With three things my spirit is pleased, which are approved before God and men:

In tribus placitum est spiritui meo, quæ sunt probata coram Deo et hominibus:

Three sights warm my heart; God and man wish them well:

The concord of brethren, and the love of neighbours, and man and wife that agree well together.

concordia fratrum, et amor proximorum, et vir et mulier bene sibi consentientes.

peace in the clan, good will among neighbours, man and wife well matched.

Three sorts my soul hateth, and I am greatly grieved at their life:

Tres species odivit anima mea, et aggravor valde animæ illorum:

Three sorts of men move my spleen, so that I am fain to grudge them life itself:

A poor man that is proud: a rich man that is a liar: an old man that is a fool, and doting.

pauperem superbum, divitem mendacem, senem fatuum et insensatum.

poor man that is proud, rich man that is a liar, old man that is fond and foolish.

The things that thou hast not gathered in thy youth, how shalt thou find them in thy old age?

Quæ in juventute tua non congregasti, quomodo in senectute tua invenies?

The store youth never puts by, shall old age enjoy?

O how comely is judgment for a grey head, and for ancients to know counsel!

Quam speciosum canitiei judicium, et presbyteris cognoscere consilium!

Good judgement well matches grey hairs, for still the elders must be men of prudence;

O how comely is wisdom for the aged, and understanding and counsel to men of honour!

Quam speciosa veteranis sapientia, et gloriosus intellectus et consilium!

wisdom for the old, discernment for senators, and the gift of counsel!

Much experience is the crown of old men, and the fear of God is their glory.

Corona senum multa peritia, et gloria illorum timor Dei.

No crown have old men like their long experience, no ornament like the fear of God.

Nine things that are not to be imagined by the heart have I magnified, and the tenth I will utter to men with my tongue.

Novem insuspicabilia cordis magnificavi: et decimum dicam in lingua hominibus:

Nine envious thoughts came suddenly into my mind, and a tenth I will add for good measure.

A man that hath joy of his children: and he that liveth and seeth the fall of his enemies.

homo qui jucundatur in filiis, vivens et videns subversionem inimicorum suorum.

Happy is he that has joy of his children; that lives to see his enemies’ downfall.

Blessed is he that dwelleth with a wise woman, and that hath not slipped with his tongue, and that hath not served such as are unworthy of him.

Beatus qui habitat cum muliere sensata, et qui lingua sua non est lapsus, et qui non servivit indignis se.

Happiness it is to share thy home with a faithful wife; to have a tongue that never betrays thee; to serve only thy betters.

Blessed is he that findeth a true friend, and that declareth justice to an ear that heareth.

Beatus qui invenit amicum verum, et qui enarrat justitiam auri audienti.

Happiness it is to have a true friend … and to speak the right word to an ear that listens.

How great is he that findeth wisdom and knowledge! but there is none above him that feareth the Lord.

Quam magnus qui invenit sapientiam et scientiam! sed non est super timentem Dominum.

Happy is he that wisdom gains and skill; yet is he no match for one who fears the Lord.

The fear of God hath set itself above all things:

Timor Dei super omnia se superposuit.

The fear of God, that is a gift beyond all gifts;

Blessed is the man, to whom it is given to have the fear of God: he that holdeth it, to whom shall he be likened?

Beatus homo cui donatum est habere timorem Dei: qui tenet illum, cui assimilabitur?

blessed the man that receives it, he has no equal.

The fear of God is the beginning of his love: and the beginning of faith is to be fast joined unto it.

Timor Dei initium dilectionis ejus: fidei autem initium agglutinandum est ei.

Fear the Lord, and thou shalt learn to love him; cling close, and thou shalt learn to trust him.

The sadness of the heart is every plague: and the wickedness of a woman is all evil.

Omnis plaga tristitia cordis est, et omnis malitia nequitia mulieris.

There is no sadness but what touches the heart, no mischief but what comes from woman.

And a man will choose any plague, but the plague of the heart:

Et omnem plagam, et non plagam videbit cordis:

A man will endure any wound but the heart’s wound,

And any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:

et omnem nequitiam, et non nequitiam mulieris:

and any malice but a woman’s;

And any affliction, but the affliction from them that hate him:

et omnem obductum, et non obductum odientium:

just so he will endure any annoyance but from his ill-wishers,

And any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.

et omnem vindictam, et non vindictam inimicorum.

any sentence imposed on him but by his enemies.

There is no head worse than the head of a serpent:

Non est caput nequius super caput colubri,

No head so venomous as the viper’s,

And there is no anger above the anger of a woman. It will be more agreeable to abide with a lion and a dragon, than to dwell with a wicked woman.

et non est ira super iram mulieris. Commorari leoni et draconi placebit, quam habitare cum muliere nequam.

nor any anger like a woman’s. Better share thy home with lion and serpent both, than with an ill woman’s company.

The wickedness of a woman changeth her face: and she darkeneth her countenance as a bear: and sheweth it like sackcloth. In the midst of her neighbours,

Nequitia mulieris immutat faciem ejus: et obcæcat vultum suum tamquam ursus, et quasi saccum ostendit. In medio proximorum ejus

A woman’s ill will changes the very look of her; grim as a bear’s her visage, and she goes like one mourning. See where he sits among his neighbours,

Her husband groaned, and hearing he sighed a little.

ingemuit vir ejus, et audiens suspiravit modicum.

that husband of hers, groaning deep and sighing as he listens to them!

All malice is short to the malice of a woman, let the lot of sinners fall upon her.

Brevis omnis malitia super malitiam mulieris: sors peccatorum cadat super illam.

All other mischief is a slight thing beside the mischief an ill woman does; may she fall to a sinner’s lot!

As the climbing of a sandy way is to the feet of the aged, so is a wife full of tongue to a quiet man.

Sicut ascensus arenosus in pedibus veterani, sic mulier linguata homini quieto.

Better climb sandy cliff with the feet of old age, than be a peace-loving man mated with a scold.

Look not upon a woman’s beauty, and desire not a woman for beauty.

Ne respicias in mulieris speciem, et non concupiscas mulierem in specie.

Let not thy eye be caught by a woman’s beauty; not for her beauty desire her;

A woman’s anger, and impudence, and confusion is great.

Mulieris ira, et irreverentia, et confusio magna.

think of woman’s rage, her shamelessness, the dishonour she can do thee,

A woman, if she have superiority, is contrary to her husband.

Mulier si primatum habeat, contraria est viro suo.

how hard it goes with a man if his wife will have the uppermost.

A wicked woman abateth the courage, and maketh a heavy countenance, and a wounded heart.

Cor humile, et facies tristis, et plaga cordis, mulier nequam.

Crushed spirits, a clouded brow, a heavy heart, all this is an ill woman’s work;

Feeble hands, and disjointed knees, a woman that doth not make her husband happy.

Manus debiles et genua dissoluta, mulier quæ non beatificat virum suum.

faint hand and flagging knee betoken one unblessed in his marriage.

From the woman came the beginning of sin, and by her we all die.

A muliere initium factum est peccati, et per illam omnes morimur.

Through a woman sin first began; such fault was hers, we all must die for it.

Give no issue to thy water, no, not a little: nor to a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad.

Non des aquæ tuæ exitum, nec modicum: nec mulieri nequam veniam prodeundi.

Thy cistern thou wouldst not let leak, ever so little; and wouldst thou let a wanton wife roam at large?

If she walk not at thy hand, she will confound thee in the sight of thy enemies.

Si non ambulaverit ad manum tuam, confundet te in conspectu inimicorum.

Leave she once thy side, thou shalt be the laughing-stock of thy enemies;

Cut her off from thy flesh, lest she always abuse thee.

A carnibus tuis abscinde illam, ne semper te abutatur.

best cut away the ill growth from thy flesh; she will ever be taking advantage of thee.