Great prudence is required in conversation between men and women. 14. Esteem old friends. 16. Emulate not sinners. 18. Avoid the company of the malicious. 21. Consult with the prudent, having God ever before thine eyes.Great prudence is required in conuersation betwen men and wemen. 14. Esteme old freindes. 16. Emulate not sinners. 18. Auoide the companie of malicious. 21. Consult with the prudent, hauing God euer before thyne eyes.✦
Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, lest she shew upon thee the malice of wicked doctrine.BE not ielous ouer the wife of thy bosome, lest she shew vpon thee the malice of wicked doctrine.✦Non zeles mulierem sinus tui, ne ostendat super te malitiam doctrinæ nequam.
2Give not to a woman the power of thy soul, lest she go in thy strength, and thou be confounded.Geue not to a woman the power of thy soule, lest she goe in thy strength, and thou be confounded.✦Non des mulieri potestatem animæ tuæ, ne ingrediatur in virtutem tuam, et confundaris.
3Look not upon a woman that is desirous of many: lest perhaps thou fall into her snares.Looke not vpon a woman that is desirous of manie : lest perhaps thou fal into her snares.✦Ne respicias mulierem multivolam, ne forte incidas in laqueos illius.
4With her that is a dancer be not daily assiduus: constantly in company, ever attending her, nor hear her, lest perhaps thou perish in her efficacia: her power to allure, her wiles.With her that is a dauncer be not daily conuersant, nor heare her, lest perhaps thou perish in her efficacie.✦Cum saltatrice ne assiduus sis, nec audias illam, ne forte pereas in efficacia illius.
5Behold not a virgin, lest perhaps thou be scandalized in her beauty.Behold not a virgin, lest perhaps thou be scandalized in her beautie.✦Virginem ne conspicias, ne forte scandalizeris in decore illius.
6Give not thy soul to harlots in any point: lest thou destroy thyself, and thine inheritance.Geue not thy soule to harlottes in any poynt : lest thou destroy thyself, and thine inheritance.✦Ne des fornicariis animam tuam in ullo, ne perdas te et hæreditatem tuam.
7Look not round about in the ways of the city, nor wander up and down in the streets thereof.Looke not round about in the wayes of the citie, nor wander vp and downe in the streates therof.✦Noli circumspicere in vicis civitatis, nec oberraveris in plateis illius.
8Turn away thy face from a compta: adorned, decked out woman, and gaze not about upon another's beauty.Turne away thy face from a trimmed woman, and gaze not about vpon an others beautie.✦Averte faciem tuam a muliere compta, et ne circumspicias speciem alienam.
9By the beauty of a woman many have perished: and hereby concupiscence is inflamed as a fire.By the beautie of a woman manie haue perished : and hereby concupiscence is inflamed as a fire.✦Propter speciem mulieris multi perierunt : et ex hoc concupiscentia quasi ignis exardescit.
10Every woman, that is an harlot, shall be trodden upon as dung in the way.Euerie woman, that is an harlot, shal be troden vpon as dung in the way.✦Omnis mulier quæ est fornicaria, quasi stercus in via conculcabitur.
11Many having admired the beauty of another man's wife, have become reprobi: cast off, rejected of God. for her colloquium: converse, familiar talk, not exchange of messages burneth as fire.Manie hauing admired the beautie of an other mans wife, haue become reprobate. for her communication burneth as fire.Speciem mulieris alienæ multi admirati, reprobi facti sunt : colloquium enim illius quasi ignis exardescit.
12Sit not at all with another man's wife, nor repose upon the bed with her:Sit not at al with an other mans wife, nor repose vpon the bed with her:✦Cum aliena muliere ne sedeas omnino, nec accumbas cum ea super cubitum :
13and strive not with her at the wine, lest perhaps thy heart decline toward her, and with thy blood thou fall into perdition.and striue not with her at the wine, lest perhapes thy hart decline toward her, & with thy bloud thou fal into perdition.et non alterceris cum illa in vino, ne forte declinet cor tuum in illam, et sanguine tuo labaris in perditionem.
14Forsake not an old friend: for the new will not be like to him.Forsake not an old frend : for the new wil not be like to him.✦Ne derelinquas amicum antiquum : novus enim non erit similis illi.
15A new friend, is as new wine: it shall wax old, and thou shalt drink it with sweetness.A new frend, is as new wine : it shal waxe old, and thou shalt drinke it with sweetnes.Vinum novum amicus novus : veterascet, et cum suavitate bibes illud.
16Do not zealously desire the glory, and the riches of a sinner: for thou knowest not what his subversio: overthrow, ruin, downfall, not political undermining shall be.Doe not zelousely desire the glorie, and the riches of a sinner : for thou knowest not what his subuersion shal be.✦Non zeles gloriam et opes peccatoris : non enim scis quæ futura sit illius subversio.
17Let not the injury of the unjust please thee, knowing that even to hell the impious shall not please.Let not the iniurie of the vniust please thee, knowing that euen to hel the impious shal not please.✦Non placeat tibi injuria injustorum, sciens quoniam usque ad inferos non placebit impius.
18Be far from the man that hath power to kill, and thou shalt not suspect the fear of death.Be far from the man that hath power to kil, and thou shalt not suspect the feare of death.✦Longe abesto ab homine potestatem habente occidendi, et non suspicaberis timorem mortis.
19And if thou come to him, commit nothing, lest perhaps he take away thy life.And if thou come to him, committe nothing, lest perhaps he take away thy life.✦Et si accesseris ad illum, noli aliquid committere, ne forte auferat vitam tuam.
20Know it to be communionem: fellowship, partnership with death; because thou shalt go in the midst of snares, and shalt walk upon the weapons of the sorrowful.Know it to be communication with death; because thou shalt goe in the middes of snarres, and shalt walke vpon the weapons of the sorowful.Communionem mortis scito, quoniam in medio laqueorum ingredieris, et super dolentium arma ambulabis.
21According to thy power beware thee of thy neighbour, and treat with the wise and prudent.According to thy powre beware thee of thy neighbour, and treate with the wise and prudent.✦Secundum virtutem tuam cave te a proximo tuo, et cum sapientibus et prudentibus tracta.
22Let just men be thy guests, and let thy gloriatio: glorying, boasting be in the fear of God,Let iust men be thy ghests, and let thy gloriation be in the feare of God,✦Viri justi sint tibi convivæ, et in timore Dei sit tibi gloriatio :
23and let the cogitatus: thought, meditation of God be in thy understanding, and all thine enarratio: telling, recounting, discourse in the precepts of the Highest.and let the cogitation of God be in thy vnderstanding, & al thine enarration in the precepts of the Highest.et in sensu sit tibi cogitatus Dei, et omnis enarratio tua in præceptis Altissimi.
24Works shall be praised in the hands of artificum: craftsmen, workmen, and the prince of the people in the wisdom of his speech, but the word of the ancients in the sense.Workes shal be praysed in the handes of artificers, and the prince of the people in the wisdom of his speach, but the word of the ancients in the sense.✦In manu artificum opera laudabuntur, et princeps populi in sapientia sermonis sui, in sensu vero seniorum verbum.
25A man full of tongue is terrible in his city, and he that is rash in his word shall be odious.A man ful of tongue is terrible in his citie, and he that is rash in his word shal be odious.✦Terribilis est in civitate sua homo linguosus : et temerarius in verbo suo odibilis erit.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.