Part 6
Suretiship hath undone many that were prospering, and shaken them as a wave of the sea: mighty men hath it driven from their homes; and they wandered among strange nations.
A sinner that falleth into suretiship, and undertaketh contracts for work, shall fall into lawsuits.
Help thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to thyself that thou fall not to the same.
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The chief thing for life is water, and bread, and a garment, and a house to cover shame.
Better is the life of a poor man under a shelter of logs, than sumptuous fare in another man’s house.
With little or with much, be well satisfied.
It is a miserable life to go from house to house: and where thou art a sojourner, thou shalt not dare to open thy mouth.
Thou shalt entertain, and give to drink, and have no thanks: and besides this thou shalt hear bitter words.
Come hither, thou sojourner, furnish a table, and if thou hast aught in thy hand, feed me with it.
Go forth, thou sojourner, from the face of honour; my brother is come to be my guest; I have need of my house.
These things are grievous to a man of understanding; the upbraiding of house-room, and the reproaching of the money-lender.
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=30= He that loveth his son will continue to lay stripes upon him, that he may have joy of him in the end.
He that chastiseth his son shall have profit of him, and shall glory of him among his acquaintance.
He that teacheth his son shall provoke his enemy to jealousy; and before friends he shall rejoice of him.
His father dieth, and is as though he had not died; for he hath left one behind him like himself.
In his life, he saw and rejoiced in him; and when he died, he sorrowed not:
He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one to requite kindness to his friends.
He that maketh too much of his son shall bind up his wounds; and his heart will be troubled at every cry.
An unbroken horse becometh stubborn; and a son left at large becometh headstrong.
Cocker thy child, and he shall make thee afraid: play with him, and he will grieve thee.
Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with him; and thou shalt gnash thy teeth in the end.
Give him no liberty in his youth, and wink not at his follies.
Bow down his neck in his youth, and beat him on the sides while he is a child, lest he wax stubborn, and be disobedient unto thee; and there shall be sorrow to thy soul.
Chastise thy son, and take pains with him, lest his shameless behaviour be an offence unto thee.
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Better is a poor man, being sound and strong of constitution, than a rich man that is plagued in his body.
Health and a good constitution are better than all gold; and a strong body than wealth without measure.
There is no riches better than health of body; and there is no gladness above the joy of the heart.
Death is better than a bitter life, and eternal rest than a continual sickness.
Good things poured out upon a mouth that is closed are as messes of meat laid upon a grave.
What doth an offering profit an idol? for neither shall it eat nor smell: so is he that is afflicted of the Lord,
Seeing with his eyes and groaning.
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Give not over thy soul to sorrow; and afflict not thyself in thine own counsel.
Gladness of heart is the life of a man; and the joyfulness of a man is length of days.
Love thine own soul, and comfort thy heart: and remove sorrow far from thee; for sorrow hath destroyed many, and there is no profit therein.
Envy and wrath shorten a man’s days; and care bringeth old age before the time.
A cheerful and good heart will have a care of his meat and diet.
=31= Wakefulness that cometh of riches consumeth the flesh, and the anxiety thereof putteth away sleep.
Wakeful anxiety will crave slumber; and in sore disease sleep will be broken.
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A rich man toileth in gathering money together; and when he resteth, he is filled with his good things.
A poor man toileth in lack of substance; and when he resteth, he becometh needy.
He that loveth gold shall not be justified; and he that followeth destruction shall himself have his fill of it.
Many have been given over to ruin for the sake of gold; and their perdition meeteth them face to face.
It is a stumblingblock unto them that sacrifice unto it; and every fool shall be taken therewith.
Blessed is the rich that is found without blemish, and that goeth not after gold.
Who is he? and we will call him blessed: for wonderful things hath he done among his people.
Who hath been tried thereby, and found perfect? Then let him glory. Who hath had the power to transgress, and hath not transgressed? And to do evil, and hath not done it?
His goods shall be made sure, and the congregation shall declare his alms.
Sittest thou at a great table? be not greedy upon it, and say not, Many are the things upon it.
Remember that an evil eye is a wicked thing: what hath been created more evil than an eye? therefore it sheddeth tears from every face.
Stretch not thine hand whithersoever it looketh, and trust not thyself with it into the dish.
Consider thy neighbour’s liking by thine own; and be discreet in every point.
Eat, as becometh a man, those things which are set before thee; and eat not greedily, lest thou be hated.
Be first to leave off for manners’ sake; and be not insatiable, less thou offend.
And if thou sittest among many, reach not out thy hand before them.
How sufficient to a well-mannered man is a very little, and he doth not breathe hard upon his bed.
Healthy sleep cometh of moderate eating; he riseth early, and his wits are with him; the pain of wakefulness, and colic, and griping, are with an insatiable man.
And if thou hast been forced to eat, rise up in the midst thereof, and thou shalt have rest.
Hear me, my son, and despise me not, and at the last thou shall find my words true: in all thy works be quick, and no disease shall come unto thee.
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Him that is liberal of his meat the lips shall bless; and the testimony of his excellence shall be believed.
Him that is a niggard of his meat the city shall murmur at; and the testimony of his niggardness shall be sure.
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Shew not thyself valiant in wine; for wine hath destroyed many.
The furnace proveth the temper of steel by dipping; so doth wine prove hearts in the quarrelling of the proud.
Wine is as good as life to men, if thou drink it in its measure: what life is there to a man that is without wine? and it hath been created to make men glad.
Wine drunk in season and to satisfy is joy of heart, and gladness of soul:
Wine drunk largely is bitterness of soul, with provocation and conflict.
Drunkenness increaseth the rage of a fool unto his hurt; it diminisheth strength, and addeth wounds.
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Rebuke not thy neighbour at a banquet of wine, neither set him at nought in his mirth: speak not unto him a word of reproach, and press not upon him by asking back a debt.
=32= Have they made thee ruler of a feast? be not lifted up, be thou among them as one of them; take thought for them, and so sit down.
And when thou hast done all thy office, take thy place, that thou mayest be gladdened on their account, and receive a crown for thy well ordering.
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Speak, thou that art the elder, for it becometh thee, but with sound knowledge; and hinder not music.
Pour not out talk where there is a performance of music, and display not thy wisdom out of season.
As a signet of carbuncle in a setting of gold, so is a concert of music in a banquet of wine.
As a signet of emerald in a work of gold, so is a strain of music with pleasant wine.
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Speak, young man, if there be need of thee; yet scarcely if thou be twice asked.
Sum up thy speech, many things in few words; be as one that knoweth and yet holdeth his tongue.
If thou be among great men, behave not as their equal; and when another is speaking, make not much babbling.
Before thunder speedeth lightning; and before a shamefast man favour shall go forth.
Rise up betimes, and not be the last; get thee home quickly and loiter not:
There take thy pastime, and do what is in thy heart; and sin not by proud speech;
And for these things bless him that made thee, and giveth thee to drink freely of his good things.
He that feareth the Lord will receive his discipline; and they that seek him early shall find favour.
He that seeketh the law shall be filled therewith: but the hypocrite shall stumble thereat.
They that fear the Lord shall find judgement, and shall kindle righteous acts as a light.
A sinful man shunneth reproof, and will find a judgement according to his will.
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A man of counsel will not neglect a thought; a strange and proud man will not crouch in fear, even after he hath done a thing by himself without counsel.
Do nothing without counsel; and when thou hast once done, repent not.
Go not in a way of conflict; and stumble not in stony places.
Be not confident in a smooth way.
And beware of thine own children.
In every work trust thine own soul; for this is the keeping of the commandments.
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He that believeth the law giveth heed to the commandment; and he that trusteth in the Lord shall suffer no loss.
=33= There shall no evil happen unto him that feareth the Lord; but in temptation once and again will he deliver him.
A wise man will not hate the law; but he that is a hypocrite therein is as a ship in a storm.
A man of understanding will put his trust in the law; and the law is faithful unto him, as when one asketh at the oracle.
Prepare thy speech, and so shalt thou be heard; bind up instruction, and make thine answer.
The heart of a fool is as a cartwheel; and his thoughts like a rolling axle-tree.
A stallion horse is as a mocking friend; he neigheth under every one that sitteth upon him.
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Why doth one day excel another, when all the light of every day in the year is of the sun?
By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished; and he varied seasons and feasts:
Some of them he exalted and hallowed, and some of them hath he made ordinary days.
And all men are from the ground, and Adam was created of earth.
In the abundance of his knowledge the Lord distinguished them, and made their ways various:
Some of them he blessed and exalted, and some of them he hallowed and brought nigh to himself: some of them he cursed and brought low, and overthrew them from their place.
As the clay of the potter in his hand, all his ways are according to his good pleasure; so men are in the hand of him that made them, to render unto them according to his judgement.
Good is set over against evil, and life over against death: so is the sinner over against the godly.
And thus look upon all the works of the Most High; two and two, one against another.
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And I awaked up last, as one that gleaneth after the grape-gatherers: by the blessing of the Lord I got before them, and filled my winepress as one that gathereth grapes.
Consider that I laboured not for myself alone, but for all them that seek instruction.
Hear me, ye great men of the people, and hearken with your ears, ye rulers of the congregation.
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To son and wife, to brother and friend, give not power over thee while thou livest; and give not thy goods to another, lest thou repent and make supplication for them again.
Whilst thou yet livest, and breath is in thee, give not thyself over to anybody.
For better it is that thy children should supplicate thee, than that thou shouldest look to the hand of thy sons.
In all thy works keep the upper hand; bring not a stain on thine honour.
In the day that thou endest the days of thy life, and in the time of death, distribute thine inheritance.
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Fodder, a stick, and burdens, for an ass; bread, and discipline, and work, for a servant.
Set thy servant to work, and thou shalt find rest: leave his hands idle, and he will seek liberty.
Yoke and thong will bow the neck: and for an evil servant there are racks and tortures.
Send him to labour, that he be not idle; for idleness teacheth much mischief.
Set him to work, as is fit for him; and if he obey not, make his fetters heavy.
And be not excessive toward any; and without judgement do nothing.
If thou hast a servant, let him be as thyself, because thou hast bought him with blood.
If thou hast a servant, treat him as thyself; for as thine own soul wilt thou have need of him: if thou treat him ill, and he depart and run away, which way wilt thou go to seek him?
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=34= Vain and false hopes are for a man void of understanding; and dreams give wings to fools.
As one that catcheth at a shadow, and followeth after the wind, so is he that setteth his mind on dreams.
The vision of dreams is as this thing against that, the likeness of a face over against a face.
Of an unclean thing what shall be cleansed? and of that which is false what shall be true?
Divinations, and soothsayings, and dreams, are vain: and the heart fancieth, as a woman’s in travail.
If they be not sent from the Most High in thy visitation, give not thy heart unto them.
For dreams have led many astray: and they have failed by putting their hope in them.
Without lying shall the law be accomplished; and wisdom is perfection to a faithful mouth.
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A well-instructed man knoweth many things; and he that hath much experience will declare understanding.
He that hath no experience knoweth few things: but he that hath wandered shall increase his skill.
In my wandering I have seen many things; and more than my words is my understanding.
Ofttimes was I in danger even unto death; and I was preserved because of these things.
The spirit of those that fear the Lord shall live; for their hope is upon him that saveth them.
Whoso feareth the Lord shall not be afraid, and shall not play the coward; for he is his hope.
Blessed is the soul of him that feareth the Lord: to whom doth he give heed? and who is his stay?
The eyes of the Lord are upon them that love him, a mighty protection and strong stay, a cover from the hot blast, and a cover from the noonday, a guard from stumbling, and a succour from falling.
He raiseth up the soul, and enlighteneth the eyes: he giveth healing, life, and blessing.
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He that sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten, his offering is made in mockery; and the mockeries of wicked men are not well-pleasing.
The Most High hath no pleasure in the offerings of the ungodly; neither is he pacified for sins by the multitude of sacrifices.
As one that killeth the son before his father’s eyes is he that bringeth a sacrifice from the goods of the poor.
The bread of the needy is the life of the poor: he that depriveth him thereof is a man of blood.
As one that slayeth his neighbour is he that taketh away his living; and as a shedder of blood is he that depriveth a hireling of his hire.
One building, and another pulling down, what profit have they had but toil?
One praying, and another cursing, whose voice will the Lord listen to?
He that washeth himself after touching a dead body, and toucheth it again, what profit hath he in his washing?
Even so a man fasting for his sins, and going again, and doing the same; who will listen to his prayer? and what profit hath he in his humiliation?
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=37= Every friend will say, I also am his friend: but there is a friend, which is only a friend in name.
Is there not a grief in it even unto death, when a companion and friend is turned to enmity?
O wicked imagination, whence camest thou rolling in to cover the dry land with deceitfulness?
There is a companion, which rejoiceth in the gladness of a friend, but in time of affliction will be against him.
There is a companion, which for the belly’s sake laboureth with his friend, in the face of battle will take up the buckler.
Forget not a friend in thy soul; and be not unmindful of him in thy riches.
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Every counsellor extolleth counsel; but there is that counselleth for himself.
Let thy soul beware of a counsellor, and know thou before what is his interest (for he will take counsel for himself); lest he cast the lot upon thee,
And say unto thee, Thy way is good: and he will stand over against thee, to see what shall befall thee.
Take not counsel with one that looketh askance at thee; and hide thy counsel from such as are jealous of thee.
Take not counsel with a woman about her rival; neither with a coward about war; nor with a merchant about exchange; nor with a buyer about selling; nor with an envious man about thankfulness; nor with an unmerciful man about kindliness; nor with a sluggard about any kind of work; nor with a hireling in thy house about finishing his work; nor with an idle servant about much business: give not heed to these in any matter of counsel.
But rather be continually with a godly man, whom thou shalt have known to be a keeper of the commandments, who in his soul is as thine own soul, and who will grieve with thee, if thou shalt miscarry.
And make the counsel of thy heart to stand; for there is none more faithful unto thee than it.
For a man’s soul is sometime wont to bring him tidings, more than seven watchmen that sit on high on a watch-tower.
And above all this intreat the Most High, that he may direct thy way in truth.
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Let reason be the beginning of every work, and let counsel go before every action.
As a token of the changing of the heart, four manner of things do rise up, good and evil, life and death; and that which ruleth over them continually is the tongue.
There is one that is shrewd and the instructor of many, and yet is unprofitable to his own soul.
There is one that is subtil in words, and is hated; he shall be destitute of all food:
For grace was not given him from the Lord; because he is deprived of all wisdom.
There is one that is wise to his own soul; and the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy in the mouth.
A wise man will instruct his own people; and the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy.
A wise man shall be filled with blessing; and all they that see him shall call him happy.
The life of man is numbered by days; and the days of Israel are innumerable.
The wise man shall inherit confidence among his people, and his name shall live for ever.
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My son, prove thy soul in thy life, and see what is evil for it, and give not that unto it.
For all things are not profitable for all men, neither hath every soul pleasure in every thing.
Be not insatiable in any luxury, and be not greedy on the things that thou eatest.
For in multitude of meats there shall be disease, and surfeiting shall come nigh unto colic.
Because of surfeiting have many perished; but he that taketh heed shall prolong his life.
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=38= Honour a physician according to thy need of him with the honours due unto him: for verily the Lord hath created him.
For from the Most High cometh healing; and from the king he shall receive a gift.
The skill of the physician shall lift up his head; and in the sight of great men he shall be admired.
The Lord created medicines out of the earth; and a prudent man will have no disgust at them.
Was not water made sweet with wood, that the virtue thereof might be known?
And he gave men skill, that they might be glorified in his marvellous works.
With them doth he heal a man, and taketh away his pain.
With these will the apothecary make a confection; and his works shall not be brought to an end; and from him is peace upon the face of the earth.
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My son, in thy sickness be not negligent; but pray unto the Lord, and he shall heal thee.
Put away wrong doing, and order thine hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from all manner of sin.
Give a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour; and make fat thine offering, as one that is not.
Then give place to the physician, for verily the Lord hath created him; and let him not go from thee, for thou hast need of him.
There is a time when in their very hands is the issue for good.
For they also shall beseech the Lord, that he may prosper them in giving relief and in healing for the maintenance of life.
He that sinneth before his Maker, let him fall into the hands of the physician.
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My son, let thy tears fall over the dead, and as one that suffereth grievously begin lamentation; and wind up his body according to his due, and neglect not his burial.
Make bitter weeping, and make passionate wailing, and let thy mourning be according to his desert, for one day or two, lest thou be evil spoken of; and so be comforted for thy sorrow.
For of sorrow cometh death, and sorrow of heart will bow down the strength.
In calamity sorrow also remaineth; and the poor man’s life is grievous to the heart.
Give not thy heart unto sorrow: put it away, remembering the last end:
Forget it not, for there is no returning again: him thou shalt not profit, and thou wilt hurt thyself.
Remember the sentence upon him; for so also shall thine be; yesterday for me, and to-day for thee.
When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest; and be comforted for him, when his spirit departeth from him.
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The wisdom of the scribe cometh by opportunity of leisure; and he that hath little business shall become wise.
How shall he become wise that holdeth the plough, that glorieth in the shaft of the goad, that driveth oxen, and is occupied in their labours, and whose discourse is of the stock of bulls?
He will set his heart upon turning his furrows; and his wakefulness is to give his heifers their fodder.
So is every artificer and workmaster, that passeth his time by night as by day; they that cut gravings of signets, and his diligence is to make great variety; he will set his heart to preserve likeness in his portraiture, and will be wakeful to finish his work.
So is the smith sitting by the anvil, and considering the unwrought iron: the vapour of the fire will waste his flesh; and in the heat of the furnace will he wrestle with his work: the noise of the hammer will be ever in his ear, and his eyes are upon the pattern of the vessel; he will set his heart upon perfecting his works, and he will be wakeful to adorn them perfectly.
So is the potter sitting at his work, and turning the wheel about with his feet, who is always anxiously set at his work, and all his handywork is by number;
He will fashion the clay with his arm, and will bend his strength in front of his feet; he will apply his heart to finish the glazing; and he will be wakeful to make clean the furnace.
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All these put their trust in their hands; and each becometh wise in his own work.
Without these shall not a city be inhabited, and men shall not sojourn nor walk up and down therein.
They shall not be sought for in the council of the people, and in the assembly they shall not mount on high; they shall not sit on the seat of the judge, and they shall not understand the covenant of judgement: neither shall they declare instruction and judgement; and where parables are they shall not be found.
But they will maintain the fabric of the world; and in the handywork of their craft is their prayer.
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