Beware of a feigned, and love a sure friend, 7. consult with the wise, trusty, 15. and virtuous, 19. especially relying upon God. 21. The tongue is cause of much good, or much evil. 30. Be temperate in diet.Beware of a feaned, & loue a sure freind, 7. consult with the wise, trustie, 15. and vertuous, 19. especially relying vpon God. 21. The tongue is cause of much good, or much euil. 30. Be temperate in diet.✦
Every friend will say: I also have joined friendship: but there is a friend, in name only a friend. Doth there not sorrow remain even to death?EVERIE freind wil say: I also haue ioyned freindshipe: but there is a freind, in name only a freind. Doth there not sorow remaine euen to death?✦Omnis amicus dicet : Et ego amicitiam copulavi : sed est amicus solo nomine amicus. Nonne tristitia inest usque ad mortem ?
2But a companion and friend will be turned to enmity.But a companion and freind wil be turned to enmitie.sodalis autem et amicus ad inimicitiam convertentur.
3O most wicked presumption, whence wast thou created to cover the dry land with malice, and with the deceitfulness thereof?O most wicked presumption, whence wast thou created to couer the drie land with malice, and with the deceitfulnes thereof?✦O præsumptio nequissima, unde creata es cooperire aridam malitia et dolositate illius ?
4A companion is pleasant with his friend in oblectationibus: mere amusements; delights, enjoyments, and in the time of tribulation he will be an adversary.A companion is pleasant with his freind in delectations, and in the time of tribulation he wil be an aduersarie.✦Sodalis amico conjucundatur in oblectationibus, et in tempore tribulationis adversarius erit.
5A companion is sorry with his friend for his belly's sake, and he will take a shield against the enemy.A companion is sorie with his freind for his bellies sake, and he wil take a shield against the enemie.✦Sodalis amico condolet causa ventris, et contra hostem accipiet scutum.
6Forget not thy friend in thy mind, and be not unmindful of him in thy riches.Forgete not thy freind in thy minde, and be not vnmindeful of him in thy riches.✦Non obliviscaris amici tui in animo tuo, et non immemor sis illius in opibus tuis.
7Consult not with him which betrayeth, and hide thy counsel from them that envy thee.Consult not with him which betraieth, and hide thy counsel from them that enuie thee.✦Noli consiliari cum eo qui tibi insidiatur, et a zelantibus te absconde consilium.
8Every counsellor uttereth counsel, but there is a counsellor in himself.Euerie counseler vttereth counsel, but there is a counseler in him selfe.✦Omnis consiliarius prodit consilium, sed est consiliarius in semetipso.
9From such a counsellor keep thy soul. First know what his necessity is: for he will devise to his own mind:From such a counseler kepe thy soule. First know what his necessitie is: for he wil deuise to his owne minde:✦A consiliario serva animam tuam : prius scito quæ sit illius necessitas : et ipse enim animo suo cogitabit :
10lest perhaps he thrust a sharp stake into the ground and say to thee:lest perhaps he thrust a sharpe stake into the ground and say to thee:ne forte mittat sudem in terram, et dicat tibi :
11Thy way is good; and stand over against thee to see what will befall thee.Thy way is good; and stand ouer against thee to see what wil befal thee.Bona est via tua : et stet e contrario videre quid tibi eveniat.
12With an irreligious man treat not of holiness, and with the unjust of justice, and with a woman of the thing whereof she is jealous: with a fearful man of war, with a merchant of trajectione: the carrying of goods for trade, mercantile dealing, with a buyer of selling, with an envious man of giving thanks,With an irreligious man treate not of holines, and with the vniust of iustice, and with a woman of the thing whereof she is ielous: with a feareful man of warre, with a marchant of traficke, with a byer of selling, with an enuious man of geuing thankes,✦Cum viro irreligioso tracta de sanctitate, et cum injusto de justitia, et cum muliere de ea quæ æmulatur, cum timido de bello, cum negotiatore de trajectione, cum emptore de venditione, cum viro livido de gratiis agendis,
13with the impious of piety, with the unhonest of honesty, with the field labourer of all work,with the impious of pietie, with the vnhonest of honestie, with the field labourer of al worke,cum impio de pietate, cum inhonesto de honestate, cum operario agrario de omni opere,
14with him that worketh by the year of the ending of the year, with a slothful servant of much working: attend not to these in all counsel.with him that worketh by the yeare of the ending of the yeare, with a slothful seruant of much working: attend not to these in al counsel.cum operario annuali de consummatione anni, cum servo pigro de multa operatione. Non attendas his in omni consilio :
15But be continual with a holy man, whomsoever thou shalt know to observe the fear of God,But be continual with a holie man, whomsoeuer thou shalt know to obserue the feare of God,sed cum viro sancto assiduus esto, quemcumque cognoveris observantem timorem Dei :
16whose soul is according to thine own soul: and who when thou shalt stumble in the dark, will be sorry for thee.whose soule is according to thine owne soule: and who when thou shalt stumble in the darke, wil be sorie for thee.cujus anima est secundum animam tuam, et qui, cum titubaveris in tenebris, condolebit tibi.
17And establish with thyself an heart of good counsel: for there is none other thing more worth to thee than it.And establish with thy self an hart of good counsel: for there is none other thing more worth to thee then it.✦Cor boni consilii statue tecum : non est enim tibi aliud pluris illo.
18The soul of a holy man uttereth sometime true things, more than seven watchmen that sit in a high place to watch.The soule of a holie man vttereth sometime true thinges, more then seuen watchmen that sitte in a high place to watch.✦Anima viri sancti enuntiat aliquando vera, quam septem circumspectores sedentes in excelso ad speculandum.
19And in all these beseech the Highest, that he direct thy way in truth.And in al these beseech the Highest, that he direct thy way in truth.✦Et in his omnibus deprecare Altissimum, ut dirigat in veritate viam tuam.
20Before all works let a true word go before thee, and stable counsel before every act.Before al workes let a true word goe before thee, and stable counsel before euerie act.✦Ante omnia opera verbum verax præcedat te, et ante omnem actum consilium stabile.
21A wicked word shall change the heart: out of which rise four parts, good, and evil, life, and death: and the tongue is a continual ruler of them. There is a astutus: crafty, cunning man teacher of many, and to his own soul he is unprofitable.A wicked word shal change the hart: out of which rise foure partes, good, and euil, life, and death: and the tongue is a continual ruler of them. There is a subtile man teacher of manie, and to his owne soule he is vnprofitable.✦Verbum nequam immutabit cor : ex quo partes quatuor oriuntur : bonum et malum, vita et mors : et dominatrix illorum est assidua lingua. Est vir astutus multorum eruditor, et animæ suæ inutilis est.
22A cunning man hath taught many, and is sweet to his own soul.A cunning man hath taught manie, and is swete to his owne soule.✦Vir peritus multos erudivit, et animæ suæ suavis est.
23He that speaketh sophistice: with deceptive, cavilling cleverness, is odious: in every thing he shall be defrauded.He that speaketh sophistically, is odious: in euerie thing he shal be defrauded.Qui sophistice loquitur odibilis est : in omni re defraudabitur.
24Grace is not given him of our Lord: for he is defrauded of all wisdom.Grace is not geuen him of our Lord: for he is defrauded of al wisdom.Non est illi data a Domino gratia, omni enim sapientia defraudatus est.
25There is a wise man, wise to his own soul: and the fruit of his understanding is laudable.There is a wise man, wise to his owne soule: and the fruite of his vnderstanding is laudable.✦Est sapiens animæ suæ sapiens, et fructus sensus illius laudabilis.
26A wise man teacheth his people, and the fruits of his understanding are faithful.A wise man teacheth his people, and the fruites of his vnderstanding are faithful.✦Vir sapiens plebem suam erudit, et fructus sensus illius fideles sunt.
27A wise man shall be filled with blessings, and they that see will praise him.A wise man shal be filled with blessinges, and they that see wil praise him.✦Vir sapiens implebitur benedictionibus, et videntes illum laudabunt.
28The life of a man is in the number of days: but the days of Israel are innumerable.The life of a man is in the number of dayes: but the dayes of Israel are innumerable.✦Vita viri in numero dierum : dies autem Israël innumerabiles sunt.
29A wise man in the people shall inherit honour, and his name shall live for ever.A wise man in the people shal inherite honour, and his name shal liue for euer.✦Sapiens in populo hæreditabit honorem, et nomen illius erit vivens in æternum.
30Son in thy life prove thy soul: and if it be wicked, give it not power:Sonne in thy life proue thy soule: & if it be wicked, geue it not power:✦Fili, in vita tua tenta animam tuam, et si fuerit nequam non des illi potestatem :
31for all things are not expedient for all, and every kind pleaseth not every soul.for al thinges are not expedient for al, and euerie kinde pleaseth not euerie soule.✦non enim omnia omnibus expediunt, et non omni animæ omne genus placet.
32Be not greedy in all feasting, and pour not out thyself upon all meat:Be not greedie in al feasting, and power not out thy self vpon al meate:✦Noli avidus esse in omni epulatione, et non te effundas super omnem escam :
33for in many meats there shall be infirmity, and greediness shall approach even to choleram: bile, anger; the biliary humour.for in manie meates there shal be infirmitie, and greedines shal approch euen to choler.✦in multis enim escis erit infirmitas, et aviditas appropinquabit usque ad choleram.
34Because of crapulam: gluttonous excess in food and drink many have died: but he that is abstinent, shall add life.Because of surfet manie haue died: but he that is abstinent, shal adde life.✦Propter crapulam multi obierunt : qui autem abstinens est adjiciet vitam.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.