1Because of pouertie haue many sinned: and he that seeketh to be rich, turneth his eyes aside. 2As a nayle in the wal sticketh fast betweene the ioynts of the stones, so doeth sinne sticke betweene the selling and the buying. 3If he holde him not diligently in the feare of the Lord, his house shall soone be ouerthrowen. 4As when one sifteth, the filthines remaineth in the sieue, so the filth of man remaineth in his thought. 5The fornace prooueth the potters vessel: so doeth tentation trie mens thoughtes. 6The fruite declareth if the tree haue bene trimmed: so the worde declareth what man hath in his heart. 7Praise no man except thou haue heard his talke: for this is the tryall of men. 8If thou followest righteousnesse, thou shalt get her, and put her on as a fayre garment, and shalt dwell with her, and she shall defende thee for euer: and in the day of knowledge thou shalt finde stedfastnesse. 9The birdes resort vnto their like: so doth the trueth turne vnto them, that are practised in her. 10As the lyon waiteth for the beast, so doeth sinne vpon them that doe euill. 11The talking of him that feareth God, is all wisdome: as for a foole, he changeth as the moone. 12If thou be among the vndiscreete, obserue the time, but haunt still the assemblie of them that are wise. 13The talking of fooles is grieuous, and their sport is in the pleasure of sinne. 14The talke of him that sweareth much, maketh the heare to stande vp: and to striue with such, stoppeth the eares. 15The strife of the proude is blood shedding, and their scouldings are grieuous to heare. 16Who so discouereth secrets, loseth his credite, and findeth no friende after his will. 17Loue thy friend, and be faithfull vnto him: but if thou bewrayest his secrets, thou shalt not get him againe. 18For as a man destroyeth his enemie, so doest thou destroy the friendship of thy neighbour. 19As one that letteth a birde goe out of his hande, so if thou giue ouer thy friende, thou canst not get him againe. 20Followe after him no more, for he is too farre off: he is as a roe escaped out of the snare: for his soule is wounded. 21As for woundes, they may be bounde vp againe, and an euill worde may be reconciled: but who so bewrayeth the secrets of a friende, hath lost all his credit. 22He that winketh with the eyes, imagineth euill: and he that knoweth him, wil let him alone. 23When thou art present, he wil speake sweetly, and praise thy wordes: but at the last he will turne his tale, and slander thy saying. 24Many things haue I hated, but nothing so euill as such one: for the Lorde also hateth him. 25Who so casteth a stone on hie, casteth it vpon his owne head: and he that smiteth with guile, maketh a great wound. 26Who so diggeth a pit, shall fall therein, & he that layeth a stone in his neighbours way, shall stumble thereon, and he that layeth a snare for another, shalbe taken in it himselfe. 27He that worketh euill, shall be wrapped in euils, and shall not know from whence they come vnto him. 28Mockerie and reproche follow the proude, and vengeance lurketh for them as a lyon. 29They that reioyce at the fall of the righteous, shalbe taken in the snare, and anguish shall consume them before they dye. 30Despite and anger are abominable thinges, and the sinfull man is subiect to them both.