1 A wise judge shall judge his people, and the principality of the wise shall be stable.
1 A wise judge shall judge his people, and the government of a prudent man shall be steady.
2 According to the judge of the people, so also are his ministers: and what manner of man the ruler of a city is, such also are the inhabitants therein.
2 ¹As the judge of the people is himself, so also are his ministers: and what manner of man the ruler of a city is, such also are they that dwell therein.
3 An unwise king shall destroy his people: and cities shall be inhabited by the understanding of the prudent.
3 ²An unwise king shall be the ruin of his people: and cities shall be inhabited through the prudence of the rulers.
4 The power of the earth is in the hand of God, and he will raise up a profitable ruler for a time over it.
4 The power of the earth is in the hand of God, and in his time he will raise up a profitable ruler over it.
5 The prosperity of man is in the hand of God, & upon the face of the scribe he will put his honour.
5 The prosperity of man is in the hand of God, and upon the person of the scribe he shall lay his honor.
6 Any injury of thy neighbour remember not, and do nothing by works of injury.
6 Remember not any injury done thee by thy neighbor, ³and do thou nothing by deeds of injury.
7 Pride is odious before God and men: and all the iniquity of the nations is execrable.
7 Pride is hateful before God and men: and all iniquity of nations is execrable.
8 A kingdom is translated from nation unto nation, because of injustices, and injuries, and contumelies, and diverse deceits.
8 ⁴A kingdom is translated from one people to another, because of injustices, and wrongs, and injuries, and divers deceits.
9 But nothing is more wicked than the covetous man. Why is earth and ashes proud?
9 But nothing is more wicked than the covetous man. Why is earth, and ashes proud?
10 Nothing is more wicked than to love money. For he hath his soul also to sell: because in his life he hath cast forth his most inward things:
10 There is not a more wicked thing than to love money: for such a one setteth even his own soul to sale: because while he liveth he hath cast away his bowels.
11 All power is of short life. Long sickness grieveth the Physician.
11 All power is of short life. A long sickness is troublesome to the physician.
12 Short sickness the Physician cutteth off at the first: so also the king is today, & tomorrow he shall die.
12 The physician cutteth off a short sickness: so also a king is today, and tomorrow he shall die.
13 For when a man shall die, he shall inherit serpents, and beasts, and worms.
13 For when a man shall die, he shall inherit serpents, and beasts, and worms.
14 The beginning of the pride of man, is to apostatate from God:
14 The beginning of the pride of man, is to fall off from God:
15 because his heart is departed from him that made him, for pride is the beginning of all sin: he that holdeth it, shall be filled with curses, & it shall subvert him in the end.
15 Because his heart is departed from him that made him: ⁵for pride is the beginning of all sin: he that holdeth it, shall be filled with maledictions, and it shall ruin him in the end.
16 Therefore hath our Lord dishonoured the congregations of the evil, & hath destroyed them even to the end.
16 Therefore hath the Lord disgraced the assemblies of the wicked, and hath utterly destroyed them.
17 God hath destroyed the seats of proud Princes, and hath made the meek sit in their stead.
17 God hath overturned the thrones of proud princes, and hath set up the meek in their stead.
18 God hath made the roots of the proud nations to wither, and hath planted the humble of the nations themselves.
18 God hath made the roots of proud nations to wither, and hath planted the humble of these nations.
19 Our Lord hath subverted the lands of the gentiles, and hath destroyed them even to the foundation.
19 The Lord hath overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and hath destroyed them even to the foundation.
20 He hath made of them to wither, and hath destroyed them, and hath made the memory of them to cease from the earth.
20 He hath made some of them to wither away, and hath destroyed them, and hath made the memory of them to cease from the earth.
21 God hath destroyed the memory of the proud, and hath left the memory of them that are humble in understanding.
21 God hath abolished the memory of the proud, and hath preserved the memory of them that are humble in mind.
22 Pride was not created to men: nor wrath to the nation of women.
22 Pride was not made for men: nor wrath for the race of women.
23 That seed of men shall be honoured, which feareth God: but that seed shall be dishonoured, which transgresseth the commandments of our Lord.
23 That seed of men shall be honored, which feareth God: but that seed shall be dishonored, which transgresseth the commandments of the Lord.
24 In the midst of brethren their ruler shall be in honour: and they that fear our Lord, shall be in his eyes.
24 In the midst of brethren their chief is honorable: so shall they that fear the Lord, be in his eyes.
25 The glory of the rich, of the honourable, and of the poor, is the fear of God:
25 The fear of God is the glory of the rich, and of the honorable, and of the poor.
26 Despise not the just man that is poor, and magnify not the sinful man that is rich.
26 Despise not a just man that is poor, and do not magnify a sinful man that is rich.
27 The great one, and the judge, and the mighty is in honour, and there is none greater than he that feareth God.
27 The great man, and the judge, and the mighty is in honor: and there is none greater than he that feareth God.
28 Free men will serve a servant that is wise: and a man that is prudent and hath discipline will not murmur being rebuked, and the ignorant shall not be honoured.
28 ⁶They that are free shall serve a servant that is wise: ⁷and a man that is prudent and well instructed will not murmur when he is reproved; and he that is ignorant, shall not be honored.
29 Extol not thyself in doing thy work, and linger not in the time of distress:
29 Extol not thyself in doing thy work, and linger not in the time of distress;
30 better is he that worketh, and aboundeth in all things, than he that glorieth, and lacketh bread.
30 ⁸Better is he that laboreth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself and wanteth bread.
31 Son in mildness keep thy soul, and give him honour according to his desert.
31 My son, keep thy soul in meekness, and give it honor according to its desert.
32 Him that sinneth against his own soul who shall justify? And who shall honour him that dishonoureth his own soul?
32 Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? And who will honor him that dishonoreth his own soul?
33 The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear: & there is a man that is honoured for his substance.
33 The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear, and there is a man that is honored for his wealth.
34 But he that is glorified in poverty, how much more in substance? And he that is glorified in substance, let him fear poverty.
34 But he that is glorified in poverty, how much more in wealth? And he that is glorified in wealth, let him fear poverty.