The counsels of wisdom: or, a collection of the maxims of Solomon. Most necessary for a man wisely to behave himself. With reflections on those maxims. Rendred into English by T.D.

REFLECTION.

YOu give your selves disquiet this day, and you labour hard to be rich, to rest your selves some years hence. Do better then that, Take you rest to day and put off giving your self grief and disturbance till that day.

Rid your self of the ambition of acquiring much wealth, and know by the experience of others, that 'tis to acquire much trouble.

To have too much silver in ones Coffers, and too much nourishment in the stomack, are two commodities equally dangerous. Rest and pleasure increase not with wealth, when Goods are arrived to a sufficiency or to a middle condition, you have attained to the utmost limits of pleasure.

You may be more rich▪ but never more content, nor more at ease.

When you shall be a great Lord, and that you shall see your self in the middest of a multitude of Officers. All the advantage above Persons of a middle degree, shall be, That you shall have more trouble and im∣portunity about you, more unprofitable∣nesses in your moveables, more vanities and follies in your cloaths, more company a•• your Table, more noise in your House, and more trouble in your mind.

With all the millions you can possess you can't buy a second Body: and whilst you have but one, you shall have no need of two Houses, nor three Tables, and yet less need of forty hands to serve you.

All this multitude of pains and unrest, shall be for other Persons, that you shall nou∣rish; and certainly one may say, that those who labour most to en••ich themselves; are the very Persons, who least enjoy the plea∣sure of their own labours.