Contend not with a man of power, rich, full of tongue, or very ignorant. 6. Despise not the penitent, nor old folk. 8. Rejoice not at an enemy's death. 9. Learn of the elder. 15. Observe discretion in admonishing, lending, and in being surety. 17. Reprove not Judges. 18. Converse not with the furious, foolish, nor with strangers.Contend not with a man of powre, rich, ful of tongue, or very ignorant. 6. Despise not the penitent, nor old folke. 8. Reioyce not at an enemies death. 9. Lerne of the elder. 15. Obserue discretion in admonishing, lending, and in being suertie. 17. Reproue not Iudges. 18. Conuerse not with the furious, foolish, nor with strangers.✦
Strive not with a mighty man, lest perhaps thou fall into his hands.STRIVE not with a mightie man, lest perhaps thou fal into his handes.✦Non litiges cum homine potente, ne forte incidas in manus illius.
2Contend not with a rich man, lest perhaps he make an litem: a lawsuit against thee against thee.Contend not with a rich man, lest perhaps he make an action against thee.✦Non contendas cum viro locuplete, ne forte contra te constituat litem tibi :
3For gold and silver hath destroyed many, and hath reached even to the heart of kings, and hath turned them.For gold and siluer hath destroyed manie, and hath reached euen to the hart of kinges, and hath turned them.✦multos enim perdidit aurum et argentum, et usque ad cor regum extendit et convertit.
4Strive not with a man full of tongue, and thou shalt not heap sticks upon his fire.Striue not with a man ful of tongue, and thou shalt not heape stickes vpon his fyre.✦Non litiges cum homine linguato, et non strues in ignem illius ligna.
5communices: hold company with him; have dealings with not with the ignorant man, lest he speak ill of thy progeny.Communicate not with the ignorant man, lest he speake il of thy progenie.✦Non communices homini indocto, ne male de progenie tua loquatur.
6Despise not a man that turneth himself from sin, nor upbraid him therewith: remember that we are all in state to be blamed.Despise not a man that turneth himself from sinne, nor vpbrayde him therwith: remember that we are al in state to be blamed.✦Ne despicias hominem avertentem se a peccato, neque improperes ei : memento quoniam omnes in correptione sumus.
7Despise not a man in his old age: for we also shall become old.Despise not a man in his old age: for we also shal become old.✦Ne spernas hominem in sua senectute, etenim ex nobis senescunt.
8Rejoice not of thine enemy dead: knowing that we do all die, and would not that others should joy thereat.Reioyce not of thine enemie dead: knowing that we doe al die, and would not that others should ioy therat.✦Noli de mortuo inimico tuo gaudere : sciens quoniam omnes morimur, et in gaudium nolumus venire.
9Despise not the narration of wise ancients, and in their proverbs be thou conversare: familiar or acquainted; constantly occupied, dwelling upon them.Despise not the narration of wise ancients, and in their prouerbes be thou conuersant.✦Ne despicias narrationem presbyterorum sapientium, et in proverbiis eorum conversare :
10For of them thou shalt learn wisdom, and doctrine of understanding, and to serve great men without blame.For of them thou shalt lerne wisdom, and doctrine of vnderstanding, and to serue great men without blame.✦ab ipsis enim disces sapientiam et doctrinam intellectus, et servire magnatis sine querela.
11Let not the narration of the ancients escape thee: for they learned of their fathers:Let not the narration of the ancients escape thee: for they lerned of their fathers:✦Non te prætereat narratio seniorum, ipsi enim didicerunt a patribus suis :
12because of them thou shalt learn understanding, and in time of necessity to give answer.because of them thou shalt lerne vnderstanding, and in time of necessitie to geue answer.✦quoniam ab ipsis disces intellectum, et in tempore necessitatis dare responsum.
13Kindle not the coals of sinners rebuking them, and be not kindled with the flame of the fire of their sins.Kindle not the coles of sinners rebuking them, and be not kindled with the flame of the fire of their sinnes.✦Non incendas carbones peccatorum arguens eos, et ne incendaris flamma ignis peccatorum illorum.
14Stand not against the face of a contumeliosi: insolently abusive, given to insult person, lest he sit as a spy in wait for thy mouth.Stand not against the face of a contumelious person, lest he sitte as a spie in wayte for thy mouth.✦Ne contra faciem stes contumeliosi, ne sedeat quasi insidiator ori tuo.
15Lend not to a man mightier than thyself, and if thou doest lend, count it as lost.Lend not to a man mightier then thyself, and if thou doest lend, count it as lost.✦Noli fœnerari homini fortiori te : quod si fœneraveris, quasi perditum habe.
16Be not spondeas: certainty, assurance; a guarantor pledging for another above thy power: and if thou be surety, think as if thou were to pay it.Be not suretie aboue thy power: and if thou be suretie, thinke as if thou were to pay it.✦Non spondeas super virtutem tuam : quod si spoponderis, quasi restituens cogita.
17Judge not against a judge: because he judgeth according to that which is just.Iudge not agaynst a iudge: because he iudgeth according to that which is iust.✦Non judices contra judicem, quoniam secundum quod justum est judicat.
18With the audacious go not on the way, lest perhaps he burden thee with his evils: for he goeth according to his own will, and thou shalt perish together with his folly.With the audacious goe not on the way, lest perhaps he burden thee with his euils: for he goeth according to his owne wil, and thou shalt perish together with his follie.✦Cum audace non eas in via, ne forte gravet mala sua in te : ipse enim secundum voluntatem suam vadit, et simul cum stultitia illius peries.
19With an angry man make no brawl, and with the audacious go not into the desert: because blood is as nothing before him, and where there is no help, he will overthrow thee.With an angrie man make no brawle, and with the audacious goe not into the desert: because bloud is as nothing before him, and where there is no helpe, he wil ouerthrow thee.✦Cum iracundo non facias rixam, et cum audace non eas in desertum : quoniam quasi nihil est ante illum sanguis, et ubi non est adjutorium, elidet te.
20Confer no counsel with fools, for they cannot love but such things as please them.Conferre no counsel with fooles, for they can not loue but such thinges as please them.✦Cum fatuis consilium non habeas : non enim poterunt diligere nisi quæ eis placent.
21Before a stranger do no matter of counsel: for thou knowest not what he will bring forth.Before a stranger doe no matter of counsel: for thou knowest not what he wil bring forth.✦Coram extraneo ne facias consilium : nescis enim quid pariet.
22Make not thy heart manifest to every man: lest perhaps he repay thee false kindness, and speak reproachfully to thee.Make not thy hart manifest to euerie man: lest perhaps he repay thee false kindnes, and speake reprochfully to thee.✦Non omni homini cor tuum manifestes, ne forte inferat tibi gratiam falsam, et convicietur tibi.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.