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[1] A labouring man that is geuen vnto drunckennes, shall not be rich: and he that maketh not much of small thinges, shall fall by litle and litle.
[2] Wine and women make wyse men runagates, and put men of vnderstanding to reproofe:
[3] And he that companieth adulterers, shal become an impudent man: mothes and wormes shal haue him to heritage, yea he shal be set vp to a great example, and his soule shalbe rooted out of the number.
[4] He that is hastie to geue credence, is light minded, & doth against him selfe.
[5] Who so reioyceth in wickednesse, shalbe punished: but he that resisteth pleasures, crowneth his owne soule: he that refraineth his tongue, may lyue with a troublesome man: he that hateth to be refourmed, his lyfe shalbe shortened: & he that abhorreth babling of wordes, quencheth wickednesse.
[6] He that offendeth against his owne soule, shall repent it: and he that reioyceth in wickednes, shalbe punished.
[7] Rehearse not a wicked and churlishe worde twyse, and thou shalt not be hindered.
[8] Shewe thy secretes neither to friende nor foe: and if thou hast offended, tell it not out.
[9] For he shall hearken vnto thee, and marke thee: and when he findeth oportunitie, he shall hate thee, and so shall he be alway about thee.
[10] If thou hast heard a worde against thy neighbour, let it be dead within thee: and be sure thou shalt haue no harme thereby.
[11] A foole trauayleth with a worde, lyke as a woman that is payned with bearing of a childe.
[12] Lyke as an arrowe shotte in a thigh of flesshe, so is a worde in a fooles heart.
[13] Tell thy friende his fault, lest he be ignoraunt, and say, I haue not done it: or if he haue spoken, that he do it no more.
[14] Reproue thy neighbour, that he keepe his tongue: and if he haue spoken, that he say it no more.
[15] Tell thy neighbour his fault, for oft times an offence is made: and geue not credence to euery worde.
[16] A man falleth sometime with his tongue, but not with his wil: for what is he that hath not offended in his tongue?
[17] Geue thy neighbour warning before thou threaten him: and geue place vnto the lawe of the Lorde.
[18] The feare of the Lorde is the first degree to be receaued of him: & wysdome obtayneth his loue.
[19] The knowledge of the commaundementes of the Lorde, is the doctrine of lyfe: and they that obey him, shall receaue the fruite of immortalitie.
[20] The feare of God is all wysdome: and he that is a righteous man keepeth the lawe.
[21] If a seruaunt say vnto his maister, I wyll not do as it pleaseth thee: though afterwarde he do it, he shall displease him that nourisheth him.
[22] As for the doctrine of wickednes, it is no wysdome, & the prudence of sinners is no good vnderstanding: it is but wickednes, and abhomination, and a blaspheming of wysdome.
[23] A simple man of small vnderstanding that feareth God, is better the one that hath much wysdome, and transgresseth the lawe of the highest.
[24] A craftie suttle man can be wyse, but he is vnrighteous, and with giftes he wrasteth the open and manifest lawe: againe, there is that is wise and iudgeth righteously.
[25] A wicked man can behaue him selfe humbly, and can ducke with his head, and yet is he but a deceauer within: He hydeth his face, and disguiseth it, and because he shoulde not be knowen, he preuenteth thee.
[26] And though he be so weake that he can do thee no harme, yet when he may finde oportunitie, he shall do some euill.
[27] A man may be knowen by his face, and one that hath vnderstanding may be perceaued by the looke of his countenaunce.
[28] A mans garment, laughter, and going, declare what he is.
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