1 My son, defraud not the poor of his living, and make not the needy eyes to wait long.

1 Fili, eleemosynam pauperis ne defraudes,
et oculos tuos ne transvertas a paupere.

2 Make not an hungry soul sorrowful; neither provoke a man in his distress.

2 Animam esurientem ne despexeris,
et non exasperes pauperem in inopia sua.

3 Add not more trouble to an heart that is vexed; and defer not to give to him that is in need.

3 Cor inopis ne afflixeris,
et non protrahas datum angustianti.

4 Reject not the supplication of the afflicted; neither turn away thy face from a poor man.

4 Rogationem contribulati ne abjicias,
et non avertas faciem tuam ab egeno.

5 Turn not away thine eye from the needy, and give him none occasion to curse thee:

5 Ab inope ne avertas oculos tuos propter iram:
et non relinquas quærentibus tibi retro maledicere.

6 For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul, his prayer shall be heard of him that made him.

6 Maledicentis enim tibi in amaritudine animæ,
exaudietur deprecatio illius:
exaudiet autem eum qui fecit illum.

7 Get thyself the love of the congregation, and bow thy head to a great man.

7 Congregationi pauperum affabilem te facito:
et presbytero humilia animam tuam,
et magnato humilia caput tuum.

8 Let it not grieve thee to bow down thine ear to the poor, and give him a friendly answer with meekness.

8 Declina pauperi sine tristitia aurem tuam,
et redde debitum tuum,
et responde illi pacifica in mansuetudine.

9 Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor; and be not fainthearted when thou sittest in judgment.

9 Libera eum qui injuriam patitur de manu superbi,
et non acide feras in anima tua.

10 Be as a father unto the fatherless, and instead of an husband unto their mother: so shalt thou be as the son of the most High, and he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.

10 In judicando esto pupillis misericors ut pater,
et pro viro matri illorum:

11 Wisdom exalteth her children, and layeth hold of them that seek her.

11 et eris tu velut filius Altissimi obediens,
et miserebitur tui magis quam mater.

12 He that loveth her loveth life; and they that seek to her early shall be filled with joy.

12 ¶ Sapientia filiis suis vitam inspirat:
et suscipit inquirentes se,
et præibit in via justitiæ.

13 He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory; and wheresoever she entereth, the Lord will bless.

13 Et qui illam diligit, diligit vitam,
et qui vigilaverint ad illam complectentur placorem ejus.

14 They that serve her shall minister to the Holy One: and them that love her the Lord doth love.

14 Qui tenuerint illam, vitam hæreditabunt:
et quo introibit benedicet Deus.

15 Whoso giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations: and he that attendeth unto her shall dwell securely.

15 Qui serviunt ei obsequentes erunt sancto:
et eos qui diligunt illam, diligit Deus.

16 If a man commit himself unto her, he shall inherit her; and his generation shall hold her in possession.

16 Qui audit illam judicabit gentes:
et qui intuetur illam permanebit confidens.

17 For at the first she will walk with him by crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline, until she may trust his soul, and try him by her laws.

17 Si crediderit ei, hæreditabit illam,
et erunt in confirmatione creaturæ illius:

18 Then will she return the straight way unto him, and comfort him, and shew him her secrets.

18 quoniam in tentatione ambulat cum eo,
et in primis eligit eum.

19 But if he go wrong, she will forsake him, and give him over to his own ruin.

19 Timorem, et metum, et probationem inducet super illum:
et cruciabit illum in tribulatione doctrinæ suæ,
donec tentet eum in cogitationibus suis,
et credat animæ illius.

20 Observe the opportunity, and beware of evil; and be not ashamed when it concerneth thy soul.

20 Et firmabit illum, et iter adducet directum ad illum,
et lætificabit illum:

21 For there is a shame that bringeth sin; and there is a shame which is glory and grace.

21 et denudabit absconsa sua illi,
et thesaurizabit super illum scientiam et intellectum justitiæ.

22 Accept no person against thy soul, and let not the reverence of any man cause thee to fall.

22 Si autem oberraverit, derelinquet eum,
et tradet eum in manus inimici sui.

23 And refrain not to speak, when there is occasion to do good, and hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.

23 ¶ Fili, conserva tempus,
et devita a malo.

24 For by speech wisdom shall be known: and learning by the word of the tongue.

24 Pro anima tua ne confundaris dicere verum:

25 In no wise speak against the truth; but be abashed of the error of thine ignorance.

25 est enim confusio adducens peccatum,
et est confusio adducens gloriam et gratiam.

26 Be not ashamed to confess thy sins; and force not the course of the river.

26 Ne accipias faciem adversus faciem tuam,
nec adversus animam tuam mendacium.

27 Make not thyself an underling to a foolish man; neither accept the person of the mighty.

27 Ne reverearis proximum tuum in casu suo,

28 Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord shall fight for thee.

28 nec retineas verbum in tempore salutis.
Non abscondas sapientiam tuam in decore suo:

29 Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss.

29 in lingua enim sapientia dignoscitur:
et sensus, et scientia, et doctrina in verbo sensati,
et firmamentum in operibus justitiæ.

30 Be not as a lion in thy house, nor frantick among thy servants.

30 Non contradicas verbo veritatis ullo modo,
et de mendacio ineruditionis tuæ confundere.

31 Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest repay.

31 Non confundaris confiteri peccata tua,
et ne subjicias te omni homini pro peccato.

32 Noli resistere contra faciem potentis,
nec coneris contra ictum fluvii.

33 Pro justitia agonizare pro anima tua,
et usque ad mortem certa pro justitia:
et Deus expugnabit pro te inimicos tuos.

34 Noli citatus esse in lingua tua,
et inutilis, et remissus in operibus tuis.

35 Noli esse sicut leo in domo tua,
evertens domesticos tuos, et opprimens subjectos tibi.

36 Non sit porrecta manus tua ad accipiendum,
et ad dandum collecta.