Flee from all evil things, 4. as ambition, presumption, scandal, pusillanimity, lying, and babbling. 16. Husbandry of the ground, 21. a good wife, and good servants are to be cherished, 25. keep children in discipline. 29. Honour parents, and elders, 36. and pity the poor. 40. Memory of the last things preserveth from sin.Flie from al euil thinges, 4. as ambition, presumption, scandal, pusillanimitie, lying, and babling. 16. Husbandrie of the ground, 21. a good wife, and good seruantes are to be cherised, 25. kepe children in discipline. 29. Honour parents, and elders, 36. & pittie the poore. 40. Memorie of the last thinges preserueth from sinne.✦
Do not evils, and they shall not apprehendent: understand, grasp; seize, overtake thee.DOE not euils, and they shal nor apprehend thee.✦Noli facere mala, et non te apprehendent :
2Depart from the wicked, and evil shall fail from thee.Depart from the wicked, & euil shal fayle from thee.✦discede ab iniquo, et deficient mala abs te.
3Son, sow not evils in the furrows of injustice, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold.Sonne, sow not euils in the furrowes of iustice, & thou shalt not reape them seuenfold.✦Fili, non semines mala in sulcis injustitiæ, et non metes ea in septuplum.
4Seek not of the Lord chief principality, nor of the king the chair of honour.Seeke not of the lord chiefe principalitie, nor of the king the chayre of honour.✦Noli quærere a Domino ducatum, neque a rege cathedram honoris.
5Justify not thyself before God, because he is the knower of the heart: and before the king desire not to seem wise.Iustifie not thyself before God, because he is the knower of the hart: and before the king desire not to seme wise.✦Non te justifices ante Deum, quoniam agnitor cordis ipse est : et penes regem noli velle videri sapiens.
6Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou be able by power to break iniquities: lest perhaps thou fear the face of the mighty, and put a scandalum: public disgrace, gossip; stumbling block, occasion of falling in thy equity.Seeke not to be made a iudge, vnles thou be able by power to breake iniquities: lest perhaps thou feare the face of the mightie, and put a scandal in thyne equitie.✦Noli quærere fieri judex, nisi valeas virtute irrumpere iniquitates : ne forte extimescas faciem potentis, et ponas scandalum in æquitate tua.
7Sin not against the multitude of a city, neither thrust thyself into the people,Sinne not against the multitude of a citie, neither thrust thyself into the people,✦Non pecces in multitudinem civitatis, nec te immittas in populum :
8nor bind together double sins: for neither in one shalt thou be free from punishment.nor binde together duble sinnes: for neither in one shalt thou be free from punishment.✦neque alliges duplicia peccata, nec enim in uno eris immunis.
9Be not fainthearted in thy mind:Be not fayntharted in thy minde:Noli esse pusillanimis in animo tuo :
10despise not to pray, and to give alms.despise not to pray, and to geue almes.exorare et facere eleemosynam ne despicias.
11Say not: In the multitude of my gifts God will have respect, and when I offer to God most high, he will receive my gifts.Say not: In the multitude of my giftes God wil haue respect, and when I offer to God most high, he wil receiue my giftes.✦Ne dicas : In multitudine munerum meorum respiciet Deus, et offerente me Deo altissimo, munera mea suscipiet.
12Laugh not a man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is that humbleth and exalteth, God the overseer of all.Laugh not a man to scorne in the bitternes of his soule: for there is that humbleth and exalteth, God the ouerseer of al.✦Non irrideas hominem in amaritudine animæ : est enim qui humiliat et exaltat circumspector Deus.
13Plow not a lie against thy brother: neither do thou likewise against thy friend.Plowe not a lie agaynst thy brother: neither doe thou likewise agaynst thy frend.✦Noli amare mendacium adversus fratrem tuum, neque in amicum similiter facias.
14Be not willing to make any lie: for the custom thereof is not good.Be not willing to make any lie: for the custome therof is not good.✦Noli velle mentiri omne mendacium : assiduitas enim illius non est bona.
15Be not full of words in a multitude of ancients, and iterate not a word in thy speech.Be not ful of wordes in a multitude of ancients, and iterate not a word in thy speach.✦Noli verbosus esse in multitudine presbyterorum, et non iteres verbum in oratione tua.
16Hate not laborious works, and husbandry created of the Highest.Hate not laborious workes, and husbandrie created of the Highest.✦Non oderis laboriosa opera, et rusticationem creatam ab Altissimo.
17Count not thyself in the multitude of men without discipline.Counte not thy selfe in the multitude of men without discipline.✦Non te reputes in multitudine indisciplinatorum.
18Be mindful of wrath, because it will not slack.Be mindeful of wrath, because it wil not slacke.✦Memento iræ, quoniam non tardabit.
19Humble thy spirit very much: because the vengeance of the flesh of the impious, is fire and the worm.Humble thy spirit very much: because the vengeance of the flesh of the impious, is fyre and the worme.✦Humilia valde spiritum tuum, quoniam vindicta carnis impii ignis et vermis.
20Do not prævaricari: speak evasively, equivocate; transgress, deal treacherously against thy friend deferring money, nor despise thy dearest brother for gold.Doe not preuaricate against thy frend differring money, nor despise thy dearest brother for gold.✦Noli prævaricari in amicum pecuniam differentem, neque fratrem carissimum auro spreveris.
21Depart not from a wise and good woman, which thou hast gotten in the fear of our Lord: for the grace of her bashfulness is above gold.Depart not from a wise and good woman, which thou hast gotten in the feare of our Lord: for the grace of her bashfulnes is aboue gold.✦Noli discedere a muliere sensata et bona, quam sortitus es in timore Domini : gratia enim verecundiæ illius super aurum.
22Hurt not the servant that worketh in truth, nor the hired man that giveth his soul.Hurt not the seruant that worketh in truth, nor the hyred man that geueth his soule.✦Non lædas servum in veritate operantem, neque mercenarium dantem animam suam.
23Let a wise servant be beloved of thee as thy soul, defraud him not of liberty, nor leave him needy.Let a wise seruant be beloued of thee as thy soule, defraude him not of libertie, nor leaue him needie.✦Servus sensatus sit tibi dilectus quasi anima tua : non defraudes illum libertate, neque inopem derelinquas illum.
24Hast thou cattle? look well to them: and if they be profitable, let them continue with thee.Hast thou cattel? looke wel to them: and if they be profitable, let them continew with thee.✦Pecora tibi sunt, attende illis : et si sunt utilia, perseverent apud te.
25Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow them from their childhood.Hast thou children? instruct them, & bowe them from their childehood.✦Filii tibi sunt ? erudi illos, et curva illos a pueritia illorum.
26Hast thou daughters? keep their body, and show not thy countenance merry towards them.Hast thou daughters? keepe their bodie, and shew not thy countenance merrie towards them.✦Filiæ tibi sunt ? serva corpus illarum, et non ostendas hilarem faciem tuam ad illas.
27Bestow thy daughter, and thou shalt do a great work, and give her to a wise man.Bestow thy daughter, and thou shalt doe a great worke, and geue her to a wise man.✦Trade filiam, et grande opus feceris : et homini sensato da illam.
28If thou have a wife according to thy soul, cast her not off: and to her that is hateful commit not thyself. With thy whole heartIf thou haue a wife according to thy soule, cast her not of: and to her that is hateful commit not thyself. With thy whole hart✦Mulier si est tibi secundum animam tuam, non projicias illam : et odibili non credas te. In toto corde tuo
29honour thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy mother:honour thy father, and forget not the gronings of thy mother:✦honora patrem tuum, et gemitus matris tuæ ne obliviscaris :
30remember that thou hadst not been born but by them: and recompense them, as they also thee.remember that thou hadst not bene borne but by them: and recompence them, as they also thee.✦memento quoniam nisi per illos natus non fuisses : et retribue illis, quomodo et illi tibi.
31In all thy soul fear our Lord, and sanctify his priests.In al thy soule feare our Lord, and sanctifie his priestes.✦In tota anima tua time Dominum, et sacerdotes illius sanctifica.
32With all thy strength love him that made thee: and forsake not his ministers.With al thy strength loue him that made thee: & forsake not his ministers.✦In omni virtute tua dilige eum qui te fecit, et ministros ejus ne derelinquas.
33Honour God with all thy soul, and honour the priests, and purge thyself with the arms.Honour God with al thy soule, and honour the priestes, and purge thyself with the armes.✦Honora Deum ex tota anima tua, et honorifica sacerdotes, et propurga te cum brachiis.
34Give them the portion, as it is commanded thee, of the first fruits and purgationis: the ritual purification, cleansing offering: and of thy negligence purge thyself with few.Geue them the portion, as it is commanded thee, of the first fruites and purgation: and of thy negligence purge thy self with few.✦Da illis partem, sicut mandatum est tibi, primitiarum et purgationis, et de negligentia tua purga te cum paucis.
35The gift of thy arms and the sacrifice of sanctification thou shalt offer to our Lord, and the first of holy things:The gift of thyne armes and the sacrifice of sanctification thou shalt offer to our Lord, and the first of holie thinges:✦Datum brachiorum tuorum, et sacrificium sanctificationis offeres Domino, et initia sanctorum.
36and to the poor stretch out thy hand, that thy propitiation may be perfected, and thy blessing.and to the poore stretch out thyne hand, that thy propitiation may be perfected, and thy blessing.✦Et pauperi porrige manum tuam, ut perficiatur propitiatio et benedictio tua.
37The grace of a gift is in the sight of all the living, and from the dead prohibeas: remain, stop; withhold, keep back not grace.The grace of a gift is in the sight of al the liuing, and from the dead stay not grace.✦Gratia dati in conspectu omnis viventis, et mortuo non prohibeas gratiam.
38Want not in consolation to them that weep, and walk with them that mourn.Want not in consolation to them that weepe, and walke with them that moorne.✦Non desis plorantibus in consolatione, et cum lugentibus ambula.
39Be not loth to visit the sick: for by these things thou shalt be confirmed in love.Be not loth to visite the sicke: for by these thinges thou shalt be confirmed in loue.✦Non te pigeat visitare infirmum : ex his enim in dilectione firmaberis.
40In all thy works remember thy latter ends, and thou wilt not sin for ever.In al thy workes remember thy later ends, and thou wilt not sinne for euer.✦In omnibus operibus tuis memorare novissima tua, et in æternum non peccabis.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.