¶ Agaynst thy better is no stryuynge. Of the deeth of thine enemye maiest thou not reioyse, nor delpyse thy neyghbours nor the wordc•• of the wyse.
CAPI. VIII.
STryue not with a myghtye mā, lest thou [unspec A] chaunse to fal into hys handes. * 1.1 Make no varyaunce wt a rych man, lest he happen to bringe vp an harde quarell againste the. * 1.2 For golde and syluer hathe vndone many a man, yee euen the kertes of kynges hathe it made to fal. Stryue not with a man that is full of wordes, and laye no styckes vpon hys fyre. Kepe no company with the vnler∣ned, lest he geue thy kynred an euel reporte. * 1.3 Deipyse not a man that turneth hym selfe awaye from synne, and caste hym nat in the teeth withall: but remēbre that we are fraile euerychone. * 1.4 Thynke scorne of no man in his olde age, for we waxe olde also. Be not glade of the death of thyne enemye / but re∣mēbre y• we must dye al y• sorte of vs (& faine wolde we come into ioye.) * 1.5 Despyse not y• sermons of such elders as haue vnderstan∣dynge / but acquaynte thy selfe wt the wyse sentēces of the: for of them yu shalt lerne wys dome & the doctryne of vnderstanding, and howe to serue great men without cōplaint.
Go not from the doctryne of the elders, [unspec B] for they haue lerned it of theyr fathers. For of them thou shalt lerne vnderstandyng, so that thou mayest make answere in the tyme of nede. Kyndle not the coales of synners, (whan thou rebukest them) lest thou be bret in the fyrie flammes of theyr synnes. Resyst not the ••ace of the blasphemer / that he laye not wayte for thy mouth. ‡ 1.6 Lende not vnto him that is myghtter then thy selfe: If thou lendest hym, coūte it but lost. Be not surtye aboue thy power: yf thou be, then thynke surely to paye it. Go not to lawe with the iudge / for he wyll iudge accordynge to hys owne honoure. ‡ 1.7 Trauaylle not by y• waye with hym that is braynelesse, lest he do the [unspec C] euell: for he foloweth his owne wylfulnes, and so shale thou perysh thorowe his foly.
‡ 1.8 Stryue not with hym that is angrie & cruell / and go not with hym into the wyl∣derues: for bloude is nothinge in hys syght, and where there is no helpe / he shall mur∣ther the. * 1.9 Take no councell at fooles, for they loue nothynge but the thynges that please them selues. Make no councel be∣fore a straunger / for thou canst not tei what wyllcome of it. Open not thyne herte vnto euery man / lest he be vnthanckfull to the, and put the to reprofe.