CAPI. XXIIII.
[ A] BE not thou gelous ouer wycked men, & desire not thou to be amonge them.* 1.1
For their herte ymagineth to do hurt and their lyppes talke of myschefe
Thorow wysdome an house shalbe buyl∣ded, and with vnderstandinge it shall be set vp.
Thorow discretion shall the chambers be fylled with all castly and pleasaunt ryches.
A wyse man is stronge, yea a man of vnder standinge is better then he that is myghty of strength.
For with discrecion must warres be takē in hande, and where as are many that can gyue councell, there is the victory.
Wysdome is an hyghe thinge, yea euen to the fole, for he darre not open his mouth in ye gate.
He that ymagineth myschefe, may well be called an vngracious personne.
The thought of the folyshe is synne, and ye scornefull is an abominacion vnto men.
Yf thou be ouersene and negligent in tyme of nede, then is thy strength but small.
Delyuer them that go vnto death, and are [ B] led awaye to be slayne, and be not negligent therin.
Yf thou wilt saye: I knewe not of it, thin¦kest thou that ••e which made the hertes doth not consydre it? and that he which regardeth thy soule, seyth it not?
Shall not he recompence euery man accor∣dinge to his workes?
My son, thou eatest hony and the swete ho¦ny combe, because it is good and swete in thy mouth.
Euen so shall the knowledge of wysdome be vnto thy soule, as sone as thou haste got∣ten it.
And there is good hope, yea thy hope shall not be in vayne.
Laye no preuye wayte wickedly vpon the house of the righteous, and disquiete not his restinge place.
For a iust man falleth seuen tymes, and ry∣seth vp agayne, but the vngodly fal in to wic¦kednes.
Reioyce not thou at the fall of thyne enne¦mye, and let not thyne herte be glad when he stombleth.
Lest the Lorde (when he seyth it) be angry and turne his wrathe from him vnto the.
Let not thy wrathe and gelousy moue the, to folow the wycked and vngodly.
And why? the wycked hathe nothinge to [ C] hope for, and the candle of the vngodly shall be put out.
My sonne, feare thou the Lorde & the kyng and kepe no companye with the sclaunde∣rous: For their destruction shall come soden∣lye, and who knoweth the fall of theym both?
These are also the sayenges of the wyse.
It is not good, to haue respect of any per∣son in iudgement.
He that sayth to the vngodly: thou arte righteous, him shall the people curse,* 1.2 yea the comenth shall abhorre him.
But they that rebuke the vngodly shall be commended, and a ryche blessynge shall come vpon them.
He maketh him selfe to be well loued, that gyueth a good answere.
First make vp thy worke that is without, & loke wel vnto that which thou hast in ye felde then buylde thyne house.
Be no false wytnes against thy neyghbour and hurt him not with thy lyppes. [ D]
Saye not: I will handle him,* 1.3 euen as he hath dealt with me, and will rewarde eu••ry man accordinge to his dedes.
I went by the felde of the slouthfull, and by the vyneyardes of the folysh man.
And so, it was all couered with nettels, & stode full of thistels, and the stone wall was broken downe.
This I sawe, and consydered it well: I lo¦ked vpon it, and toke it for a warnynge.
Yea slepe on styll a lytle, stombre a lytle, folde thyne handes togyther yet a lytle:* 1.4 so shall pouerte com•• vnto the as one that tra∣uayleth by the waye, and necessite lyke a wea¦pened man.