God's grace necessary in every good action. Man's judgment is not secure. Commend thine affairs to God. God's providence. Punishment of sin. Equity. Mercy. Devotion. Just gain. Necessity of God's grace. God assisteth superiors in governing their subjects. Just balance do please God and good kings. Righteousness. Fear, and reverence of authority. Love of wisdom. Justice in general. Humility. Meekness. Hope in God. Mildness. Teaching others. Sincere heart. Sweetness in conversation. True faith and religion. Proper industry. Charity. Common good. True friendship. Sincere thoughts. Holy old age. Patience. God's providence.[No italic chapter argument is printed — per the Chap. X second-part preamble these Parables chapters set a brief virtue-summary in the margin of each sentence in place of a running argument. The per-verse summaries, in order, are:] Gods grace necessarie in euerie good action. Mans iudgement is not secure. Commend thyne affayres to God. Gods prouidence. Punishment of sinne. Equitie. Mercie. Deuotion. Iust gaine. Necessitie of Gods grace. God assisteth superiors in gouerning their subiectes. Iust balance do please God & good kinges. Righteousnes. Feare, and reuerence of authoritie. Loue of wisdom. Iustice in general. Humilitie. Meknes. Hope in God. Mildnes. Teaching others. Sincere hart. Sweetnes in conuersation. True faith & Religion. Proper industrie. Charitie. Common good. True freindshipe. Sincere thoughts. Holie oldage. Patience. Gods prouidence.✦
It pertaineth to man to prepare the heart: and to our Lord to govern the tongue.IT perteyneth to man to prepare the hart : and to our Lord to gouerne the tongue.¶✦Hominis est animam præparare, et Domini gubernare linguam.
2All the ways of man are open to his eyes: our Lord is the weigher of spirits.Al the wayes of man are open to his eies : our Lord is the weigher of spirites.✦Omnes viæ hominis patent oculis ejus ; spirituum ponderator est Dominus.
3Reveal thy works to our Lord: and thy cogitations shall be directed.Reueale thy workes to our Lord : and thy cogitations shal be directed.✦Revela Domino opera tua, et dirigentur cogitationes tuæ.
4Our Lord hath wrought all things for himself: the impious also to the evil day.Our Lord hath wrought al thinges for himself : the impious also to the euil day.✦Universa propter semetipsum operatus est Dominus ; impium quoque ad diem malum.
5Every arrogant man is an abomination to our Lord: although hand shall be to hand he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way, is to do justice: and it is more acceptable with God, than to immolate hostias: sacrificial victims, not armies.Euerie arrogant man is an abomination to our Lord : although hand shal be to hand he is not * innocent.✦Abominatio Domini est omnis arrogans ; etiamsi manus ad manum fuerit, non est innocens. Initium viæ bonæ facere justitiam ; accepta est autem apud Deum magis quam immolare hostias.
6By mercy and truth iniquity is redeemed: and in the fear of our Lord evil is avoided.By mercie and truth iniquitie is redemed : and in the feare of our Lord euil is auoided.✦Misericordia et veritate redimitur iniquitas, et in timore Domini declinatur a malo.
7When the ways of man shall please our Lord, he will convert also his enemies to peace.When the wayes of man shal please our Lord, he wil conuert also his enemies to peace.✦Cum placuerint Domino viæ hominis, inimicos quoque ejus convertet ad pacem.
8Better is a little with justice, than much fruit with iniquity.Better is a litle with iustice, then much fruite with iniquitie.✦Melius est parum cum justitia quam multi fructus cum iniquitate.
9The heart of man disposeth his way: but it pertaineth to our Lord to direct his progress.The hart of man disposeth his way : but it perteyneth to our Lord to direct his progresse.✦Cor hominis disponit viam suam, sed Domini est dirigere gressus ejus.
10divinatio: God-given discernment in a king's judgment, not occult sorcery is in the lips of the king, his mouth shall not err in judgment.Diuination is in the lippes of the king, his mouth shal not erre in iudgement.✦Divinatio in labiis regis ; in judicio non errabit os ejus.
11Weight and balance are judgments of our Lord: and his work all the stones of the bag.Weight and balance are iudgements of our Lord : and his worke al the stones of the bagge.✦Pondus et statera judicia Domini sunt, et opera ejus omnes lapides sacculi.
12They are abominable to the king that do impiously: because the throne is established by justice.They are abominable to the king that doe impiously : because the throne is established by iustice.✦Abominabiles regi qui agunt impie, quoniam justitia firmatur solium.
13The will of kings are just lips: he that speaketh right things shall be beloved.The wil of kinges are iust lippes : he that speaketh right thinges shal be beloued.✦Voluntas regum labia justa ; qui recta loquitur diligetur.
14The king's indignation, messengers of death: and the wise man will pacify it.The kings indignation, messengers of death : and the wise man wil pacifie it.✦Indignatio regis nuntii mortis, et vir sapiens placabit eam.
15In the cheerfulness of the king's countenance is life: and his clemency is as the serotinus: the late, spring rain shower.In the cherfulnes of the kings countenance is life : and his clemencie is as the later showre.✦In hilaritate vultus regis vita, et clementia ejus quasi imber serotinus.
16Possess wisdom, because it is better than gold: and get prudence, because it is more precious than silver.Possesse wisdom, because it is better then gold : and gette prudence, because it is more precious then siluer.✦Posside sapientiam, quia auro melior est, et acquire prudentiam, quia pretiosior est argento.
17The path of the just avoideth evils: the keeper of his soul keepeth his way.The path of the iust auoideth euils : the keper of his soule kepeth his way.✦Semita justorum declinat mala ; custos animæ suæ servat viam suam.
18Pride goeth before destruction, and before ruin the spirit shall be exalted.Pride goeth before destruction, and before ruine the spirit shal be exalted.✦Contritionem præcedit superbia, et ante ruinam exaltatur spiritus.
19It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the proud.It is better to be humbled with the meeke, then to diuide spoyles with the proude.✦Melius est humiliari cum mitibus quam dividere spolia cum superbis.
20The learned in word shall find good things: and he that hopeth in our Lord, is blessed.The lerned in word shal finde good thinges : and he that hopeth in our Lord, is blessed.✦Eruditus in verbo reperiet bona, et qui sperat in Domino beatus est.
21He that is wise in heart, shall be called prudent: and he that is sweet in speech shall find greater things.He that is wise in hart, shal be called prudent : and he that is sweete in speach shal finde greater thinges.✦Qui sapiens est corde appellabitur prudens, et qui dulcis eloquio majora percipiet.
22A fountain of life the learning of him that possesseth it: the doctrine of fools foolishness.A fountaine of life the lerning of him that possesseth it : the doctrine of fooles foolishnes.✦Fons vitæ eruditio possidentis ; doctrina stultorum fatuitas.
23The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth: and shall add grace to his lips.The hart of the wise shal instruct his mouth : and shal adde grace to his lippes.✦Cor sapientis erudiet os ejus, et labiis ejus addet gratiam.
24Well set words are a honeycomb: sweetness of the soul the health of the bones.Wel set wordes are a honie combe : swetnes of the soule the health of the bones.✦Favus mellis composita verba ; dulcedo animæ sanitas ossium.
25There is a way that seemeth to a man right: and the latter ends thereof lead to death.There is a way that seemeth to a man right : and the later endes therof lead to death.✦Est via quæ videtur homini recta, et novissima ejus ducunt ad mortem.
26The soul of him that laboureth doth labour to himself, because his mouth hath compelled him:The soule of him that laboureth doth labour to himself, because his mouth hath compelled him :Anima laborantis laborat sibi, quia compulit eum os suum.
27The impious man diggeth evil, and in his lips fire burneth.The impious man diggeth euil, and in his lippes fire burneth.✦Vir impius fodit malum, et in labiis ejus ignis ardescit.
28A perverse man raiseth contentions: and one full of words separateth princes.A peruerse man raiseth contentions : and one ful of wordes separateth princes.✦Homo perversus suscitat lites, et verbosus separat principes.
29An unjust man allureth his friend: and leadeth him by a way not good.An vniust man allureth his frende : and leadeth him by a way not good.✦Vir iniquus lactat amicum suum, et ducit eum per viam non bonam.
30He that with attonitis: fixed, staring, not amazed into silence eyes thinketh wicked things, biting his lips bringeth evil to pass.He that with astoinied eies thinketh wicked thinges, byting his lippes bringeth euil to passe.✦Qui attonitis oculis cogitat prava, mordens labia sua perficit malum.
31A crown of dignity old age, which shall be found in the ways of justice.A crowne of dignitie old age, which shal be found in the wayes of iustice.✦Corona dignitatis senectus, quæ in viis justitiæ reperietur.
32Better is the patient than a strong man: and he that ruleth his mind, than the overthrower of cities.Better is the patient then a strong man : and he that ruleth his minde, then the ouerthrower of cities.✦Melior est patiens viro forti, et qui dominatur animo suo expugnatore urbium.
33Lots are cast into the bosom, but they are ordered of our Lord.Lottes are cast into the bosome, but they are ordered of our Lord.✦Sortes mittuntur in sinum, sed a Domino temperantur.
Annotationsfrom the original 1609 Douay Old Testament
1It pertaineth to man to prepare the heart. For the better understanding of this and other hard places of holy Scripture, this general rule ever approved by all Christians, is most necessary, that all holy Scripture is true and certain, as being all indited by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of truth: and so one place is never contrary to another, though at first sight they may so seem to man's understanding. For by this place the Pelagians would prove, that man can of himself, without the help of God's grace, begin a good thing, though without this help he cannot perform it, because it is here said: that it pertaineth to man to prepare the heart: that is, to begin a good thing. But S. Augustine sheweth that it may not be so understood: because so it should be contrary to that saying of our Saviour: Without me you can do nothing; and that of S. Paul. We are not sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is of God. Which two evident places, with other like, do shew that this place hath another different sense, from that which the Pelagians gather. And so S. Augustine, and other Fathers teach, that the wise man here affirmeth not, that man of himself can prepare his heart, or begin a good work, but that it pertaineth to man to prepare his heart, presupposing help of God's grace, and having so begun, God also governeth the tongue, and by more grace directeth it to speak those things well, which the heart purposed, and disposed to be uttered; without which help none is able, neither to begin any meritorious work, nor to prosecute, nor perfect that is well begun. The like sentence followeth in the 9. verse: The heart of man disposeth his way: but it pertaineth to our Lord to direct his progress; signifying in both places, that after a thing is well begun (which cannot be without the help of God's grace) yet it cannot proceed well, without more grace, still directing and strengthening man's free will.It perteineth to man to prepare the hart. For the better vnderstanding of this and other hard places of holie Scripture, this general rule euer approued by al Christians, is most necessarie, that al holie Scripture is true and certaine, as being al indited by the Holie Ghost, the Spirite of truth: and so one place is neuer contrarie to an other, though at first sight they may so seme to mans vnderstanding. For by this place the Pelagians would proue, that man can of himself, without the helpe of Gods grace, beginne a good thing, though without this helpe he can not performe it, because it is here sayd: that it perteyneth to man to prepare the hart: that is, to beginne a good thing. But S. Augustin sheweth that it may not be so vnderstood: because so it should be contrarie to that saying of our Sauiour: VVithout me you can do nothing; and that of S. Paul. VVe are not sufficient to thinke anie thing of our selues, as of our selues: but our sufficiencie is of God. VVhich two euident places, vvith other like, do shew that this place hath an other different sense, from that vvhich the Pelagians gather. And so S. Augustin, and other Fathers teach, that the vvise man here affirmeth not, that man of himself can prepare his hart, or beginne a good vvorke, but that it perteineth to man to prepare his hart, presupposing helpe of Gods grace, and hauing so begunne, God also gouerneth the tongue, and by more grace directeth it to speake those thinges vvel, vvhich the hart purposed, and disposed to be vttered; vvithout vvhich helpe none is able, neither to beginne anie meritorious vvorke, nor to prosecute, nor perfect that is vvel begunne. The like sentence foloweth in the 9. verse: The hart of man disposeth his vvay: but it perteyneth to our Lord to direct his progresse; signifying in both places, that after a thing is vvel begunne (vvhich can not be vvithout the helpe of Gods grace) yet it can not procede vvel, vvithout more grace, stil directing and streingthning mans freevvil.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.