1   Emvlate not euil men, neither desire thou to be with them: ^note

2   because their mind doth meditate robberies, and their lippes speake deceites.

3   By wisedom the house shal be built, and by prudence it shal be strengthened.

4   In doctrine the cellars shal be replenished with al precious, and most beautiful substance.

5   A wiseman is strong: and a lerned man, strong and valiant.

6   Because warre is managed by due ordering & there shal be saluation where manie counsels are. ^note

7   Wisedom is high for a foole, and in the gate he shal not open his mouth.

8   He that thinketh to doe euils, shal be called a foole. ^note

9   The cogitation of a foole is sinne: and a detracter the abomination of men.

10   If thou despaire being wearie in the day of distresse: thy strength shal be diminished.

11   Deliuer them that are led to death: and those that are drawen to death cease not to deliuer. ^note

12   If thou say: I am not of force: he that seeth into the hart, he vnderstandeth, and nothing deceiueth the keeper of thy soule, and he shal render to a man according to his workes.

13   Eate honie my sonne, because it is good, and the honiecombe most sweete to thy throte: ^note

14   so also the doctrine of wisedom to thy soule: which when thou shalt finde, thou shalt haue hope in the later end, and thy hope shal not perish.

15   Lie not in wayte, nor seeke impietie in the house of the iust, nor spoile his rest. ^note

16   For09Q0289 seuen ^note times shal the iust fal, and shal rise againe: but the impious shal fal into euil. ^note

17   When thine enemie shal fal, be not glad, and in his ruine let not thy hart reioyce:

18   Lest perhaps our Lord see, and it displease him, and he take away his wrath from him.

19   Contend not with the most wicked, nor emulate the impious: ^note

20   because euil men haue not hope of thinges to come, and the lampe of the impious shal be extinguished.

21   Feare our Lord, my sonne, and the king: & with detracters medle not:

22   because their perdition shal sodenly rise: and the ruine of both who knoweth?

23   These thinges also to the wise: to know a person in iudgement is not good. ^note

24   They that say to the impious: Thou art iust: peoples shal curse them, and tribes shal detest them.

25   They that rebuke him, shal be praysed: and blessing shal come vpon them.

26   He shal kisse the lippes, who answereth right wordes.

27   Prepare thy worke abrode, and diligently til thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house. ^note

28   Be not witnes without cause against thy neighbour: neither alure any man with thy lippes. ^note

29   Say not: As he hath done to me, so wil I doe to him: I wil render to euerie one according to his worke.

30   I passed by the filde of a slothful man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man: ^note

31   and behold nettels had filled it wholy, and thornes had couered the face therof, and the wal of stones was destroyed.

32   Which when I had seene, I layd it in my hart, and by the example I lerned discipline.

33   A litle I say, thou shalt sleepe, a litle thou shalt slumber, a litle shalt thou ioyne thy handes together, to rest:

34   and as a poste, pouertie shal come to thee, & beggerie as a man armed.

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