Let not riches, youth, nor strength hold thee in sin: 5. but do penance for sins remitted, and add not sin upon sin. 6. Neither presume to sin, because God is merciful. 10. Be not covetous, nor unconstant. 13. Be meek in learning, and careful in teaching. 16. not a batemaker, nor double tongued.Let not riches, youth, nor streingth hold thee in sinne: 5. but do penance for sinnes remitted, and adde not sinne vpon sinne. 6. Neither presume to sinne, because God is merciful. 10. Be not couetous, nor vnconstant. 13. Be meeke in lerning, and careful in teaching. 16. not a batemaker, nor duble tongued.✦
Attend not to unjust possessions, and say not: I have sufficient livelihood: for it shall nothing profit in the time of vengeance and affliction.ATTEND not to vniust possessions, and say not: I haue sufficient liuelihood: for it shal nothing profite in the time of vengeance & affliction.✦Noli attendere ad possessiones iniquas, et ne dixeris : Est mihi sufficiens vita : nihil enim proderit in tempore vindictæ et obductionis.
2Follow not in thy strength the concupiscence of thy heart:Folow not in thy strength the concupiscence of thy hart:✦Ne sequaris in fortitudine tua concupiscentiam cordis tui,
3and say not: How mighty am I? and who shall bring me under for my facta: pieces of information; deeds, acts? for God revenging will revenge.and say not: How mightie am I? and who shal bring me vnder for my factes? for God reuenging wil reuenge.✦et ne dixeris : Quomodo potui ? aut, Quis me subjiciet propter facta mea ? Deus enim vindicans vindicabit.
4Say not: I have sinned, and what sorrowful thing hath chanced to me? For the Highest is a patient rewarder.Say not: I haue sinned, and what sorowful thing hath chanced to me? For the Highest is a patient rewarder.✦Ne dixeris : Peccavi : et quid mihi accidit triste ? Altissimus enim est patiens redditor.
5Of sin forgiven be not without fear, neither add thou sin upon sin.Of sinne forgeuen be not without feare, neither adde thou sinne vpon sinne.✦De propitiato peccato noli esse sine metu, neque adjicias peccatum super peccatum.
6And say not: The mercy of our Lord is great, he will have mercy on the multitude of my sins.And say not: The mercie of our Lord is great, he wil haue mercie on the multitude of my sinnes.✦Et ne dicas : Miseratio Domini magna est, multitudinis peccatorum meorum miserebitur :
7For mercy and wrath quickly approach from God, and his wrath looketh upon sinners.For mercie and wrath quickly approch from God, and his wrath looketh vpon sinners.✦misericordia enim et ira ab illo cito proximant, et in peccatores respicit ira illius.
8Slack not to be converted to our Lord, and differ not from day to day.Slacke not to be conuerted to our Lord, and differre not from day to day.✦Non tardes converti ad Dominum, et ne differas de die in diem :
9For his wrath shall come suddenly, and in the time of vengeance he will destroy thee.For his wrath shal come sodainly, and in the time of vengeance he wil destroy thee.subito enim veniet ira illius, et in tempore vindictæ disperdet te.
10Be not anxius: cautious, attentive; anxious, solicitous in unjust riches: for they shall not profit thee in the day of obductio: a covering or clouding over, a time of darkness and vengeance.Be not careful in vniust riches: for they shal not profite thee in the day of * obduction and vengeance.✦Noli anxius esse in divitiis injustis : non enim proderunt tibi in die obductionis et vindictæ.
11Toss not thyself into every wind, and go not into every way: for so every sinner is proved by a double tongue.Tosse not thy self into euerie winde, and goe not into euerie way: for so euerie sinner is proued by a duble tongue.✦Non ventiles te in omnem ventum, et non eas in omnem viam : sic enim omnis peccator probatur in duplici lingua.
12Be steadfast in the way of our Lord, and in the truth of thy understanding and in knowledge, and let the word of peace and justice accompany thee.Be stedfast in the way of our Lord, & in the truth of thy vndestanding and in knowlege, and let the word of peace and iustice accompanie thee.✦Esto firmus in via Domini, et in veritate sensus tui et scientia : et prosequatur te verbum pacis et justitiæ.
13Be mild to hear the word, thou mayst understand: and with wisdom utter thou a true answer.Be milde to heare the word, thou maist vnderstand: and with wisdom vtter thou a true answer.✦Esto mansuetus ad audiendum verbum, ut intelligas, et cum sapientia proferas responsum verum.
14If thou have understanding, answer thy neighbour: but if not, let thine hand be upon thy mouth, lest thou be taken in an indisciplinatus: undisciplined, ill-considered word, and be confounded.If thou haue vnderstanding, answer thy neighbour: but if not, let thine hand be vpon thy mouth, lest thou be taken in an vnskilful word, and be confounded.✦Si est tibi intellectus, responde proximo : sin autem, sit manus tua super os tuum, ne capiaris in verbo indisciplinato, et confundaris.
15Honour and glory in the word of the wise, but the tongue of the unwise is his subversion.Honour and glorie in the word of the wise, but the tongue of the vnwise is his subuersion.✦Honor et gloria in sermone sensati : lingua vero imprudentis subversio est ipsius.
16Be not called a whisperer and be not taken in thy tongue, and confounded.Be not called a whisperer and be not taken in thy tongue, & confounded.✦Non appelleris susurro, et lingua tua ne capiaris et confundaris :
17For upon a thief is confusion and repentance, and a very evil condemnation upon the double tongued, but to the whisperer hatred, and enmity, and contumelia: insolent reproach, dishonour.For vpon a theefe is confusion & repentance, and a verie euil condemnation vpon the duble tongued, but to the whisperer hatred, and emnitie, and contumelie.✦super furem enim est confusio et pœnitentia, et denotatio pessima super bilinguem : susurratori autem odium, et inimicitia, et contumelia.
18justifica: give reasons to excuse; deal justly with, judge rightly thou the little one, and the great alike.Iustifie thou the litle one, and the great alike.✦Justifica pusillum et magnum similiter.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.