1 The wisdom of the humble shall exalt his head, & shall make him sit in the midst of great men.
1 The ¹wisdom of the humble shall exalt his head, and shall make him sit in the midst of great men.
2 Praise not a man in his beauty, neither despise a man by his look.
2 ²Praise not a man for his beauty, neither despise a man for his look.
3 The bee is small among fowls, and her fruit hath the beginning of sweetness.
3 The bee is small among flying things but her fruit hath the chiefest sweetness.
4 In apparel do not glory at any time, nor be extolled in the day of thine honour, because the works of the Highest only be marvelous, and his works are glorious, and secret, and not seen.
4 ³Glory not in apparel at any time, and be not exalted in the day of thy honor: for the works of the Highest only are wonderful, and his works are glorious, and secret, and hidden.
5 Many tyrants have sit in the throne, and he whom no man would think hath worn the crown.
5 Many tyrants have sat on the throne, and he whom no man would think on, hath worn the crown.
6 Many mighty men have been greatly oppressed, and the glorious have been delivered into the hands of others.
6 ⁴Many mighty men have been greatly brought down, and the glorious have been delivered into the hand of others.
7 Before thou inquire, blame no man: and when thou hast inquired, chasten justly.
7 Before thou inquire, blame no man: and when thou hast inquired, reprove justly.
8 Before thou hear, answer not a word, and in the midst of ancients add not to speak.
8 ⁵Before thou hear, answer not a word: and interrupt not others in the midst of their discourse.
9 Strive not for that thing, which doth not molest thee: and consist not in the judgement of sinners.
9 Strive not in a matter which doth not concern thee, and sit not in judgment with sinners.
10 Son let not thy doings be in many things: and if thou be rich, thou shalt not be free from sin: for if thou pursue, thou shalt not attain: and if thou run before, thou shalt not escape.
10 My son, meddle not with many matters: ⁶and if thou be rich, thou shalt not be free from sin: for if thou pursue after thou shalt not overtake; and if thou run before thou shalt not escape.
11 There is one that laboureth, and hasteneth, and is a sorrowful impious man, and so much the more he shall not abound.
11 ⁷There is an ungodly man that laboreth, and maketh haste, and is in sorrow, and is so much the more in want.
12 There is a lither man that wanteth recovery, more failing in strength, and abounding in poverty:
12 Again, there is an inactive man that wanteth help, is very weak in ability, and full of poverty:
13 and the eye of God hath respected him in good, and hath erected him from his low estate, and hath exalted his head: and many have marveled at him, and have honoured God.
13 ⁸Yet the eye of God hath looked upon him for good, and hath lifted him up from his low estate, and hath exalted his head: and many have wondered at him, and have glorified God.
14 Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and honesty are of God.
14 ⁹Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from God.
15 Wisdom and discipline, and the knowledge of the law are with God. Love, and the ways of good things are with him.
15 Wisdom and discipline, and the knowledge of the law are with God. Love and the ways of good things are with him.
16 Error & darkness are created with sinners: and they that rejoice in evils, wax old in evil.
16 Error and darkness are created with sinners: and they that glory in evil things, grow old in evil.
17 The gift of God is permanent to the just, and his prospering shall have success for ever.
17 The gift of God abideth with the just, and his advancement shall have success forever.
18 There is that is enriched by doing sparingly, and this is the portion of his reward,
18 There is one that is enriched by living sparingly, and this is the portion of his reward.
19 in that he saith: I have found me rest, and now I will eat of my goods alone:
19 In that he saith: ¹⁰I have found me rest, and now I will eat of my goods alone:
20 and he knoweth not that time passeth, & death approacheth, and he must leave all to others, and shall die.
20 And he knoweth not what time shall pass, and that death approacheth, and that he must leave all to others, and shall die.
21 Stand in thy covenant, and commune therein, and grow old in the work of thy commandments.
21 Be steadfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and grow old in the work of thy commandments.
22 Abide not in the works of sinners. But trust in God, and tarry in thy place.
22 Abide not in the works of sinners. But trust in God, and stay in thy place,
23 For it is easy in the eyes of God suddenly to enrich the poor man.
23 For it is easy in the eyes of God on a sudden to make the poor man rich.
24 The blessing of God hasteneth to the reward of the just, and in a swift hour his prospering fructifieth.
24 The blessing of God maketh haste to reward the just, and in a swift hour his blessing beareth fruit.
25 Say not: What need I, and what good shall I have by this?
25 Say not: What need I, and what good shall I have by this?
26 Say not: I am sufficient for myself: and what shall I be made worse by this?
26 Say not: I am sufficient for myself: and what shall I be made worse by this?
27 In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils: and in the day of evils be not unmindful of good things:
27 ¹¹In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils: and in the day of evils be not unmindful of good things:
28 because it is easy before God in the day of death to reward every one according to his ways.
28 For it is easy before God in the day of death to reward everyone according to his ways.
29 The malice of an hour maketh oblivion of great voluptuousness, and in the end of a man in the disclosing of his works.
29 The affliction of an hour maketh one forget great delights, and in the end of a man is the disclosing of his works.
30 Before death praise no man, because a man is known in his children.
30 Praise not any man before death, for a man is known by his children.
31 Bring not every man into thine house: for there be many trains of the deceitful man.
31 Bring not every man into thy house: for many are the snares of the deceitful.
32 For as the stomachs belch of stinking breaths, and as the partridge is brought in to the cage, and as the doe into the snare: so also the heart of the proud, and as a watch-man that seeth the fall of his neighbour.
32 For as corrupted bowels send forth stinking breath, and as the partridge is brought into the cage, and as the roe into the snare: so also is the heart of the proud, and as a spy that looketh on the fall of his neighbor.
33 For turning good things into evil he lieth in wait, and on the elect he will lay a blot.
33 For he lieth in wait and turneth good into evil, and on the elect he will lay a blot.
34 For of one spark fire is increased, and of a deceitful man blood is increased: and a sinful man lieth in wait for blood.
34 Of one spark cometh a great fire, and of one deceitful man much blood: and a sinful man lieth in wait for blood.
35 Take heed of thyself of the pestiferous person, for he forgeth evils: lest perhaps he bring upon thee derision for ever.
35 Take heed to thyself of a mischievous man, for he worketh evils: lest he bring upon thee reproach forever.
36 Admit a stranger to thee, and he shall overthrow thee in an hurlwind, & shall make thee an alien from thine own.
36 Receive a stranger in, and he shall overthrow thee with a whirlwind, and shall turn thee out of thy own.