|
[1]My sonne, defraude not the poore of his almes, and turne not away thyne eyes from hym that hath neede.
[2]Dispise not an hungry soule, and defie not the poore in his necessitie.
[3]Greeue not the heart of hym that is helplesse, and withdrawe not the gyft from the needefull.
[4]Refuse not the prayer of one that is in trouble, turne not away thy face from the needy.
[5]Cast not thyne eyes asyde from the poore for any euyll wyll, that thou geue him not occasion to speake euyll of thee.
[6]For yf he complayne of thee in the bitternesse of his soule, his prayer shalbe hearde: euen he that made hym shall heare hym.
[7]Be curteous vnto the company of the poore, humble thy soule vnto thy elder, and bowe downe thy head to a man of worshyp.
[8]Let it not greeue thee to bowe downe thine eare vnto the poore, but pay thy debt, and geue him a friendly aunswere, and that with meekenesse.
[9]Deliuer him that suffereth wrong, from the hande of the oppressour: and be not faynt hearted when thou sittest in iudgement.
[10]Be mercifull vnto the fatherlesse as a father, and be in steade of an husbande vnto their mother: so shalt thou be as an obedient sonne of the hyest, and he shall loue thee more then thy mother doth.
[11]Wisdome exalteth her children, receaueth them that seke her, & wyl go before them in the way of ryghteousnesse.
[12]He that loueth her, loueth lyfe: and they that seke her diligently, shall haue great ioy.
[13]They that kepe her, shall inherite glorie: for where she entreth in, there is the blessyng of God.
[14]They that honour her, shalbe the seruauntes of the holy one: and they that loue her, are beloued of God.
[15]Who so geueth eare vnto her, shall iudge the heathen: and he that hath respect vnto her, shall dwell safely.
[16]He that beleueth her, shall haue her in possession, and his generation shall endure.
[17]For when he falleth, she doth go with hym, and choseth hym among the best: Feare, dreade, and temptation shall she bryng vpon hym, and trye hym in her doctrine, tyll she haue so proued hym in his thoughtes, that he commit his soule vnto her.
[18]Then shall she stablishe hym, bryng the ryght way vnto hym, make hym a glad man, shewe hym her secretes, and heape vpon him the treasures of knowledge, & vnderstandyng of righteousnes.
[19]But yf he go wrong, she shall forsake hym, & geue hym ouer into the handes of destruction and ruine.
[20]My sonne, make much of the tyme, eschewe the thyng that is euyll:
[21]And for thy lyfe shame not to say the trueth: For there is a shame that bryngeth sinne, and there is a shame that bryngeth worshyp and fauour.
[22]Accept no person after thyne owne wyll, that thou be not confounded to thyne owne decay: Be not ashamed of thy neyghbour in his aduersitie.
[23]And kepe not backe thy counsayle when it may do good, neither hyde thy wisdome in her beautie.
[24]For in the tongue is wisdome knowe, so is vnderstandyng, knowledge, and learnyng in the talkyng of the wise, and stedfastnesse in the workes of ryghteousnesse.
[25]In no wise speake agaynst the worde of trueth: but be ashamed of the lyes of thyne owne ignoraunce.
[26]Shame not to confesse thyne errour, and resist not the course of the riuer.
[27]And submit not thy selfe vnto a foolishe man, neither accept the person of the mightie.
[28]And striue thou not agaynst the streame: But for ryghteousnesse take paynes with all thy soule, and for the trueth striue thou vnto death, and God shall fyght for thee agaynst thyne enemies.
[29]Be not hasty in thy tongue, neither slacke and negligent in thy workes.
[30]Be not as a lion in thyne owne house, destroying thy housholde folkes, and oppressyng them that are vnder thee.
[31]Let not thyne hande be stretched out to receaue, and shut when thou shouldest geue.
|