The .vij. Chapter.
Diuers preceptes to folowe that whiche is good, and to auoyde the contrary.
[unspec A] 1 A * 1.1 Good name is more worth then precious oyntment: (a) 1.2 & the day of death, is better thē the day of byrth.
2 (b) 1.3It is better to go into an house of mour∣ning, then into a banketting house: For there is the ende of all men, and he that is liuing taketh it to heart.
3 (c) 1.4Grauitie is better then to laugh: for when the countenaunce is heauie, the heart is refourmed.
4 The heart of the wise is in the mour∣ning house: but the heart of the foolishe is in the house of myrth.
5 * 1.5It is better to geue eare to the chaste∣ning of a wyse man, then to heare the songue of fooles:
6 For the laughyng of fooles is like the (d) 1.6cracking of thornes vnder a pot: and that is but a vayne thing.
7 The wyse man hateth wrong dea∣ling, [unspec B] and abhorreth the heart that coue∣teth rewardes.
8 Better is it to consider the ende of a thing then the beginning: The pacient of spirite, is better then the hye minded.
9 Be not hastyly angrie in thy minde: for wrath resteth in the bosome of fooles.
10 (e) 1.7Say not thou, What is the cause that the dayes of the old time were bet∣ter then they that be nowe? for that were no wyse question.
11 Wysdome with inheritaunce is good, yet better is it with them that without care may beholde the sunne:
12 For wysdome defendeth aswell as money, and the excellent knowledge & wysdome geueth lyfe vnto hym that hath it in possession.
13 Consider the worke of God, how that no man can make the thing (f) 1.8 straight, whiche he maketh crooked.
14 Vse well the tyme of prosperitie, and remember the tyme of misfortune: for [unspec C] God doth so temper the one and the o∣ther, that a man (g) 1.9 can finde nothing els.
15 All thinges haue I considered in the time of my vanitie: that the (h) 1.10 iust man perisheth for his righteousnesse sake, & the vngodly liueth in his wickednesse.
16 (i) 1.11Therfore be thou neither to righte∣ous (k) 1.12nor ouer wyse, that thou perishe not.
17 (l) 1.13Be neither to vnrighteous also nor to foolishe, lest thou die before thy time.
18 It is good for thee to (m) 1.14 take holde of this, and not to let that go out of thy hande: For he that feareth God, com∣meth foorth with them all.
19 Wysdome geueth more courage vnto the wyse, then ten mightie men of the citie.
20 * 1.15For there is not one iust vpon earth that doth good, and sinneth not.
21 Take no heede vnto euery word that is spoken, lest thou heare thy seruaunt curse thee: for thyne owne heart know∣eth that thou thy self also hast ofttimes spoken euyll by other men.
22 All these thinges haue I proued in wysdome, for I thought to be wyse, * 1.16but she went farther fro me then she was before: yea and so deepe, that I might not reache vnto her.
23 I applied my minde also vnto know∣ledge, and to seeke and searche out sci∣ence, wysdome, and vnderstanding, to knowe the foolishnesse of the vngodly, and the errour of doting fooles.
24 And I founde that * 1.17 a woman is bit∣terer then death, the whiche hath cast abrode her heart as a net that men fishe with, and her handes are chaynes: (n) 1.18 Who so pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner wyll be taken with her.