1 O Lord, Father and Governor of all my whole life, leave me not to their counsels, and let me not fall by them.

1 Domine, pater et dominator vitæ meæ,
ne derelinquas me in consilio eorum,
nec sinas me cadere in illis.

2 Who will set scourges over my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom over mine heart? that they spare me not for mine ignorances, and it pass not by my sins:

2 Quis superponet in cogitatu meo flagella,
et in corde meo doctrinam sapientiæ,
ut ignorationibus eorum non parcant mihi,
et non appareant delicta eorum,

3 Lest mine ignorances increase, and my sins abound to my destruction, and I fall before mine adversaries, and mine enemy rejoice over me, whose hope is far from thy mercy.

3 et ne adincrescant ignorantiæ meæ,
et multiplicentur delicta mea,
et peccata mea abundent,
et incidam in conspectu adversariorum meorum,
et gaudeat super me inimicus meus?

4 O Lord, Father and God of my life, give me not a proud look, but turn away from thy servants always a haughty mind.

4 Domine, pater et Deus vitæ meæ,
ne derelinquas me in cogitatu illorum.

5 Turn away from me vain hopes and concupiscence, and thou shalt hold him up that is desirous always to serve thee.

5 Extollentiam oculorum meorum ne dederis mihi,
et omne desiderium averte a me.

6 Let not the greediness of the belly nor lust of the flesh take hold of me; and give not over me thy servant into an impudent mind.

6 Aufer a me ventris concupiscentias,
et concubitus concupiscentiæ ne apprehendant me,
et animæ irreverenti et infrunitæ ne tradas me.

7 Hear, O ye children, the discipline of the mouth: he that keepeth it shall never be taken in his lips.

7 ¶ Doctrinam oris audite, filii:
et qui custodierit illam non periet labiis,
nec scandalizabitur in operibus nequissimis.

8 The sinner shall be left in his foolishness: both the evil speaker and the proud shall fall thereby.

8 In vanitate sua apprehenditur peccator:
et superbus et maledicus scandalizabitur in illis.

9 Accustom not thy mouth to swearing; neither use thyself to the naming of the Holy One.

9 Jurationi non assuescat os tuum:
multi enim casus in illa.

10 For as a servant that is continually beaten shall not be without a blue mark: so he that sweareth and nameth God continually shall not be faultless.

10 Nominatio vero Dei non sit assidua in ore tuo,
et nominibus sanctorum non admiscearis,
quoniam non eris immunis ab eis.

11 A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with iniquity, and the plague shall never depart from his house: if he shall offend, his sin shall be upon him: and if he acknowledge not his sin, he maketh a double offence: and if he swear in vain, he shall not be innocent, but his house shall be full of calamities.

11 Sicut enim servus interrogatus assidue a livore non minuitur,
sic omnis jurans et nominans in toto a peccato non purgabitur.

12 There is a word that is clothed about with death: God grant that it be not found in the heritage of Jacob; for all such things shall be far from the godly, and they shall not wallow in their sins.

12 Vir multum jurans implebitur iniquitate,
et non discedet a domo illius plaga.

13 Use not thy mouth to intemperate swearing, for therein is the word of sin.

13 Et si frustraverit, delictum illius super ipsum erit:
et si dissimulaverit, delinquit dupliciter:

14 Remember thy father and thy mother, when thou sittest among great men. Be not forgetful before them, and so thou by thy custom become a fool, and wish that thou hadst not been born, and curse the day of thy nativity.

14 et si in vacuum juraverit, non justificabitur:
replebitur enim retributione domus illius.

15 The man that is accustomed to opprobrious words will never be reformed all the days of his life.

15 Est et alia loquela contraria morti:
non inveniatur in hæreditate Jacob.

16 Two sorts of men multiply sin, and the third will bring wrath: a hot mind is as a burning fire, it will never be quenched till it be consumed: a fornicator in the body of his flesh will never cease till he hath kindled a fire.

16 Etenim a misericordibus omnia hæc auferentur,
et in delictis non volutabuntur.

17 All bread is sweet to a whoremonger, he will not leave off till he die.

17 Indisciplinatæ loquelæ non assuescat os tuum:
est enim in illa verbum peccati.

18 A man that breaketh wedlock, saying thus in his heart, Who seeth me? I am compassed about with darkness, the walls cover me, and no body seeth me; what need I to fear? the most High will not remember my sins:

18 Memento patris et matris tuæ:
in medio enim magnatorum consistis:

19 Such a man only feareth the eyes of men, and knoweth not that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, beholding all the ways of men, and considering the most secret parts.

19 ne forte obliviscatur te Deus in conspectu illorum,
et assiduitate tua infatuatus, improperium patiaris,
et maluisses non nasci,
et diem nativitatis tuæ maledicas.

20 He knew all things ere ever they were created; so also after they were perfected he looked upon them all.

20 Homo assuetus in verbis improperii
in omnibus diebus suis non erudietur.

21 This man shall be punished in the streets of the city, and where he suspecteth not he shall be taken.

21 ¶ Duo genera abundant in peccatis,
et tertium adducit iram et perditionem.

22 Thus shall it go also with the wife that leaveth her husband, and bringeth in an heir by another.

22 Anima calida quasi ignis ardens,
non extinguetur donec aliquid glutiat:

23 For first, she hath disobeyed the law of the most High; and secondly, she hath trespassed against her own husband; and thirdly, she hath played the whore in adultery, and brought children by another man.

23 et homo nequam in ore carnis suæ
non desinet donec incendat ignem.

24 She shall be brought out into the congregation, and inquisition shall be made of her children.

24 Homini fornicario omnis panis dulcis:
non fatigabitur transgrediens usque ad finem.

25 Her children shall not take root, and her branches shall bring forth no fruit.

25 Omnis homo qui transgreditur lectum suum,
contemnens in animam suam, et dicens: Quis me videt?

26 She shall leave her memory to be cursed, and her reproach shall not be blotted out.

26 Tenebræ circumdant me, et parietes cooperiunt me,
et nemo circumspicit me: quem vereor?
delictorum meorum non memorabitur Altissimus.

27 And they that remain shall know that there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord, and that there is nothing sweeter than to take heed unto the commandments of the Lord.

27 Et non intelligit quoniam omnia videt oculus illius,
quoniam expellit a se timorem Dei hujusmodi hominis timor,
et oculi hominum timentes illum:

28 It is great glory to follow the Lord, and to be received of him is long life.

28 et non cognovit quoniam oculi Domini
multo plus lucidiores sunt super solem,
circumspicientes omnes vias hominum,
et profundum abyssi, et hominum corda,
intuentes in absconditas partes.

29 Domino enim Deo antequam crearentur omnia sunt agnita:
sic et post perfectum respicit omnia.

30 Hic in plateis civitatis vindicabitur,
et quasi pullus equinus fugabitur,
et ubi non speravit apprehendetur.

31 Et erit dedecus omnibus,
eo quod non intellexerit timorem Domini.

32 Sic et mulier omnis relinquens virum suum,
et statuens hæreditatem ex alieno matrimonio:

33 primo enim in lege Altissimi incredibilis fuit:
secundo in virum suum deliquit:
tertio in adulterio fornicata est,
et ex alio viro filios statuit sibi.

34 Hæc in ecclesiam adducetur,
et in filios ejus respicietur:

35 non tradent filii ejus radices,
et rami ejus non dabunt fructum:

36 derelinquet in maledictum memoriam ejus,
et dedecus illius non delebitur.

37 Et agnoscent qui derelicti sunt,
quoniam nihil melius est quam timor Dei,
et nihil dulcius quam respicere in mandatis Domini.

38 Gloria magna est sequi Dominum:
longitudo enim dierum assumetur ab eo.