Proverbs — The Coverdale Bible (1535)

Proverbs is the collection of wisdom sayings ascribed to Solomon and other sages. In Coverdale’s Bible of 1535 it stands in the third part (Job to the Song of Solomon) under the heading “The Prouerbes of Salomon”. Coverdale’s summary of the chapters stands before the text; the 1535 Bible has no verse numbers, so the text keeps its own paragraphs, in 31 chapters, with the marginal notes and references printed after each chapter.

What this boke conteyneth.

• Chap. I. The wysdome of God calleth vs by the mouth of Salomō, exorteth vs, and geueth vs warnynge to eschue the wicked: whose vn godly cōuersacion in worde and worke, and punyshment also of the same, is here descrybed.
• Chap. II. How wisdome maye be gotten, and what profit commeth of it.
• Chap. III. He exorteth us to the feare of God and to pacience: he commendeth wyszdome, ⟨illegible⟩ requyreth us to cleue vnto the same.
• Chap. IIII. A fatherly exortacion vnto wisdome with the profit therof, and how we ought to refrayne the mēbres of oure body frō euell.
• Chap. V. He exorteth vnto wyszdōe, and to be warre of harlottes: he telleth what harme maye folowe therout, whē men medle with soch: he teacheth men, louyngly to cleue vnto their maried wyues, and descrybeth the ende of the vn⟨illegible⟩godly.
• Chap. VI. He warneth men to bewarre of s⟨illegible⟩tishipe, exorteth the slouthfull to laboure, sheweth the wikednesse of false tonges, and requyreth men to bewarre of aduoutry, because it is more perlous then theft or felony.
• Chap. VII. He exorteth vnto wiszdome, sheweth the condicions of harlottes, and what hurt happeneth vnto soch as enclyne to the prouocaciōs and desyres of the flesh.
• Chap. VIII. Wyszdome calleth men swetely vnto her, and telleth them what treasure and power she hath. A cōmendacion and prayse of wiszdome, wherout euery mā is exorted to cleue vnto her.
• Chap. IX. Wyszdome crieth vpō the ignoraūt, and promiseth them greate thinges. The foolish maner of a light woman.
• Chap. X. From this chapter forth vnto the XXXI, there are described many swete, louely and wyse sentences, which teach men wyszdome and what profit commeth of it: Agayne, how men maye auoyde foolishnesse, and the hurte therof.
• Chap. XXXI Wyszdome warneth us to bewarre of euell women, and descrybeth the cōuersacion, maner, & behauoure of an honest maried wyfe.

These are the prouerbes of Salomon the sonne of Dauid kynge of Israel: to lerne wyszdome nurtoure, vnderstondinge, prudence, rightuousnesse, iudgment and equite. That the very babes might haue wyt, and that yonge men might haue knowlege and vnderstondinge. By hearinge, the wyse mā shal cōme by more wysdome: and by experience, he shal be more apte to vnderstonde a parable, and the interpretacion therof: the wordes of the wyse, and the darcke speaches of the same. The feare of the LORDE is the begynnynge of wysdome.⁽¹⁾ But fooles despyse wysdome and nurtoure.

Notes

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 1

[A] MY sonne, heare thy fathers doctryne, and forsake not the lawe of yᵉ mother: for that shal brynge grace vnto thy heade, & shal be a cheyne aboute thy necke.⁽¹⁾ My sonne, cōsente not vnto synners, yf they entyse the, and saye: come wyth us, let us laye wayte for bloude, & lurke preuely for the innocēt wyth out a cause:⁽²⁾ let us swalowe thē vp like yᵉ hell, let us deuoure thē quycke and whole, as those that go downe in to the pytt. So shal we fynde all maner of costly riches, and fyll oure houses wyth spoyles. Cast in thy lott amonge us, we shal haue all one purse.

My sonne, walke not thou wᵗ them, refrayne yᵉ fote frō their wayes.⁽³⁾ For their fete rūne to euell, & are haistie to shed bloude. But in vayne is yᵉ net layed forth before the byrdes [B] eyes. Yee they thē selues laye wayte one for anothers bloude, and one of thē wolde slaye another. These are the wayes of all soch as be couetous, that one wolde rauysh anothers life.

Wyszdome crieth without, & putteth forth hir voyce in the stretes. She calleth before yᵉ congregacion in yᵉ open gates, and sheweth hir wordes thorow yᵉ cite, sayenge: O ye childrē, how lōge wil ye loue childyshnesse? how longe wil yᵉ scorners delyte in scornynge, & yᵉ vnwyse be enemies vnto knowlege? O turne you vnto my correccion: lo, I wil expresse my mynde vnto you, and make you vnderstōde my wordes. Seinge then that I haue called, and ye refused it: I haue stretched out my honde, and no mā regarded it, but all my coūcels haue ye despysed, and set my correcciōs at naught. Therfore shal I also laugh in yoʳ destruccion, and mocke you, when yᵉ thinge that ye feare cōmeth vpon you: euen whē yᵉ thinge that ye be afrayed of, falleth in sodenly like a storme, and yoʳ misery like a tempest: yee whā trouble and heuynesse cōmeth vpon you. Then shal they call vpō me, but I wil not heare: they shal seke me early, but they shal not fynde me: And yᵗ because they hated knowlege, and receaued not yᵉ feare of yᵉ LORDE, but abhorred my councell, and despysed my correccion. Therfore shal they eate yᵉ frutes of their owne waye, and be fylled wᵗ their owne councels: for yᵉ turnynge awaye of yᵉ vnwyse shal slaye thē, & yᵉ prosperi of fooles shalbe their owne destrucciō. But who so harkeneth vnto me, shal dwell safely,⁽⁴⁾ and haue ynough without eny feare of euell.

Notes to Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ Pro. 3. c

Chapter 2

MY sonne, yf thou wilt receaue my [A] wordes, and kepe my cōmaundemētes by the, that thine eare maye herken vnto wysdome, applie thine herte then to vnderstōdinge. For yf thou criest after wyszdome, & callest for knowlege: yf thou sekest after her as after money, and dyggest for her as for treasure: Thē shalt thou vnderstonde yᵉ feare of the LORDE, and fynde yᵉ knowlege of God.⁽¹⁾ For it is the LORDE that geueth wyszdome, out of his mouth commeth knowlege and vnderstondinge. He preserueth yᵉ welfare of the rightuous, and defendeth them yᵗ walke innocently: he kepeth them in yᵉ right path, and preserueth yᵉ waye of his sayntes. Then shalt thou vnderstonde [B] rightuousnesse, iudgment and equite, yee and euery good path. Yf wyszdome entre in to thine herte, and yᵉ soule delyte in knowlege: then shal councell preserue the, and vnderstondinge shal kepe the. That thou mayest be delyuered frō yᵉ euell waye, and from the man yᵗ speaketh frowarde thinges. From soch as leaue the hye strete, and walke ī yᵉ wayes of darcknesse: which reioyse in doynge euell, and delyte ī wicked thinges: whose wayes are croked, and their pathes slaunderous.

That thou mayest be delyuered also from the straunge woman,⁽²⁾ and from her that is not thine owne: which geueth swete wordes,[C] forsaketh the huszbande of hir youth, and forgetteth the couenaunt of hir God. For hir house is enclyned vnto death, and hir pathes vnto hell. All they that go in vnto her, come not agayne, nether take they holde of the waye of life.

That thou mayest walke in yᵉ good waye, and kepe the pathes of the rightuous. For the iust shal dwell in the londe, and the innocentes shal remayne in it: but the vngodly shalbe roted out of yᵉ londe, and the wicked doers shalbe taken out of it.

Notes to Chapter 2

⁽¹⁾ Iaco. 1. a Eccls. 1. ⟨illegible⟩ And. 7. c Iob. 28 b 3. reg 3 ⟨illegible⟩ 4. c.

⁽²⁾ Pro. 7. a And. 5. a

Chapter 3

[A] MY sonne, forget not my lawe, but se yᵗ thine hert kepe my cōmaundemētes.⁽¹⁾ For they shal prolōge yᵉ dayes & yeares of yᵉ lyfe, & brynge yᵉ peace. Let mercy & faithfulnes neuer go from yᵉ: bynde thē about yᵉ necke, & wryte them in the tables of thine herte. So shalt thou fynde fauoʳ and good vnderstondinge in yᵉ sight of God and men. Put thy trust in yᵉ LORDE with all thine herte, and leane not vnto thine owne vnderstondinge. In all thy wayes haue respecte vnto him, and he shal ordre thy goinges.⁽²⁾ Be not wyse in thine owne conceate, but feare yᵉ LORDE and departe from euell: so shal thy nauel be whole, and thy bones stronge.

[B] Honoure the LORDE wᵗ yᵉ substaunce, & wᵗ yᵉ firstlinges of all thine encrease:⁽³⁾ so shal thy barnes be fylled with plenteousnesse, and thy presses shal flowe ouer with swete wyne. My sonne, despyse not the chastenynge of yᵉ LORDE, nether faynte when thou art rebuked of him. For whō the LORDE loueth, him he chasteneth: and yet delyteth in him euen as a father in his owne sonne. Well is him that fyndeth wyszdome, & opteyneth vnderstondinge, for the gettinge of it is better then eny marchaundise of syluer, & the profit of it is better then golde.⁽⁴⁾ Wyszdome is more worth thē precious stones, & all yᵉ thinges yᵗ thou canst desyre, are not to be compared vnto her. Vpon hir right hande is longe life, & vpon hir left hande is riches & honoʳ.

Hir wayes are pleasaunt wayes, and all hir pathes are peaceable.⁽⁵⁾ She is a tre of life to them that laye holde vpon her, and blessed are they that kepe her fast.

[C] With wyszdome hath yᵉ LORDE layed the foūdacion of yᵉ earth, & thorow vnderstondinge hath he stablished yᵉ heauēs. Thorow his wiszdome yᵉ depthes breake vp, & yᵉ cloudes droppe downe the dew. My sonne, let not these thinges departe from thyne eyes, but kepe my lawe and my councell: so shal it be life vnto thy soule, & grace vnto yᵉ mouth.

Then shalt thou walke safely in yᵉ waye, & thy fote shal not stomble. Yf thou slepest, thou shalt not be afrayed, but shalt take thy rest & slepe swetely.⁽⁶⁾ Thou neddest not to be afrayed of eny sodane feare, nether for the violent russhinge in of the vngodly, when it commeth.

For the LORDE shal be besyde the, & kepe thy fote yᵗ thou be not taken. Refuse not to do good vnto him that shulde haue it, so longe as thine hande is able to do it. Saye [D] not vnto thy neghboure: go thy waye & come agayne, tomorow wil I geue the: where as thou hast now to geue him. Intende no hurte vnto thy neghboure, seynge he hopeth to dwell in rest by the. Stryue not lightly wᵗ eny man, where as he hath done yᵗ no harme. Folowe not a wicked man,⁽⁷⁾ and chose none of his wayes: for the LORDE abhorreth the frowarde, but his secrete is amonge the righteous. The curse of the LORDE is in the house of the vngodly, but he blesseth the dwellinges of the righteous

As for the scornefull, he shal laugh thē to scorne, but he shal geue grace vnto the lowly. The wyse shal haue honoʳ in possession, but shame is the promociō that fooles shal haue.

Notes to Chapter 3

⁽¹⁾ Deu. 11. a

⁽²⁾ Esa. 5. c Rom· 12. c

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ob. 4. b Deut. 26. a Mala. 3. b Exo. 23. c and 34. c Pet. 4. b Tob. 12. c Heb. 12 a Apo 3. d

⁽⁴⁾ Pro. ⟨illegible⟩. a

⁽⁵⁾ Gen. 2. b

⁽⁶⁾ Pro. 3. c

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 4

HEare (O ye children) the fatherly exortaciō,[A] & take good hede, that ye maye lerne wyszdome. Yee I shal geue you a good rewarde, yf ye wil not forsake my lawe. For when I myself was my fathers deare sonne, and tenderly beloued of my mother, he taught me also, sayenge: let thine herte receaue my wordes, kepe my commaundementes, and thou shalt lyue.

Get the wyszdome, get the vnderstondinge, forget not yᵉ wordes of my mouth, & shrēke not from them. Forsake her not, and she shal preserue the: loue her, and she shal kepe the. The chefe poynte of wyszdome is, that thou be wyllynge to opteyne wyszdome, and before all thy goodes to get the vnderstondynge. Make moch of her, and she shal promote the: Yee yf thou embracest her, she shal brynge the vnto honoure.

She shal makethe a gracious heade, and garnish the with yᵉ crowne of glory. Heare my sonne, and receaue my wordes, that the yeares of thy life maye be many. I wil shewe the yᵉ waye of wyszdome, and lede the in the right pathes. So that yf thou goest therin, there shal no straytnesse hynder the: and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall. Take fast holde of doctryne, let her not go: kepe her, for she is thy life.

Come not in the path of the vngodly, and walke not in the waye of the wicked.

Eschueit, & go not therin: departe asyde, & passe ouer by it. For they can not slepe e⟨illegible⟩cepte they haue first done some myschefe nether take they eny rest, excepte they haue first done some harme. For they eate the bred of wickednesse, and drīke the wyne of robbery. The path of the rightuous shyneth as the light, and is euer brighter & brighter vnto the parfecte daye. But yᵉ waye of the vngodly is as the darcknesse, wherin mē fall, or they be awarre.

[C] My sonne, marcke my wordes, and enclyne thine eare vnto my saynges.⁽¹⁾ Let them not departe from thine eyes, kepe them euen in the myddest of thine herte. For they are life vnto all those that finde thē, and health vnto all their bodies. Kepe thine hert with all diligence, for there vpon hangeth life. Put awaye from the a frowarde mouth, and let the lippes of slaunder be farre from the. Let thine eyes beholde the thinge yᵗ is right, & let thine eye lyddes loke straight before the.

Pōdre the path of thy fete, so shal all yᵉ wayes be sure.⁽²⁾ Turne not asyde, nether to the right hande ner to the lefte, but witholde thy fote from euell.

Notes to Chapter 4

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 5

[A] MY sonne, geue hede vnto my wysdome, & bowe thine eare vnto my prudēce: yᵗ thou mayest regarde good councell, and that thy lippes maye kepe nurtoure.

⁽¹⁾For the lippes of an harlot are a droppinge hony combe, and hir throte is softer then oyle. But at yᵉ last she is as bitter as worm wod, and as sharpe as a two edged swerde. Hir fete go downe vnto death, and hir steppes pearse thorow vnto hell. She regardeth not the path of life, so vnstedfast are hir wayes, that thou canst not knowe them. Heare me therfore (o my sonne) and departe not frō the wordes of my mouth. Kepe thy waye farre from her, and come not nye yᵉ dores of hir house. That thou geue not thine honoʳ vnto another, and thy yeares to the cruell. [B] That other men be not fylled with thy goodes, & that thy labours come not in a straunge house. Yee that thou mourne not at the last (when thou hast spent thy body and goodes) and then saye: Alas, why hated I nurtoure? why dyd my hert despyse correccion? Wherfore was not I obedient vnto the voyce of my teachers, & herkened not vnto them that infourmed me? I am come almost in to all mysfortune, in the myddest of the multitude and congregacion. Drinke of the water of thine owne well, and of the ryuers that runne out of thine owne sprīges. Let yᵉ welles flowe out a brode, that there maye be ryuers of water in the stretes. But let them be only thine owne, & not straungers with the. Let thy well be blessed, and be glad with the wife of thy youth. Louynge is the hynde,[C] and frendly is the Roo:⁽²⁾ let her brestes alwaye satisfie the, and holde the euer content with hir loue. My sonne, why wilt thou haue pleasure in an harlot, and embrace the bosome of another womā?⁽³⁾ For euery mās wayes are open in the sight of the LORDE, and he pōdereth all their goinges. The wickednesses of the vngodly shal catch himself, and with the snares of his owne synnes shal he be trapped. Because he wolde not be refourmed, he shal dye: and for his greate foolishnesse he shal be destroyed.

Notes to Chapter 5

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Eccle. 9.

⁽³⁾ Iob. 31. a And 34.

Chapter 6

MY sōne, yf thou be suertie for yᵉ neghboure,[A] ⁽¹⁾ thou hast fastened thine hōde wᵗ another mā: yee thou art boūde with thine owne wordes, and taken wᵗ thine owne speach. Therfore (my sonne) do this, discharge thy self, for thou art come ī to yᵉ neghbours daunger. Go thy waye then soone, & intreate thy neghboure: let not thyne eyes slepe, ner thine eye lyddes slomber. Saue thy self as a doo frō yᵉ honde, & as a byrde frō the hōde of the fouler. Go to the Emmet (thou slogarde) cōsidre hir wayes, & lerne to be wyse

She hath no gyde, no teacher, no leder:⁽²⁾ yet in the sommer she prouideth hir meate, & gathereth hir foode together ī yᵉ haruest. How lōge wilt thou slepe, thou slogish mā? Whā wilt thou aryse out of thy slepe? Yee slepe on still a litle, slōber a litle, folde thine handes together yet a litle, that thou mayest slepe: so shal pouerte come vnto the as one yᵗ trauayleth [B] by the waye, & necessite like a wapened man. A dissemblynge person, a wicked man goeth with a frowarde mouth: he wyncketh with his eyes, he tokeneth wᵗ his fete, he poynteth wᵗ his fyngers, he is euer ymageninge myschefe & frowardnesse in his hert, & causeth discorde. Therfore shal his destruccion come hastely vpō him, sodenly shal he be all to broken, and not be healed.

There be sixe thinges, which the LORDE hateth, & the seuenth he vtterly abhorreth: A proude loke, a dyssemblynge tonge,⁽³⁾ hādes that shed innocent bloude, an herte yᵗ goeth aboute wᵗ wicked ymaginaciōs,⁽⁴⁾ fete that be swift in rennynge to do myschefe, a false wytnesse yᵗ bringeth vp lyes, & soch one as soweth discorde amonge brethren. My sonne, kepe thy fathers cōmaundemētes, & forsake not yᵉ [C] lawe of thy mother. Put thē vp together in thine herte, and bynde thē aboute thy necke. That they maye lede the where thou goest, preserue the when thou art aslepe, & yᵗ when thou awakest,⁽⁵⁾ thou mayest talke of thē (For the commaundement is a lanterne, and the lawe a light: yee chastenynge & nurtoure is yᵉ waye of life) that they maye kepe the frō the euell woman,⁽⁶⁾ & from the flaterynge tonge of the harlott: yᵗ thou lust not after her beuty in thine herte, & lest thou be takē wᵗ hir fayre lokes. An harlot wil make a mā to begg his bred, but a maried woman wil hunt for yᵉ precious life. Maye a man take fyre in his bosome, and his clothes not be brent? Or can one go vpon hote coales, and his fete not be hurte? Euen so, who so euer goeth in to his neghbours wife, and toucheth her, can not [D] be vngiltie. Men do not vtterly despyse a thefe,⁽⁷⁾ that stealeth to satisfie his soule, when he is hongerie: but yf he maye be gotten, he restoreth agayne seuen tymes asmoch, or els he maketh recompence with all the good of his house. But who so cōmitteth aduoutrie with a womā, he is a foole, and bryngeth his life to destruccion. He getteth him self also shame & dishonoʳ, soch as shal neuer be put out. For the gelousy & wrath of the mā will not be ītreated, no though thou woldest ofre him greate giftes to make amendes, he will not receaue them.

Notes to Chapter 6

⁽¹⁾ Pro. 21. ⟨illegible⟩ 17. c. 20. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Pro. 24. ⟨illegible⟩0. c. Pro. 13. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ Psal. 17 Pro. 12.

⁽⁴⁾ Pro. 1. a

⁽⁵⁾ Psal. 118. o

⁽⁶⁾ Pro. 5 a. And. 7. a.

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩xo. 22. a.

Chapter 7

[A] MY sonne, kepe my wordes, & laye vp my cōmaundemētes by the.⁽¹⁾ Kepe my cōmaundemētes & my lawe, euē as the aple of thine eye, & thou shalt lyue. Bynde them vpon thy fyngers, & wryte thē in the table of thine hert. Saye vnto wysdome: thou art my sister, and call vnderstondinge thy kynswoman:⁽²⁾ that she maye kepe yᵉ frō yᵉ straūge womā, & frō yᵉ harlot which geueth swete wordes. For out of the wyndowe of my house I loked thorow the trelies, & behelde the simple people: & amonge other yonge folkes I spyed one yonge foole goinge ouer the stretes, by the corner in the waye towarde the harlottes house in the twylight of of the euenynge, when it begāne now to be [B] night and darcke. And beholde, there mett him a womā in an harlottes apparell (a disceatfull, wāton & an vnstedfast womā: whose fete coude not abyde in yᵉ house, now is she without, now ī yᵉ stretes, & lurketh ī euery corner) she caught yᵉ yōge mā, kyssed him & was not ashamed, sayēge: I had a vowe to paye, & this daye I perfourme it. Therfore came I forth to mete the, that I might seke thy face, and so I haue founde the. I haue deckte my bed with coueringes & clothes of Egipte. My bed haue I made to smell of Myrre, Aloes and Cynamom. Come, let vs lye together, & take oure pleasure till it be daye light.

For the good man is not at home, he is gone farre of. He hath taken the bagg of moneye with him, who can tell whē he cōmeth home? Thus with many swete wordes she [C] ouercame him,⁽³⁾ and with hir flateringe lippes she wanne him.

Immediatly he foloweth her, as it were an oxeled to the slaughter (and like as it were to the stockes, where fooles are punyshed) so longe till she hath wounded his lyuer with hir darte: like as yf a byrde haisted to the snare, not knowinge that the parell of his life lyeth there vpō. Heare me now therfore (o my sonne) and marcke the wordes of my mouth.

Let not thine herte wandre in hir wayes, & be not thou disceaued in hir pathes. For many one hath she woūded and cast downe, yee many a stronge mā hath she slayne. Hir house is the waye vnto hell, where men go downe to the chambers of death.

Notes to Chapter 7

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩eut. 11. a. Nū. 15. d.

⁽²⁾ Pro. 2. b. And. 5. a.

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 8

DOth not wysdome crie? doth not vnderstondinge put forth hir voyce? Stondeth she not in the hye places in the stretes & wayes? doth she not crie before the whole cite, & in the gates where men go out & in? It is you, o ye men (sayeth she) whom I call. Vnto you (o ye childrē of mē) lift I vp my voyce. Take hede vnto knowlege o ye ignoraūt, be wyse in herte o ye fooles. Geue eare, for I wil speake of greate matters, & open my lippes to tell thinges that be right. For my throte shal be talkynge of yᵉ trueth, & my lippes abhorre vngodlynesse. All the wordes of my mouth are rightuous, there is no frowardnesse ner falsede therin. They are all playne to soch as wil vnderstōde, & right to thē that fynde knowlege. Receaue my doctryne therfore and not syluer, & knowlege more then fyne golde. For wysdome is more worth then precious stones, yee all the thinges that thou cāst desyre, are not to be compared vnto it.

I wysdome haue my dwellynge wᵗ knowlege, and prudent councell is myne owne. With me is the feare of the LORDE, and yᵉ eschuynge of euell. As for pryde, disdayne, an euell waye, & a mouth that speaketh wicked thīges, I vtterly abhorre thē. I can geue councell, and be a gyde: I haue vnderstondinge, I haue strength.

Thorow me, kynges reigne: thorow me, paces make iust lawes. Thorow me, lordes beare rule, and all iudges of yᵉ earth execute iudgmēt. I am louynge vnto those that loue me, and they that seke me early, shal fynde me.

Riches & honoure are wᵗ me, yee excellent goodes & rightuousnes. My frute is better thē golde & precious stone, & myne encrease more worth then fyne syluer. I walke in yᵉ waye of rightuousnes, & in the strete of iudgment. That I maye sende prosperite to those that loue me, & to encrease their treasure.

[C] The LORDE himself had me in possessiō in the begynnynge of his wayes, or euer he begame his workes aforetyme. I haue bene ordened frō euerlastīge,⁽¹⁾ & frō yᵉ beginnynge or euer the earth was made. When I was borne, there were nether depthes ner springes of water. Before the foundacions of yᵉ mountaynes▪ were layed, yee before all hilles was I borne. The earth and all that is vpon the earth was not yet made, no not the grounde it self.⁽²⁾ For when he made the heauens, I was present: whā he set the depthes in ordre: whan he hanged the cloudes aboue: whan he fastened the sprynges of the depe:⁽³⁾ Whan he shutt the see within certayne bowndes, that yᵉ waters shulde not go ouer [D] their marckes. When he layed the foundacions of the earth, I was with him, ordringe all thinges, delytinge daylie & reioysynge all waye before him. As for the roūde cōpase of his worlde, I make it ioyfull▪ for my delyte is to be amōge the children of men.⁽⁴⁾

Therfore harken vnto me (o ye children) for blessed are they that kepe my wayes▪

O geue eare vnto nurtoure, be wyse, and refuse it not. Blessed is yᵉ man that heareth me, watchinge daylie at my gates, & geuynge attendaunce at the postes of my dores.

For who so fyndeth me, fyndeth life, and shal optayne fauoure of the LORDE. But who so offendeth agaynst me, hurteth his owne soule. All they that hate me, are the louers of death.

Notes to Chapter 8

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 9

[A] WYsdome hath buylded herself an house, and hewen out seuen pilers: she hath slaughted, poured out hir wyne, and prepared hir table. She hath sent forth hir maydens to crie vpō the hyest place of the cite: Who so is ignoraūt, let him come hither. And to the vnwise she sayde: O come on youre waye, eate my bred, and drynke my wyne, which I haue poured out for you. Forsake ignoraūce, and ye shal lyue: and se that ye go in the waye of vnderstondinge.

Who so reproueth a scornefull personne, getteth him self dishonoure: and he that rebuketh the vngodly, stayneth himself.

Reproue not a scorner, lest he owe the euell wil: but rebuke a wyse man, and he wil loue the. Geue a discrete man but an occasion,[B] & he wilbe the wyser▪ teach a rightuous man, and he wil increase. The feare of the LORDE is the begynnynge of wysdome,⁽¹⁾ & the knowlege of holy thinges is vnderstondinge. For thorow me yᵉ dayes shalbe prolonged, and the yeares of thy life shal be many. Yf thou be wyse, yⁱ wysdome shal do yⁱ selfe good: but yf thou thynkest scorne therof, it shalbe thine owne harme. A foolish restlesse woman, full of wordes, and soch one as hath no knowlege, sytteth in the dores of hir house vpō a stole aboue in the cite, to call soch as go by and walke straight in their wayes. Who so is ignoraunt (sayeth she) let him come hither, and to the vnwyse she sayeth: stollen waters are swete, & the bred that is preuely eaten, hath a good taist.

But they cōsider not that death is there, and that hir gestes go downe to hell.

Notes to Chapter 9

⁽¹⁾ Iob. 28. c Psal. 110. ⟨illegible⟩ Eccli. 1. c Pro. 4. b

Chapter 10

The X. Chapter. These are prouerbes of Salomon.

A Wyse sonne maketh a glad father, but [A] an vndiscrete sonne is the heuynesse of his mother.⁽¹⁾ Treasures that are wickedly gotten, profit nothinge, but rightuousnesse delyuereth from death.⁽²⁾ The LORDE wil not let the soule of the rightuous suffre hōger, but he putteth yᵉ vngodly frō his desyre. An ydle hande maketh poore, but a quycke laboringe hande maketh riche.

Who so gathereth in Sommer, is wyse: but he that is slogish in haruest, bringeth himself to confucion. Louynge and fauorable is the face of the rightuous, but yᵉ fore heade of the vngodly is past shame, and presumptuous.⁽³⁾ The memoriall of the iust shall haue a good reporte, but the name of the vn godly shal stynke. A wyse man wil receaue warnynge, but a foole wil sooner be smytten in the face. He that leadeth an innocent [B] life, walketh surely:⁽⁴⁾ but who so goeth a wrōge waye, shalbe knowne. He yᵗ wynketh with his eye, wil do some harme: but he that hath a foolish mouth, shalbe beaten. The mouth of a rightuous man is a well of life, but yᵉ mouth of the vngodly is past shame, & presumptuous. Euell will stereth vp strife, but loue couereth yᵉ multitude of synnes.⁽⁵⁾

In yᵉ lippes of him yᵗ hath vnderstōdinge a mā shal fynde wysdome, but yᵉ redde belōgeth to yᵉ backe of yᵉ foolish. Wyse mē laye vp knowlege, but yᵉ mouth of yᵉ foolish is nye destrucciō. The rich mās goodes are his strōge holde, but pouerte oppresseth the poore.

The rightuous laboureth to do good, but the vngodly vseth his increase vnto synne.

[C] To take hede vnto yᵉ chastenynge of nurtoure, is yᵉ waye of life: but he that refuseth to be refourmed, goeth wrōge. Dissemblynge lippes kepe hatred secretly, and he that speaketh eny slaunder, is a foole. Where moch bablinge is, there must nedes be offence: he that refrayneth his lippes, is wysest of all. An innocent tonge is a noble treasure, but the herte of the vngodly is nothinge worth. The lippes of the rightuous fede a whole multitude, but fooles shal dye in their owne foly.⁽⁶⁾ The blessynge of the LORDE maketh rich mē, as for carefull trauayle, it doth nothinge therto. A foole doth wickedly & maketh but a sporte of it: neuertheles it is wysdome for a man to bewarre of soch.

The thinge that the vngodly are afrayed of, shal come vpon them, but the rightuous shal haue their desyre. The vngodly is like [D] a tempest that passeth ouer & is nomore sene, but the rightuous remayneth sure for euer. As vyneger is to the teth, and as smoke is vnto yᵉ eyes, euē so is a slogish personne to them that sende him forth. The feare of yᵉ LORDE maketh a lōge life, but yᵉ yeares of yᵉ vngodly shal be shortened. The pacient abydinge of the rightuous shalbe turned to gladnesse, but the hope of the vngodly shal perish. The waye of the LORDE geueth a corage vnto yᵉ godly, but it is a feare for wicked doers. The rightuous shal neuer be ouerthrowne,⁽⁷⁾ but yᵉ vngodly shal not remayne in the londe. The mouth of the iust wilbe talkynge of wysdome, but the tonge of the frowarde shal perish. The lippes of the rightuous are occupied in acceptable thinges, but the mouth of the vngodly taketh them to the worst.

Notes to Chapter 10

⁽¹⁾ Pro. 15. c Pro 11 a Eccli. 5. b

⁽²⁾ Pro. 12. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ Psal. 111.

⁽⁴⁾ Psal. 22. a Pro. 28. ⟨illegible⟩ Eccl. 27.

⁽⁵⁾ 1. Pet. 4.

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 42. c ⟨illegible⟩ccli 11. ⟨illegible⟩sal. 126. a ⟨illegible⟩at. 6. c. d

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩sa 124. a ⟨illegible⟩sal. 36. d

Chapter 11

[A] A False balaunce is an abhominacion vnto the LORDE, ⁽¹⁾ but a true weight pleaseth him. Where pryde is, there is shame also and confucion: but where as is lowlynes, there is wysdome. The innocent dealynge of the iust shal lede them, but the vnfaithfulnesse of the despysers shalbe their owne destruccion. Riches helpe not in the daye of vengeaunce,⁽²⁾ but rightuousnesse delyuereth frō death. The rightuousnes of yᵉ innocent ordreth his waye, but the vngodly shal fall in his owne wickednesse. The rightuousnesse of the iust shal delyuer them, but the despysers shalbe taken in their owne vngodlynesse. When an vngodly man dyeth, his hope is gone, the confydence of riches shal perish. The rightuous shalbe delyuered [B] out of trouble, & the vngodly shal come in his steade. Thorow yᵉ mouth of yᵉ dyssembler is his neghboure destroyed, but thorow knowlege shal the iust be delyuered.⁽³⁾ When it goeth well with the rightuous, the cite is mery: and when the vngodly perish, there is gladnesse. When the iust are in wealth, the cite prospereth: but whan the vngodly haue the rule, it decayeth. A foole bryngeth vp a slaunder of his neghboure, but a wyse man wil kepe it secrete.⁽⁴⁾ A dyssemblynge person wil discouer preuy thinges, but he that is of a faithfull hert, will kepe councel.⁽⁵⁾ Where no good councel is there the people decaye: but where as are many that can geue councell, there is wealth.⁽⁶⁾ He that is suertye for a straunger, hurteth himself: but he that medleth not with suerteshippe, is sure. A [C] gracious womā manteyneth honestie, as for the mightie, they manteyne ryches. He yᵗ hath a gentle liberall stomacke, is mercifull: but who so hurteth his neghboʳ, is a tyraūt.

The laboure of the vngodly prospereth not, but he that soweth rightuosnes, shal receaue a sure rewarde. Like as rightuousnes bryngeth life, euē so to cleue vnto euell, bryngeth death. The LORDE abhorreth a fayned hert, but he hath pleasure in them that are vndefyled. It shal not helpe yᵉ wicked, though they laye all their hondes together, but the sede of the rightuous shalbe preserued. A fayre woman without discrete maners, is like a rynge of golde in a swynes snoute. The iust laboure for peace and trāquylite, but the vngodly for disquyetnesse.

Some man geueth out his goodes, and is the richer, but yᵉ nygarde (hauynge ynough) wil departe from nothinge, and yet is euer in pouerte. He that is lyberall in geuynge, shal haue plenty: and he that watereth, shal be watered also himself. Who so hoordeth vp his corne, shalbe cursed amonge the people: but blessynge shal light vpon his heade that selleth it. He that laboureth for honesty fyndeth his desyre: but who so seketh after myschefe, it shal happē vnto him. He that trusteth in his riches, shal haue a fall, but yᵉ rightuous shal florish as the grene leaf.

Who so maketh disquyetnesse in his owne house, he shal haue wynde for his heretage, and the foole shal be seruaunt to the wyse.

The frute of the rightuous is as the tre of life, a wyse man also wynneth mens soules. Yf yᵉ rightuous be recōpēsed vpō earth how moch more thē the vngodly & yᵉ synner▪

Notes to Chapter 11

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ro. 16. b ⟨illegible⟩. b. d

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩rou. 10. a ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 5. b

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 12

Who so loueth wyszdome, wil be content to be refourmed: but he that hateth to be reproued,, is a foole. A good man is acceptable vnto the LORDE, but yᵉ wicked wyl he condempne. A man cā not endure in vngodlynesse, but yᵉ rote of yᵉ righteous shal not be moued. A stedfast woman is a crowne vnto hir huszbonde: but she that behaueth herself vnhonestly, is a corrupcion in his bones. The thoughtes of yᵉ righteous are right, but the ymaginacion of the vngodly are disceatfull. The talkynge of the vngodly is, how they maye laye wayte for bloude, but the mouth of yᵉ righteous wil delyuer them. Or euer thou canst turne the aboute, the vngodly shal be ouerthrowne, but the house of the righteous shal stōde.

A man shalbe commended for his wyszdome, but a foole shal be despysed. A simple man which laboureth and worketh, is better thē one that is gorgious and wanteth bred.

A righteous man regardeth the life of his catell, but the vngodly haue cruell hertes. He that tilleth his lōde, shal haue plenteousnesse of bred: but he yᵗ foloweth ydylnes, is a very foole. The desyre of yᵉ vngodly hunteth after myschefe, but the rote of the righteous bryngeth forth frute. The wicked falleth in to the snare thorow yᵉ malyce of his owne mouth, but the iust shal escape out of parell. Euery man shal enioye good acordinge to the innocency of his mouth, and after the workes of his hādes shal he be rewarded. Loke what a foole taketh in honde, he thinketh it well done: but he that is wyse, wyl be coūceled. A foole vttereth his wrath in all the haist, but a discrete man forgeueth wronge. A iust man will tell the trueth, & shewe the thinge yᵗ is right: but a false wytnesse disceaueth. A slaunderous personne pricketh like a swerde, but a wyse mans tonge is wholsome. A true mouth is euer constāt, but a dyssemblinge tōge is soone chaunged. They that ymagin euell in their mynde, wil disceaue: but the councelers of peace shal heaue ioye folowinge thē. There shal no mysfortune happen vnto the iust, but the vngodly shal be fylled with misery. The LORDE abhorreth disceatfull lippes, but they that laboure for treuth, please him. He that hath vnderstōdinge, can hyde his wysdome: but an vndiscrete herte telleth out his foolishnesse. A diligēt hande shal beare rule, but the ydle shal be vnder tribute. Heuynesse discorageth yᵉ herte of man,⁽¹⁾ but a good worde maketh it glad agayne. The righteous is liberall vnto his neghboure, but the waye of the vngodly wil disceaue them selues. A disceatfull man shal fynde no vaūtage, but he that is content wᵗ that he hath,⁽²⁾ is more worth thē golde. In the waye of righteousnesse there is life, as for eny other waye, it is the path vnto death.

Notes to Chapter 12

⁽¹⁾ Pro. ⟨illegible⟩5. b and. 17. d Eccli. ⟨illegible⟩0. c

⁽²⁾ 2. ⟨illegible⟩. 6 b Heb. 13. a

Chapter 13

A Wyse sonne wyll receaue his fathers [A] warnynge, but he yᵗ is scornefull, wyll not heare when he is reproued. A good mā shal enioye the frute of his mouth, but he that hath a frowarde mynde, shalbe spoyled. He that kepeth his mouth, kepeth his life: but who so speaketh vnaduysed, fyndeth harme. The slogarde wolde fayne haue, and can not get his desyre: but the soule of the diligent shal haue plenty. A righteous man abhorreth lyes, but the vngodly shameth both other and himself. Righteousnesse kepeth the innocēt in the waye, but vngodlynesse shal ouerthrowe the synner.

Some men are riche, though they haue nothinge: agayne,⁽¹⁾ some mē are poore hauynge greate riches. With goodes euery man delyuereth his life, and the poore wyl not be reproued. The light of the righteous maketh ioyfull,⁽²⁾ but the candle of the vngodly shal be put out. Amonge the proude there [B] is euer strife, but amonge those that do all thinges with aduysement, there is wyszdome. Hastely gottē goodes are soone spent, but they that be gathered together with the hande, shal increase. Longe tarienge for a thinge that is dyfferred, greueth yᵉ herte: but when the desyre commeth, it is a tre of life. Who so despyseth the worde, destroyeth himself: but he that feareth the cōmaundement, shal haue peace. The lawe is a wel of life vnto the wyse, that it maye kepe him from the snares of death. Good vnderstondinge geueth fauoure, but harde is the waye of the despysers. A wyse man doth all thinges with discrecion, but a foole wil declare his foly. An vngodly messaūger bryngeth myschefe, but a faithfull embassitoure is wholsome. He that thinketh scorne to be refourmed, commeth to [C] pouerte and shame: but who so receaueth correccion, shal come to honoure. When a desyre is brought to passe, it delyteth the soule:⁽³⁾ but fooles abhorre him that eschueth euell. He that goeth in the company of wyse men, shal be wyse: but who so is a cōpanyō of fooles, shal be hurte. Myschefe foloweth vpon synners, but the rightuous shal haue a good rewarde. Which their childers childrē shal haue in possessiō, for the riches of the synner is layed vp for yᵉ iust.⁽⁴⁾ There is plenteousnesse of fode in the feldes of the poore, & shalbe increased out of measure.⁽⁵⁾ He that spareth the rodde, hateth his sonne: but who so loueth him, holdeth him euer in nurtoure. The rightuous eateth, and is satisfied, but yᵉ bely of the vngodly hath neuer ynough.

Notes to Chapter 13

⁽¹⁾ Pro. 11. c

⁽²⁾ Pro. ⟨illegible⟩4. c▪

⁽³⁾ Sap. 2. c

⁽⁴⁾ Iob 27. c

⁽⁵⁾ Eccli. 30. a Psal. 23. b Hebr. 12. b Psal. 33. b

Chapter 14

[A] The XIIII. Chapter.

A Wyse womā vpholdeth hir house, but a foolish wife plucketh it downe.

Who so feareth the LORDE, walketh in the right path: & regardeth not him that abhorreth the wayes of the LORDE. In the mouth of the foolish is the boostinge of lordshipe, but yᵉ lippes of yᵉ wyse wilbe warre of soch. Where no oxen are, there the crybb is emptie: but where the oxen laboure, there is moch frute. A faithfull wytnesse wyl not dyssemble, but a false recorde wil make a lye.

A scornefull body seketh wyszdome, & fyndeth it not: but knowlege is easy to come by, vnto him that wil vnderstonde. Se yᵗ thou medle not with a foole,⁽¹⁾ & do as though thou haddest no knowlege. The wyszdome of him that hath vnderstondinge is, to take hede vnto his waye, but the foolishnesse of the vnwyse disceaueth. Fooles make but a sporte of synne, but there is fauourable loue amōge [B] the rightuous. The herte of him that hath vnderstondinge wil nether dispare for eny sorow, ner be to presumptuous for eny sodane ioye.

The houses of the vngodly shalbe ouerthrowne, but the tabernacles of yᵉ righteus shal florishe.⁽²⁾ There is a waye, which some men thinke to be right, but the ende therof ledeth vnto death. The herte is soroufull euen in laughter, and the ende of myrth is heuynesse. An vnfaithfull personne shal be fylled with his owne wayes, but a good mā wyl bewarre of soch. An ignoraūt body beleueth all thinges, but who so hath vnderstondinge, loketh well to his goinges. A wyse man, feareth, and departeth from euell, but a foole goeth on presumptuously. An vnpacient man handeleth foolishly, but he that is well aduysed, doth other wayes.

[C] The ignoraūt haue foolishnes in possessiō, but the wyse are crowned with knowlege.

The euell shal bowe them selues before yᵉ good, and the vngodly shal wayte at the dores of the rightuous. The poore is hatch euen of his owne neghbours, but the riche hath many frendes. Who so despyseth his neghboʳ, doth amysse: but blessed is he that hath pyte of the poore. They that ymagin wickednes, shalbe disapoynted: but they that muse vpō good thinges, vnto soch shal happen mercy and faithfulnesse. Diligēt laboʳ bryngeth riches, but where many vayne wordes are, truly there is scarcenesse.

Riches are an ornament vnto the wyse, but the ignoraunce of fooles is very foolishnesse. A faithfull wytnesse delyuereth so⟨illegible⟩les, but a lyar dysceaueth them. The feare of the LORDE is a strōge holde, for vnto his he wyl be a sure defence. The feare of the LORDE is a well of life, to auoyde the snares of death. The increase and prosperite of the comons is the kynges honoure, but the decaye of the people is the confuciō of the prynce. Pacience is a token of wiszdome, but wrath and haistie displeasure is a token of foolishnesse. A mery herte is the life of the body, but rancoure consumeth awaye the bones. He that doth a poore man wrōge, blasphemeth his maker: but who so hath pitie of the poore, doth honoure vnto God.

The vngodly is afrayed of euery parell, but the rightuous hath a good hope euē in death. Wyszdome resteth in the herte of him that hath vnderstondinge, and he wyll teach them that are vnlerned. Rightuousnes setteth vp the people, but wyckednesse bryngeth folke to destruccion. A discrete seruaunt is a pleasure vnto yᵉ kynge, but one yᵗ is not honest, prouoketh him vnto wrath.

Notes to Chapter 14

⁽¹⁾ Pro. 8. a

⁽²⁾ Deu. 12. a Pro. 16. c

Chapter 15

A Softe āswere putteth downe displeasure, but frowarde wordes prouoke vnto anger. A wyse tonge commendeth knowlege, a foolish mouth blabbeth out nothinge but foolishnesse. The eyes of the LORDE loke in euery place, both vpon yᵉ good and badd. A wholsome tonge is a tre of life, but he that abuseth it, hath a broken mynde. A foole despyseth his fathers correccion, but he yᵗ taketh hede whan he is reproued, shal haue yᵉ more vnderstōdinge.

In the house of the rightuous are greate riches, but in the increase of the vngodly there is mysordre. A wyse mouth poureth out knowlege, but yᵉ herte of the foolish doth not so. The LORDE abhorreth yᵉ sacrifice of the vngodly, but the prayer of the rightuous is acceptable vnto him. The waye of the vngodly is an abhominaciō vn⟨illegible⟩to yᵉ LORDE, but who so foloweth righteousnes, him he loueth. He that forsaketh yᵉ right strete, shalbe sore punyshed: & who so hateth correccion, falleth in to death. The hell wᵗ hir payne is knowne vnto the LORDE, how moch more then the hertes of men?

A scornefull body loueth not one yᵗ rebuketh him, nether wil he come amonge yᵉ wyse. A mery herte maketh a chearfull countenaunce, but an vnquyet mynde maketh it heuy. A wyse herte wil seke after knowlege, but yᵉ mouth of fooles medleth with foolishnesse. All the dayes of the poore are miserable, but a quyete herte is as a cōtynuall feast. Better is a litle with the feare of the LORDE then greate treasure, for they are not without sorowe. Better is a meace of potage with loue, then a fat oxe wᵗ euell will.

An angrie man stereth vp strife, but he yᵗ is pacient stilleth discorde. The waye of yᵉ slouthfull is full of thornes, but yᵉ strete of the rightuous is well clensed. A wyse sonne maketh a glad father, but an vndiscrete body shameth his mother. A foole reioyseth in foolish thinges, but a wyse man loketh well to his owne goinges. Vnaduysed thoughtes shal come to naught, but where as are men yᵗ can geue councell, there is stedfastnesse. O how ioyfull a thinge is it, a man to geue a conuenient answere? O how pleasaunt is a worde spoken in due season? The waye of life ledeth vnto heauē, yᵗ a man shulde be warre of hell beneth.

The LORDE wyl breake downe yᵉ house of yᵉ proude, but he shal make fast yᵉ borders of yᵉ wyddowe. The LORDE abhoreth yᵉ ymaginacions of yᵉ wicked, but pure wordes are pleasaunt vnto him. The couetous man wr⟨illegible⟩tteth vp his owne house, but who so hateth rewardes, shal lyue. A rightuous mā museth in his mynde how to do good, but yᵉ mynde of the vngodly ymagineth, how he maye do harme. The LORDE is farre from the vngodly, but he heareth yᵉ prayer of the rightuous. Like as yᵉ clearnesse of yᵉ eyes reioyseth yᵉ herte, so doth a good name fede yᵉ bones. The eare yᵗ harkeneth vnto wholsome warnynge, and enclyneth therto, shall dwell amonge yᵉ wyse. He that refuseth to be refourmed, despyseth his owne soule: but he that submytteth himself to correccion, is wyse.

Chapter 16

THe feare of yᵉ LORDE is yᵉ right scyēce of wyszdome, and lowlynes goeth before honoʳ. A man maye well purpose a thinge in his harte, but yᵉ answere of yᵉ tonge cōmeth of yᵉ LORDE. ⁽¹⁾ A mā thinketh all his waies to be clene, but it is yᵉ LORDE yᵗ fashioneth yᵉ myndes.⁽²⁾ Commytte thy workes vnto yᵉ LORDE, and loke what thou deuysest, it shal prospere. The LORDE doth all thinges for his owne sake, yee & when he kepeth yᵉ vngodly for yᵉ daye of wrath.

The LORDE abhorreth all presumptuous & proude hertes, there maye nether strength ner power escape. With louynge mercy & faithfulnesse synnes be forgeuen, and who so feareth yᵉ LORDE eschueth euell. When a mans wayes please yᵉ LORDE, he maketh his very enemies to be his frendes. Better is it to haue a litle thinge wᵗ rightuousnes, thē [B] greate rentes wrongeously gotten. A mā deuyseth a waye in his herte,⁽³⁾ but it is yᵉ LORDE yᵗ ordreth his goinges. When yᵉ prophecy is in yᵉ lippes of yᵉ kynge, his mouth shal not go wrōge in iudgment. A true measure & a true balaūce are yᵉ LORDES, ⁽⁴⁾ he maketh all weightes. It is a greate abhominaciō when kynges are wycked, for a kynges seate shulde be holden vp wᵗ righteousnesse.

Righteous lippes are pleasaūt vnto kynges, and they loue him yᵗ speaketh yᵉ trueth.

The kynges displeasure is a messaunger of death, but a wyse man wyl pacifie him.

The cherefull countenaūce of yᵉ kynge is life, and his louynge fauoʳ is as the euenynge dewe.⁽⁵⁾ To haue wyszdome in possession is better then golde, and to get vnderstondynge,[C] is more worth then syluer. The path of yᵉ righteous eschueth euell, & who so loketh well to his wayes, kepeth his owne soule.

Presumptuousnes goeth before destruccion, and after a proude stomake there foloweth a fall. Better it is to be of humble mynde wᵗ the lowly, then to deuyde yᵉ spoyles wᵗ yᵉ proude. He yᵗ handleth a matter wysely, opteyneth good: & blessed is he,⁽⁶⁾ yᵗ putteth his trust in yᵉ LORDE. Who so hath a wyse vnderstondinge, is called to councell: but he yᵗ can speake fayre, getteth more riches. Vnderstondinge is a well of life vnto him yᵗ hath it, as for yᵉ chastenynge of fooles, it is but foolishnesse. The herte of the wyse enfourmeth his mouth, and amendeth yᵉ doctryne in his lyppes.

Fayre wordes are an hony combe, a refreshinge of yᵉ mynde, & health of yᵉ bones.

There is a waye yᵗ men thinke to be right,⁽⁷⁾ but the ende therof leadeth vnto death. A troublous soule disquyeteth hir selfe, for hir owne mouth hath brought her therto. An vngodly personne stereth vp euell, and in his [D] lippes he is as an whote burnynge fyre.

A frowarde body causeth strife, and he yᵗ is a blabbe of his tonge, maketh deuysion amonge prynces. A wicked mā begyleth his neghboʳ, & ledeth him yᵉ waye yᵗ is not good.

He that wyncketh wᵗ his eyes, ymagineth myschefe: and he yᵗ byteth his lippes, wyl do some harme.⁽⁸⁾ Age is a crowne of worshipe, yf it be founde in the waye of righteousnes.

A pacient man is better then one that is strōge: and he that can rule him selfe, is more worth then he yᵗ wynneth a cite. The lottes are cast in to the lappe, but their fall stōdeth in the LORDE.

Notes to Chapter 16

⁽¹⁾ Pro. 21 a Psal. 32. b

⁽²⁾ Psal. 36. a

⁽³⁾ Pro 19. c

⁽⁴⁾ Pro. 11. a and 20▪ b

⁽⁵⁾ Pro. 8. a

⁽⁶⁾ Psal. 2. b

⁽⁷⁾ Pro 14. b Deut. 12. a Esa. 55. b

⁽⁸⁾ Leui. 19 g

Chapter 17

[A] BEtter is a drye morsell wᵗ quyetnesse, thē a full house and many fatt catell wᵗ stryfe.⁽¹⁾ A discrete seruaūt shal haue more rule then the sonnes yᵗ haue no wysdome, and shal haue like heretage wᵗ the brethren.⁽²⁾ Like as syluer is tried in the fyre and golde in the fornace, euen so doth the LORDE proue the hertes. A wicked body holdeth moch of false lippes, & a dyssemblynge persone geueth eare to a disceatfull tōge.⁽³⁾ Who so laugheth yᵉ poore to scorne, blasphemeth his maker: and he yᵗ is glad of another mans hurte, shal not be vnpunyshed. Childers children are a worshipe vnto the elders, and the fathers are the honoʳ of the children. An eloquent speach becōmeth not a foole, a dyssemblinge mouth also besemeth not a prynce. [B] Liberalite is a precious stone vnto him that hath it, for where so euer he becōmeth, he prospereth. Who so couereth another mans offence, seketh loue: but he yᵗ discloseth the faute, setteth frendes at variaunce. One reprofe only doth more good to him yᵗ hath vnderstōdinge, then an C. stripes vnto a foole. A sedicious personne seketh myschefe, but a cruell messaunger shal be sent agaynst him. It were better to come agaynst a she Bere robbed of hir whelpes, then agaynst a foole in his foolishnes.⁽⁴⁾ Who so rewardeth euell for good, the plage shal not departe frō his house.⁽⁵⁾ He yᵗ soweth discorde & strife, is like one yᵗ dyggeth vp a water broke: but an open enemie is like the water yᵗ breaketh out & rē ⟨illegible⟩eth [C] abrode. The LORDE hateth as well him yᵗ iustifieth yᵉ vngodly, as him yᵗ condempneth the innocēt. What helpeth it to geue a foole money in his hōde, where as he hath no mynde to bye wyszdome? He is a frende that all waye loueth, and in aduersite a man shal knowe who is his brother.⁽⁶⁾ Who so promiseth by the hande, & is suertie for another, he is a foole. He yᵗ loueth strife, delyteth in synne: & who so setteth his dore to hye, seketh after a fall. Who so hath a frowarde herte, opteyneth no good: and he yᵗ hath an ouērth⟨illegible⟩ tonge, shal fall in to myschefe. An ⟨illegible⟩ body bryngeth himselfe in to sorowe, and yᵉ father of a foole can haue no ioye. A mery herte maketh a lusty age, but a sorowfull ⟨illegible⟩de dryeth vp yᵉ bones. The vngodly taketh giftes out of the bosome, to wraist the waye⟨illegible⟩ of iudgment. Wyszdome shyneth in yᵉ face of him yᵗ hath vnderstondinge, but yᵉ eyes of fooles wandre thorow out all lōdes. An ⟨illegible⟩ discrete sonne is a grefe vnto his father, and heuynesse vnto his mother yᵗ bare him. To punysh yᵉ innocent, and to smyte yᵉ prynces ⟨illegible⟩ geue true iudgmēt, are both euell. He is wyse and discrete, yᵗ tempereth his wordes: and he is a mā of vnderstōdinge, yᵗ maketh moch of his sprete. Yee a very foole (when he hol⟨illegible⟩deth his tonge) is counted wyse, and to haue vnderstōdinge, when he shutteth his lippes.

Notes to Chapter 17

⁽¹⁾ Eccl⟨illegible⟩. 10. d

⁽²⁾ Sap. 3 a 1. pet. 1. b

⁽³⁾ Pro. 14. d Iob. 31. c Pro 24. c

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. reg. 24. c 26. b.

⁽⁵⁾ 2. reg. 12. c

⁽⁶⁾ Pro. 6. a 11. b

Chapter 18

WHo so hath pleasure to sowe dis⟨illegible⟩de, piketh a quarell in euery thinge ▪ A foole hath no delyte in vnder⟨illegible⟩dinge, but only in those thinges wherin ⟨illegible⟩ herte reioyseth. Where vngodlynes is, the⟨illegible⟩re is also diszdayne: & so there foloweth sha⟨illegible⟩me & dishonoʳ. The wordes of a mās mouth are like depe waters, and the well of wyszdo⟨illegible⟩me is like a full streame. It is not good to regarde yᵉ personne of the vngodly, or to put backe yᵉ righteous in iudgmēt. A fooles lip⟨illegible⟩pes are euer brawlinge, and his mouth pro⟨illegible⟩uoketh vnto batayll. A fooles mouth is his owne destruccion, and his lippes are yᵉ snare for his owne soule. The wordes of a slaun⟨illegible⟩derer are very woūdes, and go thorow vnto the ynmost partes of the body. Who so is slouthfull and slacke in his laboʳ, is yᵉ brother of him yᵗ is a waister. The name of yᵉ LORDE is a stronge castell, yᵉ righteous flyeth vnto it, and shalbe saued. But yᵉ rich mās goodes are his stronge holde, yee he taketh them for an hye wall roūde aboute him. After pryde cōmeth destrucciō, and honoʳ after lowlyne⟨illegible⟩ He that geueth sentēce in a matter before he heare it, is a foole, and worthy to be confou⟨illegible⟩ded. A good stomacke dryueth awaye a mās disease, but whā yᵉ sprete is vexed, who maye abyde it? A wyse herte laboureth for know⟨illegible⟩lege, and a prudent eare seketh vnderstondi⟨illegible⟩ge. Liberalite bryngeth a man to honoʳ and worshipe, & setteth him amonge greate men ▪

The righteous accuseth hī self first of all yf his neghboʳ come, he shal fynde him. Th⟨illegible⟩ lot pacifieth yᵉ variaūce, & parteth yᵉ might⟨illegible⟩ asunder. The vnite of brethren is stronger then a castell, and they that holde together are like the barre of a palace. A mans bely shalbe satisfied with the frute of his owne mouth, and with the increase of his lippes shal he be fylled. Death and life stonde in the power of the tonge, he that loueth it, shal enioye the frute therof.⁽¹⁾ Who so fyndeth a wife fyndeth a good thynge, & receaueth an wholsome benefite of the LORDE. The poore maketh supplicacion and prayeth mekely, but the riche geueth a rough answere.

A frende that delyteth in loue, doth a man more frēdshipe, and sticketh faster vnto him then a brother.

Notes to Chapter 18

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 19

[A] BEtter is the poore that lyueth godly, thē the blasphemer that is but a foole.⁽¹⁾ Where no discrecion is, there the soule is not well: and who so is swifte on fote, stombleth hastely. Foolishnesse maketh a man to go out of his waye, & then is his herte vnpacient agaynst the LORDE. Riches make many frendes, but the poore is forsakē of his owne frendes.⁽²⁾ A false wytnesse shal not remayne vnpunyshed, and he that speaketh lyes shal not escape. The multitude hāgeth vpō greate men, & euery man fauoureth him that geueth rewardes. As for the poore, he is hated amonge all his brethren: yee his owne frendes forsake him, & he that geueth credēce vnto wordes, getteth nothinge. [B] He that is wyse, loueth his owne soule: and who so hath vnderstondinge, shal prospere. A false wytnesse shal not remayne vnpunyshed, & he yᵗ speaketh lyes shal perishe. Delicate ease becōmeth not a foole, moch more vnsemely is it, a bonde man to haue yᵉ rule of prynces. A wyse man putteth of displeasure, & it is his honoʳ to let some fautes passe.

⁽³⁾The kynges disfauoʳ is like yᵉ roaringe of a Lyō, but his frēdshpe is like the dewe vpō yᵉ grasse.⁽⁴⁾ An vndiscrete sonne is yᵉ heuynes of his father, & a braulynge wife is like the topp of an house, where thorow it is euer droppynge. House & riches maye a mā haue by yᵉ heretage of his elders,⁽⁵⁾ but a discrete womā [C] is the gifte of the LORDE. Slouthfulnes bryngeth slepe, & an ydell soule shal suffer hōger. Who so kepeth the cōmaundemēt, kepeth his owne soule: but he yᵗ regardeth not his waye, shal dye. He yᵗ hath pitie vpon the poore, lēdeth vnto yᵉ LORDE: & loke what he layeth out, it shalbe payed him agayne. Chastē yᵉ sonne whyle there is hope, but let not yᵉ soule be moued to slaye hī. For greate wrath bryngeth harme, therfore let him go, and so mayest thou teach him more nurtoure. O geue eare vnto good councell, & be content to be refourmed, that thou mayest bewyse here after. There are many deuices in a mās herte,⁽⁶⁾ neuertheles the coūcell of yᵉ LORDE shal stōde. It is a mans worshipe to do good, & better it is to be a poore mā, then a dyssembler. The feare of the LORDE preserueth the life, yee it geueth plēteousnes, without the visitaciō [D] of any plage.⁽⁷⁾ A slouthfull body shuteth his honde in to his bosome, so yᵗ he can not put it to his mouth. Yf thou smytest a scorneful personne,⁽⁸⁾ the ignoraūt shal take better hede: & yf thou reprouest one yᵗ hath vnderstondinge, he wil be yᵉ wyser. He yᵗ hurteth his father or shuteth out his mother, is a shamefull & an vnworthy sonne· My sonne, heare nomore the doctrine yᵗ leadeth the awaye from the wordes of vnderstondinge.

A false wytnes laugheth iudgmēt to scorne, & the mouth of the vngodly eateth vp wickednes. Punyshmentes are ordened for the scornefull, and stripes for fooles backes.

Notes to Chapter 19

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ Pro. 16. b

⁽⁷⁾ Pro. 26. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ Pro. 21. b

Chapter 20

WYne is a voluptuous thinge, & drōckennes [A] causeth sedicion:⁽¹⁾ who so delyteth therin, shal neuer be wyse. The kynge ought to be feared as the roaringe of a lyon,⁽²⁾ who so prouoketh him vnto anger, offendeth agaynst his owne soule. It is a mans honoure to kepe himself from strife, but they yᵗ haue pleasure in braulinge, are fooles eueryone. A slouthfull body wyl not go to plowe for colde, therfore shal he go abegginge in Sommer, and haue nothinge. Wyse councell in the herte of man is like a water in the depe of the earth, but he that hath vnderstondinge, bryngeth it forth. Many there be that are called good doers, but where shal one fynde a true faithful mā? Who so ledeth a godly and an innocent life, happie shal his children be,⁽³⁾ whom he leaueth behynde him.

A kynge that sytteth in iudgment, and loketh [B] well aboute him, dryueth awaye all euell. Who can saye: my hert is cleane,⁽⁴⁾ I am innocent from synne? To vse two maner of weightes, or two maner of measures, both these are abhominable vnto the LORDE.

A childe is knowne by his conuersacion, whether his workes be pure and right. As for the hearinge of the eare & the sight of yᵉ eye, yᵉ LORDE hath made thē both. Delyte not thou in slepe, lest thou come vnto pouerte: but opē thine eyes, & thou shalt haue bred ynough. It is naught, It is naught (saye men) whan they haue it, but whan it is gone, they geue it a good worde.

A mouth of vnderstōdinge is more worth then golde, many precious stones, and costly Iewels.⁽⁵⁾ Take his garment that is suertie [C] for a straunger, & take a pledge of him for yᵉ vnknowne mans sake. Euery mā liketh the bred that is gotten with disceate, but at the last is mouth shalbe fylled with grauell.

Thorow councell the thinges that men deuyse go forwarde: & with discrecion ought warres to be taken in honde. Medle not with him that bewrayeth secretes, and is a slaunderer, and disceaueth with his lippes. Who so curseth his father and mother,⁽⁶⁾ his light shalbe put out in the myddest of darcknesse. The heretage that commeth to haistely at the first, shal not be praysed at the ende. Saye not thou: I will recompence euell, [D] but put yᵉ trust in the LORDE, & he shal defende yᵉ.⁽⁷⁾ The LORDE abhorreth two maner of weightes, and a false balaūce is an euell thinge.⁽⁸⁾ The LORDE ordreth euery mās goinges, for what is he, that vnderstondeth his owne wayes? It is a snare for a man to blaspheme that which is holy, & then to go aboute wᵗ vowes.⁽⁹⁾ A wyse kynge destroyeth yᵉ vngodly, & bryngeth the whele ouer them. The lanterne of yᵉ LORDE is yᵉ breth of man, & goeth thorow all the inwarde partes of the body.⁽¹⁰⁾ Mercy & faithfulnes preserue the kynge, & with louynge kyndnes his feate is holden vp. The strength of yonge men is their worshipe, & a gray heade, is an honoʳ vnto yᵉ aged. Woundes dryue awaye euell, and so do stripes the inwarde partes of the body.

Notes to Chapter 20

⁽¹⁾ Ephe. 5. ⟨illegible⟩ 3. Esd. 3. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Pro. 24. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ Psal. 36

⁽⁴⁾ 1. Ioh. 1. b

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 6. a ⟨illegible⟩ 27. b

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 20. b ⟨illegible⟩. 20. b ⟨illegible⟩ 21. b ⟨illegible⟩eu. 27. c Re. 15. a ⟨illegible⟩. 5. e ⟨illegible⟩. 12. c

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 20. b

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 10. d

⁽⁹⁾ Reg. 15

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 29. b

Chapter 21

[A] THe kynges hert is in the hande of the LORDE, ⁽¹⁾ like as are the ryuers of water: he maye turne it whyther so euer he wyll. Euery man thinketh his owne waye to be right, but the LORDE iudgeth yᵉ hertes.⁽²⁾ To do rightuousnesse and iudgmēt is more acceptable to the LORDE thē sacrifice.

A presumptuous loke, a proude stomacke, & the lanterne of the vngodly is synne. The deuyses of one that is diligent, brynge plenteousnes: but he yᵗ is vnaduysed, commeth vn to pouerte. Who so hoordeth vp riches wᵗ yᵉ disceatfulnes of his tonge, he is a foole, & like vnto them that seke their owne death. The robberies of the vngodly shalbe their owne destruccion, for they wolde not do the [B] thynge that was right. The wayes of the frowarde are straunge,⁽³⁾ but yᵉ workes of him yᵗ is cleane, are right. It is better to dwell in a corner vnder yᵉ house toppe, then with a braulinge woman in a wyde house.

The soule of the vngodly wysheth euell, and hath no pitie vpon his neghboure.

When the scornefull is punyshed, the ignoraunt take yᵉ better hede: & when a wyse man is warned, he wil receaue the more vnderstondinge. The rightuous enfourmeth the house of the vngodly, but yᵉ vngodly go on still after their owne wickednesse. Who so stoppeth his eare at the criēge of the poore, he shal crie himself and not be herde.⁽⁴⁾ A preuy rewarde pacifieth displeasure, and a gifte in the bosome stilleth furiousnesse.

The iust delyteth in doynge the thynge that is right, but the workers of wickednesse abhorre the same. The man that wandreth [C] cut of the waye of wyszdome, shal remayne in the cōgregacion of yᵉ deed. He yᵗ hath pleasure in banckettes, shal be a poore man:⁽⁵⁾ Who so delyteth in wyne and delicates, shal not be riche. The vngodly shalbe geuen for the rightuous, & the wicked for the iust.

It is better to dwell in a wyldernesse,⁽⁶⁾ thē with a chydinge and an angrie woman. In a wyse mans house there is greate treasure and plenteousnesse, but a foolish body spendeth vp all. Who so foloweth rightuousnesse and mercy, fyndeth both life, rightuousnesse and honoʳ. A wyse man wynneth the cite of the mightie, and as for the strength yᵗ they trust in, he bryngeth it downe. Who so [D] kepeth his mouth and his tonge,⁽⁷⁾ the same kepeth his soule from troubles. He yᵗ is proude & presumptuous, is called a scornefull mā, which in wrath darre worke maliciously.

The voluptuousnesse of the slouthfull is his owne death, for his hādes wyll not laboʳ.

He coueteth and desyreth all the daye longe, but the rightuous is allwaye geuynge & kepeth nothinge backe.⁽⁸⁾ The sacrifice of the vngodly is abhominacion, for they offre the thinge yᵗ is gotten wᵗ wickednes.⁽⁹⁾ A false wytnesse shal perishe, but he yᵗ wilbe content to heare, shal allwaye haue power to speake himself. An vngodly man goeth forth rashly, but the iust refourmeth his owne waye.

There is no wyszdome,⁽¹⁰⁾ there is no vnderstondinge, there is no councell agaynst the LORDE. The horse is prepared agaynst yᵉ daye of battayll, but the LORDE geueth the victory.

Notes to Chapter 21

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Reg. 1. c

⁽²⁾ Mich. 6. b

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩it. 1. c ⟨illegible⟩. 25. d

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 22

A Good name is more worth then greate riches,⁽¹⁾ and louynge fauoʳ is better then syluer and golde. Whether riches or pouerte do mete vs, it commeth all of God. A wyse man seyth the plage and hydeth himself, but the foolish go on still and are punyshed. The ende of lowlynes & the feare of God, is riches, honoʳ, prosperite and health. Speares and snares are in yᵉ waye of the frowarde, but he yᵗ wil kepe his soule, let him fle frō soch. Yf thou reachest a childe in his youth what waye he shulde go, he shall not leaue it when he is olde. The rich ruleth the poore, and yᵉ borower is seruaunt to yᵉ lender. He yᵗ soweth wickednesse, shal reape sorowe, & the rodde of his plage shal destroye him.⁽²⁾ A louynge eye shalbe blessed, for he geueth of his bred vnto yᵉ poore. Cast out yᵉ [B] scornefull man, and so shal strife go out wᵗ him, yee variaunce and slaunder shal cease. Who so delyteth to be of a clene herte and of gracious lyppes, yᵉ kynge shal be his frende.

The eyes of yᵉ LORDE preserue knowlege, but as for yᵉ wordes of yᵉ despyteful, he bryngeth them to naught. The slouthfull body sayeth: there is a lyō wᵗ out, I might be slayue in yᵉ strete. The mouth of an harlot is a depe pytt,⁽³⁾ wherin he falleth that yᵉ LORDE is angrie withall. Foolishnes sticketh in the herte of yᵉ lad, but yᵉ rod of correccion driueth it awaye. Who so doth a poore man wronge to increase his owne riches, geueth (comōly) [C] vnto the rich, and at the last commeth to pouerte himself. My sonne, bowe downe thine eare, and herken vnto the wordes of wyszdome, applye yᵉ mynde vnto my doctryne: for it is a pleasaunt thinge yf thou kepe it in thine herte, and practise it in thy mouth: that thou mayest allwaye put yᵉ trust in the LORDE. Haue not I warned yᵉ very oft with councell and lerninge? yᵗ I might shewe yᵉ the treuth and that thou wᵗ the verite mightest answere them yᵗ laye eny thinge against yᵉ? Se yᵗ thou robbe not yᵉ poore because he is weake, and oppresse not yᵉ simple in iudgment: for yᵉ LORDE himself wyl defende their cause, and [D] do violence vnto them yᵗ haue vsed violence.

Make no frēdshipe with an angrie wylfull man, and kepe no company wᵗ yᵉ furious: lest thou lerne his wayes, and receaue hurte vnto thy soule.⁽⁴⁾ Be not thou one of them yᵗ bynde their hande vpō promyse, and are suertie for dett: for yf thou hast nothinge to paye, they shal take awaye thy bed from vnder the. Thou shalt not remoue the lande marcke,⁽⁵⁾ which thy fore elders haue sett. Seist thou not, yᵗ they which be diligent in their busines stonde before kynges, and not amonge the symple people?

Notes to Chapter 22

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 23

[A] When thou syttest at the table to eate wᵗ a lorde, ordre thy self manerly wᵗ yᵉ thinges that are set before yᵉ Measure thine appetite: and yf thou wilt rule thine owne self, be not ouer gredy of his meate, for meate begyleth and disceaueth.

Take not ouer greate trauayle and laboʳ to be riche, bewarre of soch a purpose.⁽¹⁾ Why wilt thou set thine eye vpon yᵉ thinge, which sodenly vanisheth awaye? For riches make them selues wynges, and take their flight like an Aegle in to yᵉ ayre. Eate not thou wᵗ yᵉ envyous, and desyre no his meate, for he hath a maruelous herte. He sayeth vnto yᵉ: eate and drynke, where as his herte is not wᵗ yᵉ. Yee yᵉ morsels that thou hast eaten shalt thou perbreake, and lese those swete wordes. Tel nothinge in to yᵉ eares of a foole, for he wyl despyse the wyszdome of thy wordes. Remoue not yᵉ olde lande marke,⁽²⁾ and come not within yᵉ felde of the fatherlesse: For he yᵗ deliuereth them is mightie, euen he shal defende their cause agaynst the. Applie thine [B] herte vnto lernynge, and thine eare to the wordes of knowlege.⁽³⁾ Witholde not correccion from yᵉ childe, for yf thou beatest him wᵗ the rodde, he shal not dye therof. Thou smytest him wᵗ the rodde, but thou delyuerest his soule from hell. My sonne, yf yᵉ herte receaue wyszdome, my herte also shal reioyce: yee myreynes shal be very glad, yf yᵉ lyppes speake the thinge yᵗ is right.⁽⁴⁾ Let not thine herte be gelous to folowe synners, but kepe yᵉ still in the feare of the LORDE all the daye lōge: for the ende is not yet come, and thy pacient abydinge shal not be in vayne. My sonne, ne eare & be wyse, so shal thine hert prospere in the waye. Kepe no company wᵗ wyne bebbers and ryotous eaters of flesh: for soch as be dronckardes and ryotous,⁽⁵⁾ shal come to pouerte, & he that is geuen to moch slepe, shal go wᵗ a ragged cote. Geue eare vnto thy father that begat the, and despyse not thy mother whan she is olde. Laboʳ for to get yᵉ treuth: sell not awaye wyszdome, nourt oʳ & vnderstōdinge (for a righteous father is maruelous glad of a wyse sonne, & delyteth in hī) so shal thy father be glad, and thy mother that bare the, shal reioyse. My sonne, geue me [C] thyne herte, and let thine eyes haue pleasure in my wayes. For an whore is a depe graue,⁽⁶⁾ and an harlot is a narow pytt. She lurketh like a thefe, and those that be not awarre she brīgeth vnto her. Where is wo? where is sorow? where is strife? where is braulynge? where are woundes without cause? where be reed eyes? Euen amonge those that be euer at the wyne, and seke out where the best is. Loke not thou vpon the wyne, how reed it is, and what a coloʳ it geueth in the glasse.

It goeth downe softly, but at the last it byteth like a serpēt, and styngeth as an Adder.

So shal thine eyes loke vnto straunge women, & thine herte shal muse vpon frowarde thinges. Yee thou shalt be as though thou slepte, in yᵉ myddest of yᵉ see, or vpō yᵉ toppe of the mast. They wounded me (shalt thou saie) but it hath not hurte me, they smote me, but I felt it not. Whē I am wel wakened, I wil go to yᵉ drynke agayne.

Notes to Chapter 23

⁽¹⁾ Eccl. 27. Iere 17. b 1. Tim. 6 ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Pro. 22. d

⁽³⁾ Pro. 13. c ⟨illegible⟩ccl⟨illegible⟩. 30.

⁽⁴⁾ Pro. 24 ⟨illegible⟩ and. c

⁽⁵⁾ Pro. 22. c

⁽⁶⁾ Pro. 22. b

Chapter 24

[A] BE not thou gelous ouer wicked mē, & desyre not thou to be amonge them.⁽¹⁾

For their herte ymagineth to do hurte, & their lippes talke of myschefe. Thorow wyszdome an house shalbe buylded, & wᵗ vnderstondinge it shalbe set vp. Thorow discrecion shal yᵉ chābers be fylled wᵗ all costly & pleasaunt riches▪ A wyse mā is strōge, yee a mā of vnderstōdinge is better, thē he yᵗ is mightie of strēgth. For with discrecion must warres be takē in honde, and where as are many yᵗ can geue councell, there is yᵉ victory. Wyszdome is an hie thinge, yee euē to yᵉ foole, for he darre not opē his mouth in yᵉ gate. He yᵗ ymagineth myschefe, maye wel be called an vngracious personne. The thoughte of yᵉ foolish is synne, & yᵉ scornefull [B] is an abhominacion vnto mē. Yf thou be ouersene & necligēt in tyme of nede, thē is thy strēgth but small. Delyuer thē yᵗ go vnto death, & are led awaie to be slaine, & be not necligēt therin. Yf thou wilt saye: I knewe not of it. Thynkest thou yᵗ he which made yᵉ hertes, doth not cōsidre it? & yᵗ he which regardeth yᵉ soule, seith it not? Shal not he recōpence euery man acordinge to his workes? My sonne, thou eatest hony & yᵉ swete hony cōbe, because it is good & swete in thy mouth. Euen so shall yᵉ knowlege of wysdome be vnto yᵉ soule, as soone as thou hast gottē it. And there is good hope, yee yᵉ hope [C] shal not be in vayne. Laye no preuy waite wickedly vpon yᵉ house of yᵉ rightuous, & disquiete not his restinge place.⁽²⁾ For a iust mā falleth seuen tymes, & ryseth vp agayne, but yᵉ vngodly fall in to wickednes. Reioyce not thou at yᵉ fall of thine enemie,⁽³⁾ and let not thine herte be glad whan he stombleth.

Lest yᵉ LORDE (when he seyth it) be angrie, & turne his wrath from him vnto the.⁽⁴⁾ Let not yᵉ wrath & gelousy moue yᵉ, to foolow yᵉ wicked and vngodly. And why? yᵉ wicked hath nothinge to hope for,⁽⁵⁾ & yᵉ cādle of the vngodly shall be put out. My sonne, feare thou yᵉ LRODE & yᵉ kinge, & kepe no cōpany wᵗ yᵉ slaunderous: for their destruccion shal come sodenly, & who knoweth yᵉ fall of thē both?

These are also yᵉ saiēges of yᵉ wyse.

It is not good,⁽⁶⁾ to haue respecte of any personne in iudgmēt. He yᵗ saieth to yᵉ vngodly: thou art rightuous, him shall the people curse, yee yᵉ comōtie shal abhorre him. But they yᵗ rebuke yᵉ vngodly shalbe cōmended, & a riche blessinge shal come vpō thē. He maketh him self to be well loued, that geueth a good answere. First make vp yᵉ worke yᵗ is wᵗ out, & loke well vnto yᵗ which thou hast in yᵉ felde, & thē buylde thine house. Be no false wytnesse agaynst yᵉ neghboʳ, & hurte him not wᵗ yᵉ lyppes Saye not:⁽⁷⁾ I wil hādle him, euē as he hath dealte wᵗ me, & wil rewarde euery mā acordinge to his dedes. I wente by yᵉ felde of yᵉ slouthfull, & by yᵉ vynyarde of the foolish mā. And lo, it was all couered wᵗ nettels, & stode full of thistles, & yᵉ stone wall was brokē downe. This I sawe, & cōsidered it wel: I loked vpō it, & toke it for a warnynge. Yee slepe on still a litle,⁽⁸⁾ slōbre a litle, folde thine hōdes together yet a litle: so shall pouerte come vnto the as one yᵗ trauayleth by yᵉ waye, & necessite like a wapened man.

Notes to Chapter 24

⁽¹⁾ Pro. 23. b ⟨illegible⟩4. c

⁽²⁾ Psal. 33. c 3⟨illegible⟩ d

⁽³⁾ Pro. 17. a

⁽⁴⁾ Pro. 23. b 24. a

⁽⁵⁾ Iob 21. b Pro 13. a Pro. 20. a

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 25

THese also are Salomons prouerbes, which the men of Ezechias kinge of Iuda gathered together. It is the honoʳ of God to kepe a thinge secrete,⁽¹⁾ but yᵉ kinges honoʳ is to search out a thinge. The heauen is hie, yᵉ earth is depe, and yᵉ kinges hert is vnsearcheable. Take yᵉ drosse from yᵉ syluer, & there shalbe a cleane vessell therof. Take awaye vngodlinesse frō yᵉ kynge, & his seate shal be stablished wᵗ rightuousnes.

Put not forth yᵗ self in yᵉ presence of yᵉ kynge, & prease not in to yᵉ place of greate men.

Better it is yᵗ it be sayde vnto yᵉ:⁽²⁾ come vp hither, then thou to be set downe in yᵉ presence of yᵉ prynce, whom thou seyst with thine eyes. Be not haistie to go to the lawe, lest happlie thou ordre yⁱ self so at yᵉ last, yᵗ thy neghboʳ put yᵉ to shame. Handle thy matter wᵗ yⁱ neghboʳ himself, & discouer not another mans secrete: lest whan men heare therof, it turne to yᵉ dishonoʳ, & lest thine euell name do not ceasse. A worde spoken in due season, is like apples of golde in a syluer dyshe.

The correccion of the wyse is to an obedient eare, a golden cheyne and a Iewel of golde. Like as the wynter coole in the haruest, so is a faithfull messaunger to him that sent him, & refreszsheth his masters mynde.

Who so maketh greate boastes & geueth nothinge, is like cloudes & wynde without rayne. With pacience maye a prynce be pacified, & wᵗ a soft tonge maye rigorousnes be brokē. Yf thou findest hony, eate so moch as is sufficiēt for yᵉ: lest thou be ouer full, & per breake it out againe. Withdrawe yᵉ foote frō thy neghbours house, lest he be weery of the, and so abhorre the. Who so beareth false wytnesse agaynst his neghboure, he is a very speare, a swearde & a sharpe arowe. The hope of the vngodly in tyme of nede, is like a rotten toth and a slippery foote. Who so syngeth a songe to a wicked herte, clotheth hī with ragges in the colde, and poureth vyneger [D] vpon chalke. Yf thine enemie honger, fede him:⁽³⁾ yf he thyrst, geue him drynke: for so shalt thou heape coales of fyre vpō his heade, and the LORDE shal rewarde the. The north wynde dryueth awaye the rayne, euen so doth an earnest sober countenaūce a back byters tonge. It is better to syt in a corner vnder the rofe,⁽⁴⁾ then wᵗ a braulynge woman in a wyde house. A good reporte out of a farre countre, is like colde water to a thyrstie soule. A righteous man fallynge downe before the vngodly, is like a troubled well and a sprynge yᵗ is destroyed. Like as it is not good to eate to moch hony,⁽⁵⁾ euen so he that wyll search out hye thynges, it shal be to heuy for him. He that can not rule himself, is like a cite, which is broken downe, and hath no walles.

Notes to Chapter 25

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 26

[A] LIke as snowe is not mete in sommer, ner rayne in haruest: euen so is worshipe vnsemely for a foole. Like as yᵉ byrde and the swalowe take their flight and fle here and there, so the curse that is geuen in vayne, shal not light vpon a man. Vnto the horse belongeth a whyppe,⁽¹⁾ to the Asse a brydle, and a rodde to the fooles backe. Geue not the foole an answere after his foolishnesse, lest thou become like vnto him: but make yᵉ foole an answere to his foolishnesse, lest he be wyse in his owne cōceate. He is lame of his fete, yee droncken is he in vanite, that cōmitteth eny thinge to a foole. Like as it is an vnsemely thīge to haue legges & yet to halte, euē so is a parable in yᵉ fooles mouth.

He yᵗ setteth a foole in hye dignite, yᵗ is euē as yf a man dyd cast a precious stone vpō yᵉ [B] galous. A parable in a fooles mouth, is like a thorne yᵗ pricketh a droncken man in yᵉ hande. A man of experience discerneth all thinges well, but who so hyreth a foole, hyreth soch one as wyl take no hede. Like as the dogg turneth agayne to his vomite,⁽²⁾ euen so a foole begynneth his foolishnesse agayne a fresh. Yf thou seyest a man yᵗ is wyse in his owne conceate, there is more hope in a foole then in hī.⁽³⁾ The slouthfull sayeth: there is a leoparde in yᵉ waye, and a lyon in yᵉ myddest of the stretes. Like as the dore turneth aboute vpon the tresholde, euen so doth the slouthfull welter himself in his bedd. The slouthfull body thrusteth his hōde in to his bosome,⁽⁴⁾ and it greueth him to put it agayne to his mouth. The slogarde thinketh him self wyser, then vij. men that sytt and teach.

Who so goeth by and medleth with other mens strife, he is like one yᵗ taketh a dogg by yᵉ eares. Like as one shuteth deadly arowes [C] and dartes out of a preuy place,⁽⁵⁾ euen so doth a dyssembler with his neghboure, And then sayeth he: I dyd it but in sporte. Where no wodd is, there the fyre goeth out:⁽⁶⁾ and where the bacbyter is taken awaye, there the strife ceaseth. Coles kyndle heate, and wodd yᵉ fyre: euen so doth a braulinge felowe stere vp variaunce· A slaunderers wordes are like flatery, but they pearse yᵉ inwarde partes of yᵉ body. Venymous lippes & a wicked herte, are like a potsherde couered wᵗ syluer drosse. An enemie dyssembleth with his lippes, and in the meane season he ymagineth myschefe: but whā he speaketh fayre, beleue him not, for there are seuen abhominaciōs in his herte. Who so kepeth euell will secretly to do hurte, his malyce shalbe shewed before the whole congregacion.⁽⁷⁾ Who so dyggeth vp a pytt, shal fal therin: and he yᵗ weltreth a stone, shal stomble vpon it hymselfe.

A dyssemblynge tonge hateth one that rebuketh him, and a flaterīge mouth worketh myschefe.

Notes to Chapter 26

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ Pro. 19. d

⁽⁵⁾ Psal. 10. a

⁽⁶⁾ Eccli. 28.

⁽⁷⁾ Eccl⟨illegible⟩. 10. Eccli. 27

Chapter 27

TAke not thy boost of tomorow, for thou knowest not what maye happen [A] todaye.⁽¹⁾ Let another mā praysethe, & not thine owne mouth: yee other folkes lippes, and not thyne.⁽²⁾ The stone is heuy, and the sonde weightie: but a fooles wrath is heuyer then they both. Wrath is a cruell thīge, and furiousnesse is a very tempest: yee who is able to abyde envye? An open rebuke is better, then a secrete loue.⁽³⁾ Faithfull are the woundes of a louer, but yᵉ kysses of an enemie are disceatfull. He that is full, abhorreth an hony combe: but vnto him that is hōgrie, euery sower thinge is swete. He that oft tymes flytteth, is like a byrde yᵗ forsaketh hir nest. The herte is glad of a swete oyntment and sauoure, but a stomacke that cā geue good councell, reioyseth a mans neghboure. Thyne owne frende [B] and thy fathers frende se thou forsake not, but go not in to thy brothers house in tyme of thy trouble.

Better is a frende at hōde, then a brother farre of. My sonne, be wyse, and thou shalt make me a glad herte: so that I shal make answere vnto my rebukers. A wyse man seynge the plage wyl hyde him self, as for fooles they go on still,⁽⁴⁾ and suffer harme. Take his garment that is suertie for a straunger, & take a pledge of him for the vnknowne mans sake. He that is to hastie to praise his neghboure aboue measure, shalbe taken as one yᵗ geueth him an euell reporte.⁽⁵⁾ A brawlynge woman and the rofe of the house droppynge in a raynie daye, maye well be compared together. He that refrayneth her, refrayneth the wynde, and holdeth oyle fast in his [C] hōde. Like as one yrō whetteth another, so doth one man comforte another. Who so kepeth his fyge tre, shal enioye the frutes therof: he that wayteth vpon his master, shal come to honoure. Like as in one water there apeare dyuerse faces, euē so dyuerse men haue dyuerse hertes.⁽⁶⁾ Like as hell & destruccion are neuer full, euen so the eyes of mē can neuer be satisfied. Syluer is tryed in the moulde, & golde in the fornace, & so is a man, whan he is openly praysed to his face. Though thou shuldest bray a foole wᵗ a pestell in a morter like otemeell, yet wil not his foolishnesse go from him. Se yᵗ thou knowe the nombre of thy catell thy self,⁽⁷⁾ and loke well to thy flockes. For riches abyde not allwaye, & the crowne endureth not for euer. The hay groweth, yᵉ grasse cōmeth vp, & herbes are gathered in yᵉ mountaines.

The lambes shal clothe the, & for the goates thou shalt haue money to yᵉ huszbondry.

Thou shalt haue goates mylck ynough to fede the, to vpholde thy husholde, & to susteyne thy maydens.

Notes to Chapter 27

⁽¹⁾ Eze. 28. a Luc. 12. b Iaco. 4.

⁽²⁾ Eccli. 22

⁽³⁾ Psa. 14⟨illegible⟩. Luc. 22.

⁽⁴⁾ Pro. 10. c

⁽⁵⁾ Pro. 19. b

⁽⁶⁾ Pro. ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ ⟨illegible⟩ Eccls. 1. a ⟨illegible⟩cclī. 14. a ⟨illegible⟩ccī. 27. b

⁽⁷⁾ Ioh. 10. a

Chapter 28

[A] THe vngodly flyeth no man chasynge him,⁽¹⁾ but the rightuous stondeth stiff as a lyon. Because of synne yᵉ londe doth oft chaunge hir prynce: but thorow men of vnderstondinge & wyszdome a realme endureth longe. One poore man oppressinge another by violence, is like a contynuall rayne that destroyeth yᵉ frute. They that forsake the lawe, prayse yᵉ vngodly: but soch as kepe the lawe, abhorre them. Wicked men discerne not the thinge yᵗ is right,⁽²⁾ but they that seke after the LORDE, discusse all thinges.⁽³⁾ A poore man ledynge a godly life, is better then the riche that goeth in frowarde wayes. Who so kepeth the lawe, is a childe of vnderstondinge: but he yᵗ fedeth [B] ryotous men, shameth his father. Who so increaseth his riches by vaūtage & wynnynge, let him gather them to helpe the poore withall.⁽⁴⁾ He that turneth awaye his eare from hearinge yᵉ lawe, his prayer shalbe abhorred. Who so ledeth yᵉ rightuous in to an euell waye, shal fall in to his owne pytt, but yᵉ iust shal haue the good in possession.

The rich man thynketh him self to be wyse, but the poore that hath vnderstondinge, cā perceaue him wel ynough.⁽⁵⁾ When rightuous men are in prosperite, thē doth honoure florish: but when the vngodly come vp, yᵉ state of men chaungeth. He that hydeth his synnes, shall not prospere: but who so knowlegeth them and forsaketh them, shall haue mercy. Well is him that stōdeth all waye in awe: as for him that hardeneth his herte, he shal fall in to mischefe. Like as a roaringe lyon and an hongrie beer, euen so [C] is an vngodly prynce ouer the poore people.

Where the prynce is without vnderstondinge, there is greate oppression & wronge: but yf he be soch one as hateth couetousnesse, he shal longe raigne.⁽⁶⁾ He that by violēce sheddeth eny mans bloude, shal be a rennagate vnto his graue, and no man shal be able to sucoʳ him.⁽⁷⁾ Who so leadeth a godly and an innocēt life, shalbe safe: but he that goeth frowarde wayes, shall once haue a fall. He yᵗ tylleth his londe,⁽⁸⁾ shal haue plenteousnesse of bred: but he that foloweth ydilnesse, shal haue pouerte ynough. A faithfull man is greatly to be commēded, but he that maketh to moch haist for to be riche,⁽⁹⁾ shal not be vngiltie. To haue respecte of personnes in iudgment is not good: And why? he will do wronge, yee euen for a pece of bred. He that will be rich all to soone,[D] hath an euell eye, and considereth not, that pouerte shall come vpon him. He that rebuketh a man, shall fynde more fauoure at yᵉ last, thē he that flatreth him. Who so robbeth his father and mother,⁽¹⁰⁾ and sayeth it is no synne: the same is like vnto a mortherer.

He that is of a proude stomacke, stereth vp strife: but he that putteth his trust in yᵉ LORDE, shalbe well fedd. He that trusteth in his owne hert, is a foole:⁽¹¹⁾ but he that dealeth wisely, shalbe safe. He that geueth vnto the poore, shal not wante: but he that turneth awaye his eyes from soch as be in necessite, shall suffre greate pouerte himself.

Whan the vngodly are come vp,⁽¹²⁾ men are fayne to hyde them selues: but whē they perish, the rightuous increase.

Notes to Chapter 28

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩eui. 26. c

⁽²⁾ Cor. 2. b

⁽³⁾ Pro. 19. a

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 29

[A] HE that is stiffnecked & wyll not be refourmed, shal sodenly be destroyed wᵗ out eny helpe. Where yᵉ rightuous haue the ouer hande,⁽¹⁾ yᵉ people are in prosperite: but where the vngodly beareth rule, there yᵉ people mourne. Who so loueth wyszdome,⁽²⁾ maketh his father a glad man: but he yᵗ kepeth harlottes, spēdeth awaye yᵗ he hath. With true iudgment yᵉ kynge setteth vp the londe, but yf he be a man yᵗ taketh giftes, he turneth it vpsyde downe. Who so flatreth his neghboʳ, layeth a nette for his fete. The synne of yᵉ wicked is his owne snare, but yᵉ righteous shal be glad and reioyse. The righteous considreth the cause of the poore, but the vngodly regardeth no vnderstondynge. Wicked people brynge a cite in decaye, but wyse men set it vp agayne. Yf a wyse man go to lawe with a foole (whether he deale with him frendly or roughly) he getteth [B] no rest. The bloudethyrstie hate the rightuous, but the iust seke his soule. A foole poureth out his sprete alltogether, but a wyse man kepeth it in till afterwarde.

Yf a prynce delyte in lyes, all his seruauntes are vngodly. The poore and the lender mete together, the LORDE lighteneth both their eyes. The seate of the kinge yᵗ faithfully iudgeth the poore,⁽³⁾ shal continue sure for euermore. The rodde and correccion mynistre wyszdome, but yf a childe be not loked vnto, he bryngeth his mother to shame. When the vngodly come vp, wickednesse increaseth: but the rightuous shall se their fall. Nurtoure thy sonne with correccion, and he shal comforte the, yee he shal do the good at thine hert. Where no prophet is, there the people perishe: but well is [C] him that kepeth the lawe. A seruaūt wil not be the better for wordes, for though he vnderstonde, yet wil he not regarde them.

Yf thou seyst a man that is haistie to speake vnaduysed, thou mayest trust a foole more then him. He that delicately bryngeth vp his seruaunt from a childe, shal make him his master at length. An angrie man stereth vp strife, and he that beareth euell wyll in his mynde, doth moch euell. After pryde commeth a fall,⁽⁴⁾ but a lowly sprete bryngeth greate worshipe. Who so kepeth company wᵗ a thefe, hateth his owne soule: he heareth blasphemies, & telleth it not forth.

He that feareth men, shal haue a fall: but who so putteth his trust in the LORDE, shal come to honoʳ. Many there be that seke yᵉ prynces fauoure, but euery mans iudgment commeth from the LORDE.

The rightuous abhorre the vngodly: but as for those that be in yᵉ right waye, yᵉ wicked hate them.

Notes to Chapter 29

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 30

The XXX. Chapter. The wordes of Agur the sonne of Iake.

THe prophecie of a true faithfull man,[A] whō God hath helped, whom God hath cōforted & norished. For though I am yᵉ leest of all, & haue no mās vnderstōdīge (for I neuer lerned wiszdome) yet haue I vnderstōdinge & am wel enfourmed in godly thinges. Who hath clymmed vp ī to heauen? Who hath come downe from thence?

Who hath holden yᵉ wynde fast in his hāde? Who hath cōprehended yᵉ waters in a garment? Who hath set all the endes of yᵉ worlde? What is his name, or his sonnes name? Canst thou tell?⁽¹⁾ All the wordes of God are pure & cleane, for he is a shylde vnto all them, that put their trust in him.⁽²⁾ Put thou nothinge therfore vnto his wordes, lest he reproue the, and thou be founde as a lyar.

Two thinges I requyre of the, that thou wilt not denye me before I dye. Remoue fro me vanite and lyes: geue me nether pouerte ner riches, only graunte me a necessary lyuynge. Lest yf I be to full, I denye yᵉ, & saye:⁽³⁾ what felowe is yᵉ LORDE? And lest I beinge constrayned thorow pouerte, fall vnto stealinge, and forsweare the name of my God.

Accuse not a seruaunt vnto his master,[B] lest he speake euell of the also, and thou be hurte. He that bryngeth vp an euell reporte vpō the generacion of his father and mother, is not worthy to be commended.

The generacion that thynke them selues cleane, shal not be clensed from their fylthynesse. There are people yᵗ haue a proude loke, and cast vp their eye lyddes. This peoples tethe are swerdes, and with their chaft bones they consume and deuoure the symple of the earth, and the poore from amonge mē.

This generacion (which is like an horsleche) hath two doughters: yᵉ one is called, fetch hither: the other, brynge hither.

There be thre thinges that are neuer satisfied, and the fourth saieth neuer hoo. The hell, a womans wombe,⁽⁴⁾ and the earth hath neuer water ynough. As for fyre, it sayeth neuer: hoo. Who so laugheth his father to scorne,⁽⁵⁾ and setteth his mothers commaūdement at naught: the rauens pycke out his eyes in the valley, and deuoured be he of the yongle Aegles.

There be thre thinges to hye for me,⁽⁶⁾ and as for the fourth, it passeth my knowlege.

The waye of an Aegle in yᵉ ayre, yᵉ waye of a serpent ouer yᵉ stone, yᵉ waye of a shippe in yᵉ see, & yᵉ waye of a mā wᵗ a yonge womā. Soch is the waye also of a wyfe yᵗ breaketh wedlocke, which wypeth hir mouth like as whā she hath eatē, & sayeth: As for me, I haue [C] done no harme. Thorow thre thinges the earth is disquieted, & the fourth maye it not beare: Thorow a seruaūt yᵗ beareth rule, thorow a foole yᵗ hath greate riches, thorow an ydle houswife, & thorow an handmayden yᵗ is heyre to hir mastres. There be foure thinges in the earth, the which are very litle: but in wyszdome they exceade the wyse. The Emmettes are but a weake people,⁽⁷⁾ yet gather they their meate together in yᵉ haruest.

The conyes are but a feble folke, yet make they their couches amonge the rockes. The greshoppers haue not a gyde, yet go they forth together by heapes. The spyder laboureth wᵗ hir hādes, & yᵗ in yᵉ kynges palace.

There be thre thinges yᵗ go stiftly, but the goinge of the fourth is the goodliest of all. A Lyon which is kynge of beastes, & geueth place to no man: A cock ready to fight: A rāme: And a kynge yᵗ goeth forth wᵗ his people.

Yf thou be so foolish to magnifie yᵉ self, or medlest wᵗ eny soch thinge, thē laye thine hāde vpon yᵉ mouth. Who so chyrneth mylck, maketh butter: he that rubbeth his nose, maketh it blede, and he that causeth wrath, bryngeth forth strife.

Notes to Chapter 30

⁽¹⁾ Psal 17. c 1⟨illegible⟩. b. 118. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ Deut. 8. c and 31. e Exo. 5. a Iob 21· b Ecclī. 27. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ Pro· 27. c

⁽⁵⁾ Exo. 21. b Deu ▪ 27.

⁽⁶⁾ Sap. 5. b

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ro. 6. a

Chapter 31

[A] THese are the wordes of Kynge Lamuel, & yᵉ lesson yᵗ his mother taught him. My sonne, thou sonne of my body: O my deare beloued sonne, geue not ouer thy substaunce & mynde vnto women, which are the destrucciō euē of kynges. O Lamuel, geue kinges no wyne, geue kynges & prynces no stronge drynke: lest they beinge dronken forget the lawe, & regarde not yᵉ cause of the poore, & of all soch as be in aduersite. Geue stronge drynke vnto soch as are condempned to death, & wyne vnto those yᵗ mourne: that they maye drynke it, & forget their misery & aduersite. Be thou an aduocate & stonde in iudgment thyself, to speake for all soch as be dōme & sucourles. With yᵉ mouth defende yᵉ thinge yᵗ is laufull and right, and yᵉ cause of yᵉ poore and helplesse.

[B] Who so fyndeth an honest faithful womā, she is moch more worth thē perles. The herte of hir husbande maye safely trust in her, so that he shal haue no nede of spoyles.

She wil do him good & not euel all yᵉ dayes of hir life. She occupieth woll & flax, & laboureth gladly wᵗ hir handes. She is likē a marchauntes shippe, that bryngeth hir [C] vytayles from farre. She is vp in yᵉ night season, to prouyde meate for hir housholde, & foode for hir maydens. She considreth lōde, & byeth it, and wᵗ the frute of hir handes she planteth a vynyarde. She gyrdeth hir loynes with strength, and courageth hir armes. And yf she perceaue that hir houswifrie doth good, hir candle goeth not out by night. She layeth hir fyngers to the spyndle, & hir hande taketh holde of yᵉ rocke.

She openeth hir hande to yᵉ poore, yee she stretcheth forth hir hādes to soch as haue nede. She feareth not yᵗ the colde of wynter shal hurte hir house, for all hir housholde folkes are duble clothed. She maketh hir self fayre ornamētes, hir clothīge is whyte sylke & purple. Hir huszbāde is moch set by in yᵉ gates, whē he sytteth amonge yᵉ rulers of yᵉ londe. She maketh cloth of sylke & selleth it, and delyuereth a gyrdle vnto yᵉ marchaūt.

Strēgth and honoure is hir clothinge, & in the latter daye she shal reioyse. She openeth hir mouth with wyszdome, & in hir tōge is the lawe of grace. She loketh wel to the wayes of hir housholde, & eateth not hir bred with ydilnes. Hir children arise & call hir blessed, & hir huszbande maketh moch of her. Many daughters there be yᵗ gather riches together, but thou goest aboue thē all. As for fauoʳ, it is disceatfull, and beutie is a vayne thinge: but a woman that feareth the LORDE, she is worthy to be praysed. Geue her of the frute of hir handes, and let hir owne workes prayse her in the gates.

The ende of the prouerbes of Salomon.

Colophon

This page is an archival transcription of the printed text, not a Good Works Translation. Source: Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe (M.D.XXXV; STC 2063.3), translated by Myles Coverdale, the copy in Cambridge University Library, keyed and encoded by the Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP Phase I, text A10349, 2005) and released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 public-domain dedication.

47 places illegible in the Cambridge copy were filled from Samuel Bagster’s 1838 page-for-page reprint of the edition (archive.org, holyscriptures00cove), only where the reprint’s reading is certain; each fill is listed on this room’s Supplied Readings page; 154 places are still marked ⟨illegible⟩ (30 in the text, 124 in the marginal notes).

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