1   A wise Iudge will instruct his people with discretion: the gouernance of a prudent man is well ordered.

2   As the iudge of the people is him selfe, so are his officers, and what maner of man the ruler of the citie is, such are all they that dwell therein.

3    ^noteAn vnwise king destroyeth his people, but where they that be in authoritie, are men of vnderstanding, there the citie prospereth.

4   The gouernement of the earth is in the hand of the Lorde, [and all iniquitie of the nations is to be abhorred,] and when time is, he wil set vp a profitable ruler ouer it.

5   In the hand of God is the prosperitie of man, and vpon the scribes will he lay his honour.

6    ^noteBee not angrie for any wrong, with thy neighbour, and doe nothing by iniurious practises.

7   Pride is hatefull before God and man, and by both doeth one commit iniquitie.

8    ^noteBecause of vnrighteous dealing and wrongs and riches gotten by deceit, the kingdome is translated from one people to another.

9   There is nothing woorse then a couetous man: [why art thou proude, O earth and ashes? there is not a more wicked thing, then to loue money:] for such one woulde euen sell his soule, and for his life euery man is compelled to pull out his owne bowels.

10   [All tyrannie is of small indurance, and the disease that is hard to heale, is grieuous to the physition.]

11   The physition cutteth off the sore disease, and he that is to day a king, to morowe is dead.

12   Why is earth and ashes proude, seeing that when a man dieth, he is the heire of serpents, beastes and wormes?

13   The beginning of mans pride, is to fall away from God, and to turne away his heart from his maker.

14   For pride is the original of sinne, and he that hath it, shall powre out abomination, till at last he be ouerthrowen: therefore the Lorde bringeth the perswasions [of the wicked] to dishonour, and destroyeth them in the ende.

15   The Lord hath ^note cast downe the thrones of the [proude] princes, and set vp the meeke in their steade.

16   The Lorde plucketh vp the rootes of the [proude] nations, and planteth the lowly with glory among them.

17   The Lorde ouerthroweth the landes of the heathen, and destroyeth them vnto the foundations of the earth: hee causeth them to wither away, and destroyeth them, and maketh their memoriall to cease out of the earth.

18   [God destroyeth þe; memoriall of the proude, and leaueth the remembrance of the humble.]

19   Pride was not created in men, neither wrath in the generation of women.

20   There is a seede of man which is an honourable seede: the honourable seede are they that feare the Lorde: there is a seede of man, which is without honour: the seede without honour, are they that transgresse the commaundementes of the Lord: it is a seede that remaineth which feareth the Lord, and a faire plant, that loue him: but they are a seede without honour, that despise the Lawe, and a deceiueable seede that breake the commaundementes.

21   He that is the chiefe among brethren, is honourable: so are they that feare the Lorde in his sight.

22   The feare of the Lord causeth that the kingdome faileth not, but the kingdome is lost by crueltie and pride.

23   The feare of the Lorde is the glory aswell of the rich and the noble, as of the poore.

24   It is not meete to despise the poore man that hath vnderstanding, neither is it c&obar;uenient to magnifie the rich that is a wicked man.

25   The great man and the iudge and the man of authority, are honourable, yet is there none of them greater, then he that feareth the Lord.

26    ^noteVnto the seruant that is wise, shal they that are free, doe seruice: ^note he that hath knowledge, wil not grudge when hee is reformed, [and the ignorant shall not come to honour.]

27   Seeke not excuses when thou shouldest doe thy worke, neither bee ashamed thereof through pride in the time of aduersitie.

28    ^noteBetter is he that laboureth and hath plenteousnesse of all things, then hee that is gorgeous, and wanteth bread.

29   My sonne, get thy selfe prayse by meekenes, and esteeme thy selfe as thou deseruest.

30   Who wil count him iust that sinneth against him selfe? or honour him, that dishonoureth his owne soule?

31   The poore is honoured for his knowledge [and his feare,] but the rich is had in reputation because of his goods.

32   Hee that is honourable in pouertie, howe much more shal he be when he is rich? and he that is vnhonest being rich, howe much more will he be so when he is in pouertie?

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