1   Three things reioyce me, and by them am I beautified before God and men: ^note the vnitie of brethren, the loue of neighbours, a man and wife that agree together.

2   ¶2; Three sortes of men my soule hateth, and I vtterly abhorre the life of them: a poore man that is proude: a rich man that is a lyar, and an old adulterer that doteth.

3   ¶2; If thou hast gathered nothing in thy youth, what canst thou finde in thine age?

4   ¶2; Oh, how pleasant a thing is it when gray headed men minister iudgement, and when the elders can giue good counsell!

5   Oh, how comely a thing is wisedome vnto aged men, and vnderstanding and prudencie to men of honour!

6   The crowne of old men is to haue much experience, and the feare of God is their glorie.

7   ¶2; There be nine things, which I haue iudged in mine heart to be happy, and the tenth wil I pronounce with my tongue: a man that while he liueth, hath ioy of his children, and seeth the fall of his enemies.

8   ¶2; Well is him that dwelleth with a wife of vnderstanding, ^note and that hath not fallen with his tongue, and that hath not serued such as are vnworthie of him.

9   Well is him that findeth prudencie, & he that speaketh in the eares of them that will heare.

10   ¶2; Oh, how great is hee that findeth wisdome! yet is there none aboue him, that feareth the Lord.

11   The feare of the Lorde passeth all things in clearenesse.

12   [Blessed is the man, vnto whom it is granted to haue the feare of God.] Vnto whom shall he be likened that hath attayned it?

13   The feare of the Lord is the beginning of his loue, & faith is þe; beginning to be ioyned vnto him.

14   [¶2; The greatest heauinesse is the heauinesse of the heart, and the greatest malice is the malice of a woman.]

15   Giue me any plague, saue only the plague of the heart, & any malice, saue þe; malice of a woman:

16   Or any assault, saue the assault of them that hate, or any vengeance, saue the vengeance of the enemy.

17   There is not a more wicked head then the head of the serpent, and there is no wrath aboue the wrath of an ^note enemie.

18    ^noteI had rather dwel with a lion and dragon, then to keepe house with a wicked wife.

19   The wickednesse of a woman changeth her face, & maketh her countenance blacke as ^note a sacke.

20   Her husband is sitting among his neighbors: because of her he sigheth sore or he beware.

21   All wickednesse is but little to the wickednesse of a woman: let the portion of the sinner fall vpon her.

22   As the climing vp of a sandie way is to the feete of the aged, so is a wife full of words to a quiet man.

23    ^noteStumble not at the beautie of a woman, and desire her not for thy pleasure.

24   If a woman nourish her husb&abar;d, she is angry

and impudent and full of reproche.

25   A wicked wife maketh a sorie heart, an heauie countenance, and a wounded minde, weake handes and feeble knees, and can not comfort her husband in heauinesse.

26   Of the ^note woman came the beginning of sinne, and through her we all die.

27   Giue the water no passage, [no not a litle,] neither giue a wicked woman libertie to goe out.

28   If she walke not in thine obedience, [she shall confound thee in the sight of thine enemies.] Cut her off then from thy flesh: Giue her, and forsake her.

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