientis gratia, et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum ;
13The beginning of his words is folly, and the later end of his mouth is most wicked error.The beginning of his wordes is follie, and the later end of his mouth is most wicked errour.✦initium verborum ejus stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.
14A fool multiplieth words. A man is ignorant what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?A foole multiplieth wordes. A man is ignorant what hath bene before him: and what shal be after him, who can tel him?✦Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit ; et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare ?
15The labour of fools shall afflict them, that know not to go into the city.The labour of fooles shal afflict them, that know not to goe into the cittie.✦Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.
16Woe to thee O land, whose king is a child, and whose princes eat in the morning.Woe to thee ô land, whose king is a childe, and whose princes eate in the morning.¶✦Væ tibi, terra, cujus rex puer est, et cujus principes mane comedunt.
17Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in their time to reficiendum: refreshment, nourishing repast, and not to luxuriam: rowdy, unruly noise; dissolute excess, wanton debauchery.Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, & whose princes eate in their time to refection, and not to riotousnes.✦Beata terra cujus rex nobilis est, et cujus principes vescuntur in tempore suo, ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam.
18In slothfulness the roof of the house shall go to ruin, and in the infirmity of the hands the house shall drop through.In slouthfulnes the roofe of the house shal goe to ruine, & in the infirmitie of the handes the house shal droppe through.✦In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.
19They make bread for laughter, and wine that living they may make merry: and to money all things obey.They make bread for laughter, and wine that liuing they may make merie: and to money al thinges obey.✦In risum faciunt panem et vinum ut epulentur viventes ; et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.
20In thy cogitation detract not from the king, and in the secret of thy chamber curse not the rich man: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will declare the sentence.In thy cogitation detract not from the king, and in the secret of thy chamber curse not the richman: because euen the birdes of the ayre wil carie thy voice, and he that hath winges wil declare the sentence.✦In cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas, et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti : quia et aves cæli portabunt vocem tuam, et qui habet pennas annuntiabit sententiam.
Annotationsfrom the original 1609 Douay Old Testament
16Woe to thee O land, whose king is a child. S. Jerome (as in most part of his commentaries upon this book) expoundeth this passage in two senses: simply according to the first appearance of the letter; and mystically concerning the Church. The wise man seemeth indeed (saith he) to reprove the principality of young men, and to condemn luxurious judges; for that in the one by want of age is infirm wisdom; in the other, mature age is weakened by delicacies. And contrariwise he approveth a prince of good parts, and liberal education; and commendeth those Judges, which do not prefer voluptuousness before public affairs: but after great labour, and administration of the commonwealth, are constrained as by necessity to take meat. Yet to me (saith this great Doctor) something more sacred seemeth to lie hid in the letter: that in Scripture they are called young men, who forsake old authority, and contemn ancient precepts of forefathers; who neglecting God's commandment, desire to establish traditions of men. Touching which points, our Lord threateneth Israel by Isaias, for that this people hath refused the water of Siloe, that runneth with silence, and hath turned away the old fishpond, choosing the streams of Samaria, and gulfs of Damascus, I will give young men to be their princes, and deluders shall rule over them. Read Daniel: Thou shalt find God ancient of days. Read the Apocalypse of S. John; Thou shalt find the head of our Saviour white as snow, and as white wool. Jeremie also because he was wise and gravity was reputed in his wisdom, was forbid to call himself a child. Woe therefore to the land, whose king is the devil, who always coveting novelties, rebelled in Absalom against the father. Woe to that land whose Judges, and Princes love the pleasures of this world. Who, until the day of death come, say: Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die. Contrariwise blessed is the land of the Church, whose King is Christ, the Son of the freeborn, descending from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the stock of Prophets, and of all Saints, over whom sin ruled not: and for that cause they were truly free: of whom was born the holy Virgin Marie more free: having no shrub, nor branch out of the side, but her whole fruit sprung forth into a flower: saying in the Canticles: I am the flower of the field, the lily of the valleys. The princes also of this land are the Apostles, and all saints, who have their king the son of the freeborn, the son of the freewoman, not of the bondwoman Agar, but born of the freedom of Sara. Neither do they eat in the morning, nor quickly. For they seek not pleasure in this present world; but shall eat in their due time, when the time of reward shall come, and they shall eat in fortitude, and not in confusion. All the good of this present world is confusion: but of the future world is perpetual fortitude. Thus far S. Jerome. Whose discourse we have here cited at large for a taste of his profound exposition of this whole book; that such as have opportunity, may read the rest in the author himself. To. 7.Woe to thee o land, whose king is a childe. S. Ierom (as in most part of his commentaries vpon this booke) expoundeth this passage in two senses: simply according to the first apparance of the letter; and mystically concerning the Church. The wiseman semeth in dede (sayth he) to reproue the principalitie of yongmen, and to condemne luxurious iudges; for that in the one by want of age is infirme wisdom; in the other, mature age is weakened by delicacies. And contrarywise he approueth a prince of good partes, & liberal education; & commendeth those Iudges, which do not preferre voluptuousnes before publique affayres: but after great labour, and administration of the commonwealth, are constrained as by necessitie to take meate. Yet to me (saith this great Doctor) something more sacred semeth to lye hidde in the letter: that in Scripture they are called yongmen, who forsake old auctoritie, and contemne ancient precepts of forefathers; who neglecting Gods commandment, desire to establish traditions of men. Touching which points, our Lord threatneth Israel by Isaias, for that this people hath refused the water of Siloe, that runneth with silence, and hath turned away the old fishpond, choosing the streames of Samaria, and gulfes of Damascus, I wil geue yongmen to be their princes, and deluders shal rule ouer them. Read Daniel: Thou shalt finde God ancient of dayes. Read the Apocalips of S. Iohn; Thou shalt finde the head of our Sauiour white as snow, and as white wool. Ieremie also because he was wise and grauitie was reputed in his wisdom, was forbid to cal himself a childe. VVoe therfore to the land, whose king is the diuel, who alwayes coueting nouelties, rebelled in Absalom against the father. VVoe to that land whose Iudges, and Princes loue the pleasures of this world. VVho, vntil the day of death come, say: Let vs eate and drinke, for to morow we shal dye. Contrariwise blessed is the land of the Church, whose King is Christ, the Sonne of the freeborne, descending from Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, the stock of Prophetes, and of al Sainctes, ouer whom sinne ruled not: and for that cause they were truly free: of whom was borne the holie Virgin Marie more free: hauing no shrubbe, nor branch out of the side, but her whole fruite sprung forth into a floure: saying in the Canticles: I am the floure of the filde, the lillie of the valles. The princes also of this land are the Apostles, and al sainctes, who haue their king the sonne of the freeborne, the sonne of the freewoman, not of the bondwoman Agar, but borne of the freedom of Sara. Neither do they eate in the morning, nor quickly. For they seke not pleasure in this present world; but shal eate in their due time, when the time of reward shal come, and they shal eate in fortitude, and not in confusion. Al the good of this present world is confusion: but of the future world is perpetual fortitude. Thus farre S. Ierom. VVhose discourse we haue here cited at large for a taste of his profound exposition of this whole booke; that such as haue apportunitie, may read the rest in the auctor himself. To. 7.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.