THE BOKES of Salomon namely Prouerbia Ecclesiastes Cantica canticorum Sapientia Ecclesiasticus or Iesus the sonne of Syrach ¶ The Prouerbes of Salomon ¶ The prayse of wysdome We maye not herken vnto the voluptuous prouocacyon and intisynges of synners wysdom complayneth to be despysed of all men and Prophecieth destruction vnto her despysers Capi. Primo THe Prouerbes of Salomon the sonne of Dauid kyng of Israel to learne wisdō and instructiō and to perceaue the wordes of vnderstandynge therby to receaue prudence ryghteousnes iudgement and equyte That the very simple myght haue wit and that yonge men myght haue knowledge and vnderstandynge By hearyng the wyse man shal come by more wysdom and he that is endued wyth vnderstandyng shal optayne wyt to parceaue a parable and the interpretacion thereof the wordes of the wyse and the darke speaches of the same Iob. 28. d Eccle. 1. c Psa 26. b Prou. ix c The feare of the Lord is the beginnynge of wysdome but fooles despyse wysdome and instruction My sonne heare thy fathers doctrine and forsake not the lawe of thy mother for that shal brynge grace vnto thy heed and shall be as a cheyne aboute thy necke My sonne consent not vnto synners if they entyse the and saye come with vs we wyl laye wayte for blode and lurke priuely for the innocent without a cause we shal Psa 124 a swalowe them vp lyke the hel and deuoure them quicke and whole as those that go downe into the pyt So shall we fynde all maner of costely ryches and fyll oure houses wyth spoyles Cast in thy lot amonge vs and let vs haue all one purse My sonne walke not thou with them refrayne thy fote from theyr waye For Psa 14. a their fete runne to euell and are hastye to shed bloude But in vayne is the net layde forth before the byrdes eyes Yea they them selues laye wayte one for an others blode and one of thē wolde slaye an other These are the wayes of al suche as be couetouse that one wolde rauyshe anothers lyfe Pro. 13. ◠Wysdom cryeth without and putteth forth her voyce in the stretes She calleth before the congregacion in the open gates and sheweth her wordes thorowe the Cytye sayenge O ye chyldren how longe wyl you loue chyldishnes how long wyl the scorners delyte in scornynge and the vnwyse be enemyes vnto knowledge O turne you vnto my correccyon lo I wyl expresse my mynde vnto you and make you vnderstande my wordes Esa 55. b Iere. 8. a I haue called and ye refused it I haue stretched out my hand and no man regarded it but al my counsels haue ye despysed set my correction at nought Therfore shal I also laughe in your destruction mocke you when that thing that ye feare commeth vpon you euen when the thynge that ye be afrayed of falleth in sodēly like a storme and your mysery lyke a tempest yea whē trouble and heuynes commeth vpon you Then shal they cal vpon me but I wil not heare they shall seke me earlye but they shal not fynde me And that because they hated knoweledge and receaued not the feare of the Lord but abhorred my councel and despysed all my correction Therfore shall they eate the fruites of theyr own waie and be filled with theyr owne inuencyons For the turninge awaye of the vnwise shall slaye them and the prosperite of foles shal be theyr owne destruccyon Pro. 3. d But who so harkeneth vnto me shall dwell safely and be suer from any feare of euell ¶ Wysdome is to be embraced and set by whiche teacheth feare and knowlege wysdome directeth vs in the waye of God And an aduouterous woman is to be eschued Capi. ii MY sonne if thou wylte receaue my wordes and kepe my commaundemētes by the that thou wilte encline thyn eares vnto wisdome apply thyne hert then to vnderstanding For yf thou cryest after wisdome and callest for knowledge if thou sekest after her as after moneye and dyggest for her as for treasure then shalte thou vnderstande the feare of the Lorde and fynde the knowledge of God Iaco. 1. a Eccle. 1. a and .7 c For it is the Lorde that giueth wisdome out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstandynge He preserueth the welfare of the rightuous 3. Re. 3. b and .4 d and defendeth them that walke syncerely he kepeth them in the ryghte pathe and preserueth the waye of suche is serue him with godlynes Then shalt thou vnderstande ryghtuousnesse iudgemente and equytie yea and euery good waye When wysdome entreth in to thyne hert and thy soule deliteth in knowlege then shall councell preserue the and vnderstandynge shall kepe the. That thou mayeste be delyuered from the euell waye and from the man that speaketh frowarde thinges From suche as leaue the right pathes and walke in the wayes of darckenesse whiche reioyse in doynge euell and delite in wicked thinges whose wayes are croked and they frowarde in they re pathes That thou mayest be delyuered also Pro. 5. a and .7 a from the straunge woman and from her that is not thyne owne whiche gyueth swete wordes and which forsaketh the husbande of her youthe and forgetteth the couenaunte of her God For her house is enclined vnto death and her pathes vnto hel Al they that go in vnto her come not agayne neyther take they holde of the waye of lyfe Therfore walke thou in the way of suche as be vertuouse and kepe the pathes of the ryghtuous For the Iust shal dwel in the land and they that be perfecte shal remayne in it but the vngodly shal be roted out of the lande and the wycked doers shal be roted out of it ¶ The Commaundementes of God must be dilygently regarded and obserued Capi. iii. MY sonne Deut. 11. a forget not thou my lawe but se that thyn hart kepe my commaundementes For they shal prolonge the dayes and yeares of thy lyfe and bryng the peace Let mercy and faythfulnes neuer go from the bynde them about thy necke and wryte them in the tables of thyne harte So shalt thou fynde fauoure and good vnderstandynge in the sight of god and men Put thy trust in god wyth all thyn hart and leane not vnto thyn own wyt In all thy wayes haue respecte vnto him and he shall ordre thy goynges Esa 10.2 Be not wyse in thyne own conceyte but feare the Lorde and departe from euell so shal thy nauel be whole Rom. 12. c and thy bones stronge Tob. 4. b Honoure the Lorde wyth thy substaunce and wyth the fyrstelynges of al thyne encrease Deut. 21. a Mal. 3. b Exo. 23. c and .34 c Heb. 12. b Apoc. 3. d geue vnto the pore so shal thy barnes be fylled with plentuosnes and thy presses shal flow ouer with swete wyne My sonne despyse no the chastenynge of the Lorde neyther faynte when thou arte rebuked of him For whom the Lorde loueth hym he chasteneth and
yet delyteth in him euen as a father in his owne sonne Well is him that fyndeth wisdome and opteineth vnderstanding for the gettinge of it is better then any marchaundyse of syluer and the profyt of it is better then golde Prou. 8. a Wysdome is more worth then precyouse stones and all the thynges that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her Vpon her ryght hande is longe lyfe and vpon her lefte hande is ryches and honoure Her wayes are plesaunt wayes and al her pathes are peaceable She is a Gene. 2. b tree of lyfe to theym that layde holde vpon her blessed is he that kepeth her fast With wysdome hath the lorde layed the foundaciō of the earth and thorow vnderstandynge hath he stablyshed the Heauens Thorow his wysdome the deapthes breake vp and the Cloudes drop downe the dewe My sonne let not these thinges depart from thyne eyes but kepe my lawe and my councell so shall it be lyfe vnto thy soule and grace vnto thy mouth Then shalt thou walke safely in thy waye and thy fote shal not stumble Pro. 1. d Yf thou sleapest thou shalte not be afrayde but shalt take thy rest and slepe swetely Thou nedest not to be afrayde of anye sodayne feare nether for the violent russhynge in of the vngodly when it commeth For the lorde shall stande by thy syde kepe thy fote that thou be not taken Withdraw no good thyng from them that haue nede so longe as thyne hande is able to do it Saye not vnto thy neighboure go thy waye and come agayne to morowe wyl I geue the where as thou haste now to geue hym Intende no hurte vnto thy neyghbour seynge he doth dwell in rest by the. Stryue not lyghtely with any man where as he hath done the no harme Pro. 1. c Folowe not a wycked man chose none of his wayes for the Lorde abhorreth the frowarde but his counsel is amonge the ryghtuous The curse of the Lord is in the house of the vngodly but he blesseth the dwellynges of the ryghtuous As for the scornefull dothe not he laugh thē to scorne but he geueth grace vnto the lowly The wyse shal haue honoure in possession but shame is the promocion that fooles shall haue ¶ Wysedom and her frutes her wayes oughte to be sought Capi. iiii HEare O ye chyldrē the father lye exhortacyon and take good hede that ye maye learne wysdome For I haue giuen you a good doctrine forsake not ye my lawe For when I my selfe was my fathers deare sonne and tenderly beloued of my mother he taught me also and sayde vnto me Deu. 6. b 11. c. 32. g Lette thyne herte receaue my wordes kepe my cōmaūdementes and thou shalt lyue Get the wysdome and get the vnderstandynge forgette not the wordes of my mouth and shrynke not from them Forsake her not and she shall preserue the loue her and she shall kepe the. The chefe poynte of wysdome is that thou be wyllynge to optayne wysdome and before all thy goodes to get the vnderstandynge * Make moche of her and she shall promote the. Yea yf thou embrace her she shall brynge the vnto honoure She shall make the a gracyous heed and garnishe the with a crowne of glory Heare my sonne receaue my wordes the yeares of thy lyfe shall be many I haue shewed the the waye of wysdome and led the in to the right pathes So that if thou goest therin there shal no straitnesse hinder the and when thou ruimest thou shalt not fall Take fast holde of doctrine and lette her not go kepe her for she is thy lyfe Psal 1. a and .27 a Come not in the path of the vngodly and walke not in the waye of the wicked Eschue it and go not therin departe asyde and passe ouer by it For they can not sleape excepte they haue fyrste done some myschefe neyther take they any rest except they haue fyrst done some harme For they eate the breade of wickednes and drynke the wyne of robbery The path of the righteous shynneth as the light that is euer brighter and brighter vnto the perfecte daye But the waye of the vngodly is as the darknesse wherin men fall Deut. 6. ◠and .11 c or they be aware My sonne marke my wordes and enclyne thyne eare vnto my sayenges Let them not departe from thyne eyes but kepe them euen in the midst of thyne herte For they are lyfe vnto all those that finde them and health vnto al theyr bodyes Kepe thyne herte with all dilygence for thereupon hangeth lyfe Put away from the a frowarde mouth and lette the lippes of sclaunder be farre from the. Let thyne eyes beholde the thyng that is right and lette thyne eye lyddes loke strayght before the. Ponder the path of thy fete and let al thy wayes be ordred a right Deut. 5. d and .27 d Turne not aside nether to the righte hande nor to the lefte but witholde thy fore from euell * For the Lorde knoweth the wayes that are on the ryght hande As for the wayes that be on the lyfte hand they be frowarde For he shall dyrect thy goynges and thy wayes shall he guyde in peace ¶ He warneth to eschew whordome he forbyddeth wastful spendyng he wylleth vs to lyue of our owne laboures Men must loue theyr wyues Capi v. MY sonne geue hede vnto my wisdome and bowe thyne eare vnto my prudence that thou mayst regarde good councell and that thy lyps maye kepe knowledge Pro. 2. b and .7 a Applye not thou thy selfe to the desceytfulnes of a woman For the lyppes of an harlotte are a droppyng hony combe and her throte is softer then oyle But at the laste she is as bytter as wormewod and her tonge as sharpe as a two edged sworde Her fete go downe vnto death and her steppes pearse thorow vnto hell She regardeth not the pathe of lyfe so vnstedfast are her waies that thou canst not knowe them Heare me nowe therfore O my sonne and departe not from the wordes of my mouthe Kepe thy waye far from her and come not nye the dores of her howse That thou geue not thy strength vnto other and thy yeares to the cruell That other men be not fylled with thy goodes and that thi labours come not in a straunge house Yea that thou mornest not at the laste whē thou hast spent thy body and goodes and then saye Alas why hated I nourtour why dyd my herte despyse correccyon Wherfore was not I obediente vnto the voyce of my teachers and herkened not vnto them that infourmed me I am come almost into al mysfortune in the myddest of the multitude and cōgregacyon Drynke of the water of thyne owne well and of the ryuers that runne out of thyne owne sprynges Lette thy welles flowe out abrode that there may be ryuers of water in the stretes but let them be only thyne owne and not straungers with the. Let thy well
consydered in the tyme of my vanytie that the Iust maÌ„ perysheth for his righteousnesse sake the vngodly lyueth in hys wyckednesse Therfore Ro. 12. c. be thou nether to rightuous nor ouer wyse that thou perishe not be nether to vnryghtuous also nor to foolysh leest thou dye before thy time It is good for the to take holde of this not to let that go out of thy haÌ„de For he that feareth God shall escape them all Wysdome geueth more corage vnto the wise then ten myghtye men of the citie 3. Re. 8. c. 2 par 6. g. Pro 20. b. 1. Ioh. 1. d. for there is not one Iust vpon earth that doth good and synneth not Take not hede vnto euery worde that is spoken leest thou heare thy seruaunt curse the for thyne owne hert knoweth that thou thy selfe also haste oftymes spoken euen by other meÌ„ All these thynges haue I proued in wysdome I wyl I sayde be wise Iob. 18. c. but she went farther fro me then she was before yee and so depe that I myghte not reach vnto her I applied my mynd also vnto knowledge and to seke out science wysdome vnderstandyng to knowe the foolyshnes of the vngodly and the errour of dotyng fooles And I fouÌ„de that Pro. 7. d. a woman is bitterer then deathe for she is a very angle her hert is a net her handes are cheynes Who so pleaseth God shal escape from her but the synner wyl be taken with her Beholde saythe the preacher this haue I diligeÌ„tly searched out and proued that I myghte come by knowledge which as yet I seke finde it not Amonge a thousande men I haue fouÌ„de one but not one womaÌ„ among all Lo this only haue I fouÌ„de that Genes 1. d god made man Iust and right but they sought many inuencyons ¶ The Kynges commaundement oughte to be obeyed Gladnes is one of the chefe thynges vnder the Sunne Capi. viii WHo is wyse Who hathe knoweledge to make aunswere A mans wysdome maketh hys face to shyne Pro. 17. d Iob. 9. d. but malyce putteth it out of fauoure I muste kepe the Kynges commaundement and the othe that I haue made vnto God Be not hastye to go out of his sight and se thou contynue in no euell thynge for what so euer it pleaseth hym that dothe he Lyke as wheÌ„ a kyng geueth a charge his CoÌ„maundemente is myghtye Euen so Iob. 9. b. who may saye vnto hym what doest thou ‡ Leu. 1â— a Who so kepeth the coÌ„mauÌ„demente shall fele no harme but a wise mans hert discerneth the time and maner For euery thynge wyll haue oportunite and iudgement and this is the thing that maketh meÌ„ ful of carefulnes and sorowe And why A man knoweth not what is for to come for who will tel hym Nether is there any man that hath power ouer the spiryte to kepe styl the spiryte nor to haue any power in the time of death it is not he also that caÌ„ make an ende of the batayle neyther may vngodlynes deliuer them that medle with all All these thynges haue I consydred and applied my mind vnto euery worke that is done vnder the Sunne howe one man hath lordshipe vpoÌ„ an other to his owne harme For Psalmus 37. c. I haue ofte sene the vngodlye broughte to theyr graues and fallen downe froÌ„ the hie holy place in so much that they were forgotteÌ„ in the citie where they were had in so hye and greate reputacyon This is also a vaine thing Because nowe that euell workes are not hastely punyshed the herte of man geueth hym selfe ouer vnto wyckednesse But thoughe an euel personne offende an hundred tymes and haue a loÌ„ge life yet am I suer that it shall go wel with theÌ„ that feare God because they haue him before theyr eyes Agayne as for the vngodly it shal not be well with him nether shal he prolonge his daies but euen as a shadow so shal he be that feareth not god Yet is there a vanite vpon earthe There be iust men vnto whoÌ„ it happeneth as though they had the workes of the vngodly Agayne there be vngodly with whome it goeth as thoughe they had the workes of the rightuous This haue I called also a vayne thing Therfore I comend gladnesse because a man hath no better thing vnder the Sunne theÌ„ to eate and drinke and to be mery for that shall he haue of his labour al the daies of his life which God geueth him vnder the sunne And so I applyed my mynd to learne wisdome and to knowe the trauayle that is in the world that of such a fassioÌ„ that I suffered not myne eyes to slepe neither day nor nyght I vnderstode of al the workes of God but it is not possible for a maÌ„ to attaine vnto the workes that are done vnder the Sunne though he bestowe his laboure to seke them out yet can he not reache vnto theÌ„ yee though a wyse man wolde vndertake to know theÌ„ yet shall he not fynde them ¶ A man wottethe not by the ryghtuousnes of his owne workes whether he be worthy of loâ—e or hate A man oughte to lyue merelye wyth hys wyfe A prayse of wysdome Capi. ix FOr al these thynges purposed I in my mynde to seke out The ryghtuous and wyse yee and they re Seruauntes also are in the hande of God there is no maÌ„ that knoweth either loue or hate but all thynges are before them It happeneth vnto one as vnto an other It goeth with the ryghteous as with the vngodli Iob. 9. c with the good and cleane as with the vncleane with him that offerethe as wyth hym that offereth not lyke as it goeth wyth the Vertuouse so goethe it also wyth the Synner As it happeneth vnto the periured so happeneth it also vnto him that is afrayde to be forsworne Amonge all thynges that come to passe vnder the Sunne this is a misery that it happeneth vnto all a lyke This is the cause also that the hertes of men are ful of wickednes mad foolyshnes is in theyr hertes as longe as they lyue vnytl they dye And why As longe as a man lyuethe he is carelesse for a quycke dogge saye they is better then a deed Lion for thei that beliuing know that they shal dye but they that be deed know nothing neyther deserue they any more For theyr memorial is forgotten so that they be neyther loued hated nor enuyed nether haue they any more part in the world in al that is done vnder the Sunne Go thou thy way then eate thy breade with ioye drynke thy wyne with a glad hart for thy workes please God Let thy garmentes be alwayes whyt and Mat. 6. b. let thyne head lacke none oyntment ‡ Pro. 5. c Vse thy selfe to lyue ioyfully with thy wyfe whom thou louest all the daies of thy lyfe whiche is but vayne that God geueth the vnder the sunne al the dayes of