Superiors must rule with meekness, 4. teaching those wisdom that are capable thereof. 7. Be moderate in music, and in wine. 9. Let young men be diligent to hear, and sparing to speak. 13. especially before their betters. 15. Be always well occupied. 17. serve, and fear God. 21. admit correction. 24. do nothing without counsel.Superiors must rule with mekenes, 4. teaching those wisdom that are capable thereof. 7. Be moderate in musike, and in wine. 9. Let yongmen be diligent to heare, and sparing to speake. 13. especially before their betters. 15. Be alwayes wel occupied. 17. serue, and feare God. 21. admitte correction. 24. do nothing without counsel.✦
Have they made thee Ruler? be not extolled: be among them as one of them.HAVE they made thee Ruler? be not extolled: be among them as one of them.✦Rectorem te posuerunt ? noli extolli : esto in illis quasi unus ex ipsis.
2Have care of them, and so sit thou still, and all thy care being dispatched, repose.Haue care of them, and so sitte thou stil, and al thy care being dispatched, repose.✦Curam illorum habe, et sic conside, et omni cura tua explicita recumbe :
3That thou mayest rejoice for their sakes, and receive a crown as an ornament of grace, and obtain the dignity of the contribution.That thou maist reioyce for their sakes, & receiue a crowne as an ornament of grace, and obteyne the dignitie of the contribution.✦ut læteris propter illos, et ornamentum gratiæ accipias coronam, et dignationem consequaris corrogationis.
4Speak thou that art elder: for it becometh thee,Speake thou that art elder: for it becometh thee,Loquere major natu : decet enim te
5the first word to him that loveth with knowledge, and hinder not music.the first word to him that loueth with knowlege, & hinder not musike.primum verbum diligenti scientia, et non impedias musicam.
6Where there is no hearing, pour not out speech, and extol not thyself out of time in thy wisdom.Where there is no hearing, power not out speache, and extol not thyself out of time in thy wisdom.✦Ubi auditus non est, non effundas sermonem, et importune noli extolli in sapientia tua.
7A little pearl of the carbuncle in an ornament of gold, and the comparison of musicians in a banquet of wine.A litle pearle of the carbuncle in an ornament of gold, and the comparison of musicians in a banket of wine.✦Gemmula carbunculi in ornamento auri, et comparatio musicorum in convivio vini.
8As a signet of the emerald is in the working of gold: so the melody of music in joyful and moderate wine.As a signet of the emerauld is in the working of gold: so the melodie of musike in ioyful and moderate wine.✦Sicut in fabricatione auri signum est smaragdi, sic numerus musicorum in jucundo et moderato vino.
9Hear holding thy peace, and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.Heare holding thy peace, & for thy reuerence good grace shal come to thee.✦Audi tacens, et pro reverentia accedet tibi bona gratia.
10Young man speak in thine own cause scarcely.Yong man speake in thine owne cause scarsely.✦Adolescens, loquere in tua causa vix.
11If thou be asked twice, let thine answer have an caput: a brief summary or point.If thou be asked twise, let thyne answer haue an head.Si bis interrogatus fueris, habeat caput responsum tuum.
12In many things be as it were ignorant, and hear holding thy peace and withal asking.In manie thinges be as it were ignorant, and heare holding thy peace and withal asking.✦In multis esto quasi inscius, et audi tacens simul et quærens.
13In the midst of great men presume not: and where ancients are, speak not much.In the middes of greate men presume not: and where ancients are, speake not much.✦In medio magnatorum non præsumas : et ubi sunt senes non multum loquaris.
14Before hail there shall go lightning: and grace shall go before verecundiam: modest, reverent bashfulness, and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.Before haile there shal goe lightning: & grace shal goe before shamfastnes, & for thy reuerence good grace shal come to thee.✦Ante grandinem præibit coruscatio : et ante verecundiam præibit gratia, et pro reverentia accedet tibi bona gratia.
15And at the hour of rising slack not thyself: but run before first into thy house, and there withdraw thyself, and there play,And at the houre of rysing slacke not thyself: but runne before first into thy house, and there withdraw thyself, and there play,Et hora surgendi non te trices : præcurre autem prior in domum tuam, et illic avocare, et illic lude,
16and do thy conceptiones: vanities, high self-opinion; thoughts, designs, purposes of the mind, and not in sins and proud word.and doe thy conceites, and not in sinnes and proud word.et age conceptiones tuas, et non in delictis et verbo superbo :
17And above all these things bless our Lord, that made thee, and that doth replenish thee with all his goods.And aboue al these thinges blesse our Lord, that made thee, & that doth replenish thee with al his goodes.✦et super his omnibus benedicito Dominum, qui fecit te, et inebriantem te ab omnibus bonis suis.
18He that feareth our Lord, shall receive his doctrine: and they that will watch after him, shall find blessing.He that feareth our Lord, shal receiue his doctrine: and they that wil watch after him, shal finde blessing.✦Qui timet Dominum excipiet doctrinam ejus : et qui vigilaverint ad illum invenient benedictionem.
19He that seeketh the law, shall be replenished with it: and he that doth deceitfully, shall be scandalized by it.He that seeketh the law, shal be replenished with it: and he that doth deceitfully, shal be scandalized by it.✦Qui quærit legem replebitur ab ea, et qui insidiose agit scandalizabitur in ea.
20They that fear our Lord, shall find just judgment, and shall kindle justices as light.They that feare our Lord, shal finde iust iudgement, and shal kindle iustices as light.✦Qui timent Dominum invenient judicium justum, et justitias quasi lumen accendent.
21A sinful man will flee correptionem: reproof, rebuke, and according to his will, will find excuse.A sinful man wil flee reprehension, and according to his wil, wil finde excuse.✦Peccator homo vitabit correptionem, et secundum voluntatem suam inveniet comparationem.
22A man of counsel will not destroy understanding, an alienus: a stranger, a foreigner and proud man will not dread fear:A man of counsel wil not destroy vnderstanding, an aliene and proud man wil not dread feare:Vir consilii non disperdet intelligentiam : alienus et superbus non pertimescet timorem :
23Yea after he hath done with fear without counsel, he shall be arguetur: directed, mastered, commanded; rebuked, checked, called to account even by his own pursuits.Yea after he hath done with feare without counsel, he shal be controwled euen by his owne pursuites.etiam postquam fecit cum eo sine consilio, et suis insectationibus arguetur.
24Son do nothing without counsel, and after the fact thou shalt not repent.Sonne doe nothing without counsel, and after the fact thou shalt not repent.✦Fili, sine consilio nihil facias, et post factum non pœnitebis.
25Go not in the way of ruin, and thou shalt not stumble at stones: commit not thyself to a laborious way, lest thou set a scandal to thy soul.Goe not in the way of ruine, and thou shalt not stumble at stones: commite not thyself to a laborious way, lest thou set a scandal to thy soule.✦In via ruinæ non eas, et non offendes in lapides : nec credas te viæ laboriosæ, ne ponas animæ tuæ scandalum.
26And beware of thy children, and take heed of them of thy household.And beware of thy children, and take heede of them of thy household.✦Et a filiis tuis cave, et a domesticis tuis attende.
27In all thy work believe thy soul by faith: for this is the keeping of the commandments.In al thy worke beleue thy soule by faith: for this is the keeping of the commandmentes.✦In omni opere tuo crede ex fide animæ tuæ, hoc est enim conservatio mandatorum.
28He that believeth God, attendeth to the commandments: and he that trusteth in him, shall not be lessened.He that beleueth God, attendeth to the commandmentes: and he that trusteth in him, shal not be lessened.✦Qui credit Deo attendit mandatis : et qui confidit in illo non minorabitur.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.