Kings and all Magistrates are again admonished to exercise justice: 7. otherwise they shall be more grievously punished. 13. wisdom may easily be found, 18. by those that sincerely desire it. 22. And is very profitable (25. excepting the envious, or ill disposed) 26. both to prince and people.Kinges and al Magistrates are againe admonished to exercise iustice: 7. otherwise they shal be more greuously punished. 13. wisdom may easely be found, 18. by those that sincerely desire it. 22. And is very profitable (25. excepting the enuious, or il disposed) 26. both to prince and people.✦
Wisdom is better than strength: and a wise man than a strong.WISEDOM is better then strength: and a wiseman then a strong.✦Melior est sapientia quam vires, et vir prudens quam fortis.
2Hear therefore ye kings, & understand, learn ye judges of the ends of the earth.Heare therfore ye kinges, & vnderstand, lerne ye iudges of the endes of the earth.✦Audite ergo, reges, et intelligite ; discite, judices finium terræ.
3Give ear ye, that rule multitudes, and that please yourselves in multitudes of nations:Geue eare ye, that rule multitudes, and that please yourselues in multitudes of nations:✦Præbete aures, vos qui continetis multitudines, et placetis vobis in turbis nationum.
4because the power is given you of our Lord, and strength by the Highest, who will examine your works, and search your cogitationes: thoughts, the workings of the mind:because the powre is geuen you of our Lord, and strength by the Highest, who wil examine your workes, and search your cogitations:✦Quoniam data est a Domino potestas vobis, et virtus ab Altissimo : qui interrogabit opera vestra, et cogitationes scrutabitur.
5because when you were the ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly, nor kept the law of justice, nor have walked according to the will of God.because when you were the ministers of his kingdom, you iudged not rightly, nor kept the law of iustice, nor haue walked according to the wil of God.✦Quoniam cum essetis ministri regni illius, non recte judicastis, nec custodistis legem justitiæ, neque secundum voluntatem Dei ambulastis.
6Horribly and quickly will he appear to you: because most severe judgement shall be done on them, that bear rule.Horribly and quickly wil he appeare to you: because most seuere iudgement shal be done on them, that beare rule.✦Horrende et cito apparebit vobis, quoniam judicium durissimum his qui præsunt fiet.
7For to the little one mercy is granted: but the mighty shall mightily suffer torments.For to the litle one mercie is granted: but the mightie shal mightely suffer torments.✦Exiguo enim conceditur misericordia ; potentes autem potenter tormenta patientur.
8For God will not except any man's person, neither will fear the greatness of any man: because he made the little and the great, & he hath equally care of all.For God wil not except any mans person, neither wil feare the greatnes of any man: because he made the litle and the great, & he hath equally care of al.✦Non enim subtrahet personam cujusquam Deus, nec verebitur magnitudinem ejus cujusquam, quoniam pusillum et magnum ipse fecit, et æqualiter cura est illi de omnibus.
9But to the stronger more strong torment is imminent.But to the stronger more strong torment is imminent.✦Fortioribus autem fortior instat cruciatio.
10To you therefore O kings are these my words, that you may learn wisdom, and not fall.To you therfore ô kings are these my wordes, that you may lerne wisdom, and not fal.Ad vos ergo, reges, sunt hi sermones mei : ut discatis sapientiam, et non excidatis.
11For they that have kept just things justly, shall be justified: and they that have learned these things, shall find what they may answer.For they that haue kept iust thinges iustly, shal be iustified: and they that haue lerned these thinges, shal find what they may answer.Qui enim custodierint justa juste, justificabuntur ; et qui didicerint ista, invenient quid respondeant.
12concupiscite: to long for, desire earnestly: not wrongful craving ye therefore my words, and love them, and you shall have discipline.Couet ye therfore my wordes, and loue them, and you shal haue discipline.✦Concupiscite ergo sermones meos ; diligite illos, et habebitis disciplinam.
13Wisdom is clear, and such as never fadeth, and is easily seen of them that love her, and is found of them that seek her.Wisdom is cleere, and such as neuer fadeth, and is easely sene of them that loue her, and is found of them that seeke her.✦Clara est, et quæ numquam marcescit, sapientia : et facile videtur ab his qui diligunt eam, et invenitur ab his qui quærunt illam.
14She præoccupat: goeth before, anticipateth: not hindereth them that covet her, that she first may show herself unto them.She preuenteth them that couete her, that she first may shew herself vnto them.✦Præoccupat qui se concupiscunt, ut illis se prior ostendat.
15He that awaketh early to her, shall not labour: for he shall find her sitting at her doors.He that awaketh early to her, shal not labour: for he shal find her sitting at her doores.Qui de luce vigilaverit ad illam non laborabit ; assidentem enim illam foribus suis inveniet.
16To think therefore of her, is perfect understanding: and he that watcheth for her, shall quickly be secure.To thinke therfore of her, is perfect vnderstanding: and he that watcheth for her, shal quickly be secure.✦Cogitare ergo de illa sensus est consummatus, et qui vigilaverit propter illam cito securus erit.
17Because she goeth about seeking them that be worthy of her, and in the ways she will show herself to them cheerfully, and in all providence she will meet them.Because she goeth about seeking them that be worthie of her, and in the wayes she wil shew her self to them cheerefully, and in al prouidence she wil meete them.✦Quoniam dignos se ipsa circuit quærens, et in viis ostendit se hilariter, et in omni providentia occurrit illis.
18For the beginning of her is the most true desire of discipline.For the beginning of her is the most true desire of discipline.✦Initium enim illius verissima est disciplinæ concupiscentia.
19The care therefore of discipline, is love: and love, is the keeping of her laws: and the keeping of the laws, is the consummatio: the completing, the perfecting of incorruption:The care therfore of discipline, is loue: and loue, is the keeping of her lawes: and the keeping of the lawes, is the consummation of incorruption:✦Cura ergo disciplinæ dilectio est, et dilectio custodia legum illius est ; custoditio autem legum consummatio incorruptionis est ;
20and incorruption maketh to be next to God.and incorruption maketh to be next to God.✦incorruptio autem facit esse proximum Deo.
21Therefore the desire of wisdom leadeth to the everlasting kingdom.Therfore the desire of wisdom leadeth to the euerlasting kingdom.✦Concupiscentia itaque sapientiæ deducit ad regnum perpetuum.
22If therefore you be delighted with thrones, and with sceptres O ye kings of the people, love wisdom, that you may reign for ever.If therfore you be delighted with thrones, and with scepters ô ye kinges of the people, loue wisdom, that you may reigne for euer.Si ergo delectamini sedibus et sceptris, o reges populi, diligite sapientiam, ut in perpetuum regnetis :
23Love the light of wisdom all ye that bear rule over peoples.Loue the light of wisdom al ye that beare rule ouer peoples.✦diligite lumen sapientiæ, omnes qui præestis populis.
24But what wisdom is, and how she was made, I will declare: and I will not hide from you the mysteries of God, but from the beginning of her nativity I will search out, and set the knowledge of her into light, and will not let pass the truth:But what wisdom is, and how she was made, I wil declare: and I wil not hide from you the mysteries of God, but from the beginning of her natiuitie I wil search out, and sette the knowlege of her into light, and wil not let passe the truth:✦Quid est autem sapientia, et quemadmodum facta sit, referam, et non abscondam a vobis sacramenta Dei : sed ab initio nativitatis investigabo, et ponam in lucem scientiam illius, et non præteribo veritatem.
25neither will I go with tabescente: wasting, consuming, languishing envy: because such a man shall not be partaker of wisdom.neither wil I goe with pyning enuie: because such a man shal not be partaker of wisdom.✦Neque cum invidia tabescente iter habebo, quoniam talis homo non erit particeps sapientiæ.
26But the multitude of the wise is the health of the round world: and a wise king is the stability of the people.But the multitude of the wise is the health of the round world: and a wise king is the stabilitie of the people.✦Multitudo autem sapientium sanitas est orbis terrarum, et rex sapiens stabilimentum populi est.
27Therefore take ye discipline by my words, and it shall profit you.Therfore take ye discipline by my wordes, and it shal profite you.✦Ergo accipite disciplinam per sermones meos, et proderit vobis.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.