Wisdom exhorteth to keep God's law (giving long life) to observe mercy, and truth. 5. to confide in God, 7. to fear, 9. and honour him, 11. to take his correction gladly (13. for all good things follow wisdom) 27. to relieve the needy without delay, 30. not to contend with the wicked, nor to imitate them. 33. The evil shall fail, and the godly shall prosper.Wisdom exhorteth to kepe Gods law ( geuing long life ) to obserue mercie, and truth. 5. to confide in God, 7. to feare, 9. and honour him, 11. to take his correction gladly ( 13. for al good thinges folow wisdom ) 27. to releue the needie without delay, 30. not to contend with the wicked, nor to imitate them. 33. The euil shal faile, and the godlie shal prosper.✦
My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my precepts.MY sonne, forget not my law, and let thy hart keepe my precepts.✦Fili mi, ne obliviscaris legis meæ, et præcepta mea cor tuum custodiat :
2For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life, and peace.For they shal adde to thee length of dayes, and yeares of life, and peace.longitudinem enim dierum, et annos vitæ, et pacem, apponent tibi.
3Let not mercy and truth leave thee, put them about thy throat; and write them in the tables of thy heart:Let not mercie and truth leaue thee, put them about thy throte; and write them in the tables of thy hart:✦Misericordia et veritas te non deserant ; circumda eas gutturi tuo, et describe in tabulis cordis tui :
4and thou shalt find grace, and good discipline before God and men:and thou shalt finde grace, and good discipline before God and men:et invenies gratiam, et disciplinam bonam, coram Deo et hominibus.
5Have confidence in our Lord with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own prudence.Haue confidence in our Lord with al thy hart, and leane not vpon thyne owne prudence.✦Habe fiduciam in Domino ex toto corde tuo, et ne innitaris prudentiæ tuæ.
6In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.In al thy wayes thinke on him, and he wil direct thy steppes.In omnibus viis tuis cogita illum, et ipse diriget gressus tuos.
7Be not wise in thine own apud temetipsum: vanity, self-regard; one's own estimation, judgement: fear God, and depart from evil:Be not wise in thyne owne conceipte: feare God, and depart from euil:✦Ne sis sapiens apud temetipsum ; time Deum, et recede a malo :
8for it shall be health to thy navel, and watering of thy bones.for it shal be health to thy nauil, and watering of thy bones.sanitas quippe erit umbilico tuo, et irrigatio ossium tuorum.
9Honour our Lord with thy substance, and give to him of the first of all thy fruits:Honour our Lord with thy substance, and geue to him of the first of al thy fruites:✦Honora Dominum de tua substantia, et de primitiis omnium frugum tuarum da ei :
10and thy barns shall be replenished with fullness, and thy presses shall run over with wine.and thy barnes shal be replenished with fulnes, and thy presses shal runouer with wine.et implebuntur horrea tua saturitate, et vino torcularia tua redundabunt.
11My son, cast not away the discipline of our Lord: neither do thou faint when thou art chastised of him:My sonne, cast not away the discipline of our Lord: neither doe thou faint when thou art chasteced of him:✦Disciplinam Domini, fili mi, ne abjicias, nec deficias cum ab eo corriperis :
12for whom our Lord loveth he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.for whom our Lord loueth he chasticeth: and as a father in the sonne he pleaseth himself.quem enim diligit Dominus, corripit, et quasi pater in filio complacet sibi.
13Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom, and floweth with prudence:Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom, and floweth with prudence:✦Beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam, et qui affluit prudentia.
14better is the purchasing thereof than merchandise of silver, and her fruit than chief and the purest gold:better is the purchasing therof then marchandise of siluer, and her fruite then chiefe and the purest gold:Melior est acquisitio ejus negotiatione argenti, et auri primi et purissimi fructus ejus.
15she is more precious than all riches: and all things that are desired, are not able to be compared with her.she is more precious then al riches: and al thinges that are desired, are not able to be compared with her.Pretiosior est cunctis opibus, et omnia quæ desiderantur huic non valent comparari.
16Length of days in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.Length of dayes in her right hand, & in her left hand riches and glorie✦Longitudo dierum in dextera ejus, et in sinistra illius divitiæ et gloria.
17Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths peaceable.Her wayes are beautiful wayes, and al her pathes peaceable.✦Viæ ejus viæ pulchræ, et omnes semitæ illius pacificæ.
18She is a tree of life to them that shall apprehend her: and he that shall hold her is blessed.She is a tree of life to them that shal apprehend her: and he that shal hold her is blessed.✦Lignum vitæ est his qui apprehenderint eam, et qui tenuerit eam beatus.
19Our Lord by wisdom founded the earth, established the heavens by prudence.Our Lord by wisdom founded the earth, established the heauens by prudence.✦Dominus sapientia fundavit terram ; stabilivit cælos prudentia.
20By his wisdom the depths have broken forth, and the clouds wax thick with dew.By his wisdom the depthes haue broken forth, and the cloudes waxe thicke with dew.Sapientia illius eruperunt abyssi, et nubes rore concrescunt.
21My son, let not these things depart from thine eyes: keep the law and counsel:My sonne, let not these thinges depart from thyne eies: kepe the law & counsel:✦Fili mi, ne effluant hæc ab oculis tuis. Custodi legem atque consilium,
22and there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy jaws.and there shal be life to thy soule, and grace to thy iawes.et erit vita animæ tuæ, et gratia faucibus tuis.
23Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:Then shalt thou walke confidently in thy way, and thy foote shal not stumble:✦Tunc ambulabis fiducialiter in via tua, et pes tuus non impinget.
24if thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.if thou sleepe, thou shalt not feare: thou shalt rest, and thy sleepe shal be sweete.Si dormieris, non timebis ; quiesces, et suavis erit somnus tuus.
25Dread not at sudden terror, and the power of the impious falling upon thee.Dread not at soden terrour, and the power of the impious falling vpon thee.✦Ne paveas repentino terrore, et irruentes tibi potentias impiorum.
26For our Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.For our Lord wil be at thy side, and wil keepe thy foote that thou be not taken.Dominus enim erit in latere tuo, et custodiet pedem tuum, ne capiaris.
27Do not prohibit him to do good, that is able: if thou be able, thyself also do good.Doe not prohibite him to doe good, that is able: if thou be able, thy selfe also doe good.✦Noli prohibere benefacere eum qui potest : si vales, et ipse benefac.
28Say not to thy friend: go, and return; and to morrow I will give to thee: whereas thou mayest give forthwith.Say not to thy frend: goe, and returne; and to morow I wil geue to thee: wheras thou mayest geue forthwith.Ne dicas amico tuo : Vade, et revertere : cras dabo tibi : cum statim possis dare.
29moliaris: carry out, do habitually; plot, contrive, devise not evil against thy friend, when he hath fiduciam: trust, firm reliance in thee.Practise not euil against thy freind, when he hath affiance in thee.✦Ne moliaris amico tuo malum, cum ille in te habeat fiduciam.
30Contend not against man without cause, whereas he hath done thee no evil.Contend not against man without cause, wheras he hath done thee no euil.✦Ne contendas adversus hominem frustra, cum ipse tibi nihil mali fecerit.
31Do not envy an unjust man, nor imitate his ways:Doe not enuie an vniust man, nor imitate his waies:✦Ne æmuleris hominem injustum, nec imiteris vias ejus :
32because every illusor: deceiver; mocker, scorner is an abomination of our Lord, and his communication is with the simple.because euerie deluder is an abomination of our Lord, and his communication is with the simple.✦quia abominatio Domini est omnis illusor, et cum simplicibus sermocinatio ejus.
33There is poverty from our Lord in the house of the impious: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.There is pouertie from our Lord in the house of the impious: but the habitations of the iust shal be blessed.Egestas a Domino in domo impii ; habitacula autem justorum benedicentur.
34He shall delude the deluders, and to the mild he will give grace.He shal delude the deluders, and to the milde he wil geue grace.Ipse deludet illusores, et mansuetis dabit gratiam.
35The wise shall possess glory: the exaltation of fools ignominy.The wise shal possesse glorie: the exaltation of fooles ignominie.Gloriam sapientes possidebunt ; stultorum exaltatio ignominia.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.