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[1] The wysdome of hym that is brought lowe shall lift vp his head, and shall make hym to sit among great men.
[2] Commende not thou a man in his beautie, neither despise a man in his vtter appeeraunce.
[3] The Bee is but a smal beast among the foules, yet is her fruite exceeding sweet.
[4] Be not proude of thy rayment, & exalt not thy selfe in the day of thy honour: for the workes of the hiest onely are wonderfull: yea glorious, secrete, and vnknowen are his workes.
[5] Many tyrauntes haue ben fayne to sit downe vpon the earth, and the vnlikely hath worne the crowne.
[6] Many mightie men haue ben brought low, & the honorable haue ben deliuered into other mens handes.
[7] Condemne no man before thou haue tryed out the matter: and when thou hast made inquisition, then refourme righteously.
[8] Geue no sentence before thou hast hearde the cause: but first let men tel out their tales.
[9] Stryue not for a matter that toucheth not thy selfe, and stande not in the iudgement of sinners.
[10] My sonne, meddle not with many matters: and if thou gaine much thou shalt not be blamelesse, & if thou folow after it thou shalt not attayne it: and though thou runnest thy way afore, yet shalt thou not escape.
[11] There is some man that laboureth and taketh payne, and the more he weerieth him selfe, the lesse he hath.
[12] Againe, some man is slouthfull, hath neede of helpe, wanteth strength, and hath great pouertie:
[13] And gods eye loketh vpon him to good, setteth him vp from his lowe state, and lifteth vp his head: so that many men maruel at hym, and geue honour vnto God.
[14] Prosperitie and aduersitie, lyfe and death, pouertie and richesse, come all of the Lorde.
[15] Wysedome, nurture, and knowledge of the lawe are with God, loue and the wayes of good are with him.
[16] Errour and darkenesse are made for sinners, and they that exalt them selues in euyll, waxe olde in euyll.
[17] The gift of God remayneth for the righteous: and his good will shall geue prosperitie for euer.
[18] Some man is riche by his care and nigardship, and that is the portion of his rewarde:
[19] In that he sayth, Now haue I gotten rest, and nowe will I eate and drinke of my goodes my selfe alone: and yet he considereth not that the time draweth nye, and death approcheth, that he must leaue all these thinges vnto other men, and dye him selfe.
[20] Stand thou fast in thy couenaunt, and exercise thy selfe therin, and remayne in the worke vnto thy age.
[21] Maruell not at the workes of sinners, but put thy trust in God and byde in thy labour: for it is but an easie thing in the sight of God to make a poore man riche, and that sodenly.
[22] The blessing of God hasteth to the rewarde of the righteous, and maketh his fruites soone to florishe and prosper.
[23] Say not, what helpeth it me? and what good thing shall I haue hereafter?
[24] Againe, say not, I haue enough, how can I want?
[25] When thou art in welfare, forget not aduersitie: and when it goeth not well with thee, haue a good hope that it shalbe better:
[26] For it is but a small thing vnto God in the day of death to rewarde euery man according to his wayes.
[27] The aduersitie of an houre maketh one to forget al pleasure: & when a man dieth, his workes are discouered.
[28] Iudge no man blessed before his death: for a man shalbe knowen in his children.
[29] Bring not euery man into thyne house: for the disceytfull layeth wayte diuersly, & are like stomackes that belche filthyly.
[30] Like as a partrych in a maunde, so is the heart of the proude: and like as a spie that loketh vpon the fall of his neyghbour.
[31] For he turneth good vnto euyll, and slaundreth the chosen.
[32] Of one sparke is made a great fire, and of one disceytfull man is blood increased: and an vngodly man layeth wayte for blood.
[33] Beware of the disceytfull, for he imagineth wicked thinges, to bring thee into a perpetuall shame.
[34] If thou takest an aliaunt vnto thee, he shall destroy thee in vnquietnesse, and dryue thee from thyne owne wayes.
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