Friends every man has that will say, I love him well; yet friends they may be in name only. Death itself cannot match it for sadness,

Omnis amicus dicet: Et ego amicitiam copulavi: sed est amicus solo nomine amicus. Nonne tristitia inest usque ad mortem?

Every friend will say: I also am his friend: but there is a friend, that is only a friend in name. Is not this a grief even to death?

when friend and companion becomes thy enemy.

sodalis autem et amicus ad inimicitiam convertentur.

But a companion and a friend shall be turned to an enemy.

Cruel pretence, what mind first conceived thee, to turn solid earth into a morass of foul treachery?

O præsumptio nequissima, unde creata es cooperire aridam malitia et dolositate illius?

O wicked presumption, whence camest thou to cover the earth with thy malice, and deceitfulness?

A companion, how he will enjoy the delights of his friend’s prosperity, and turn against him in the hour of need!

Sodalis amico conjucundatur in oblectationibus, et in tempore tribulationis adversarius erit.

There is a companion who rejoiceth with his friend in his joys, but in the time of trouble, he will be against him.

A companion, how he will share a friend’s grief if he may share his bake-meats; use him as a shield against some enemy!

Sodalis amico condolet causa ventris, et contra hostem accipiet scutum.

There is a companion who condoleth with his friend for his belly’s sake, and he will take up a shield against the enemy.

Never let friend of thine be far from thy thoughts; in thy prosperity never forget him.

Non obliviscaris amici tui in animo tuo, et non immemor sis illius in opibus tuis.

Forget not thy friend in thy mind, and be not unmindful of him in thy riches.

Never take counsel with one who may be laying a trap for thee; from his envy hide thy purpose;

Noli consiliari cum eo qui tibi insidiatur, et a zelantibus te absconde consilium.

Consult not with him that layeth a snare for thee, and hide thy counsel from them that envy thee.

advice every counsellor will give thee, but some will counsel thee for their own ends.

Omnis consiliarius prodit consilium, sed est consiliarius in semetipso.

Every counsellor giveth out counsel, but there is one that is a counsellor for himself.

Be on thy guard, then, against him who advises thee; how is his own turn best served? What is his secret mind?

A consiliario serva animam tuam: prius scito quæ sit illius necessitas: et ipse enim animo suo cogitabit:

Beware of a counsellor. And know before what need he hath: for he will devise to his own mind:

It may be, he will hide stake in pit for thee, crying,

ne forte mittat sudem in terram, et dicat tibi:

Lest he thrust a stake into the ground, and say to thee:

Thy course lies clear; then stand at a distance to see what becomes of thee.

Bona est via tua: et stet e contrario videre quid tibi eveniat.

Thy way is good; and then stand on the other side to see what shall befall thee.

Consult, if thou wilt, unbeliever about holiness, knave about justice, woman about her rival, dastard about war, merchant about value, buyer about price, cynic about gratitude,

Cum viro irreligioso tracta de sanctitate, et cum injusto de justitia, et cum muliere de ea quæ æmulatur, cum timido de bello, cum negotiatore de trajectione, cum emptore de venditione, cum viro livido de gratiis agendis,

Treat not with a man without religion concerning holiness, nor with an unjust man concerning justice, nor with a woman touching her of whom she is jealous, nor with a coward concerning war, nor with a merchant about traffic, nor with a buyer of selling, nor with an envious man of giving thanks,

scoffer about piety, rogue about honesty, farm labourer about work to be done,

cum impio de pietate, cum inhonesto de honestate, cum operario agrario de omni opere,

Nor with the ungodly of piety, nor with the dishonest of honesty, nor with the field laborer of every work,

yearman about year’s end, idle servant about great undertakings; but all the advice they give thee heed thou never.

cum operario annuali de consummatione anni, cum servo pigro de multa operatione. Non attendas his in omni consilio:

Nor with him that worketh by the year of the finishing of the year, nor with an idle servant of much business: give no heed to these in any matter of counsel.

Closet thyself rather with some man of holy life, known to thee as God’s worshipper,

sed cum viro sancto assiduus esto, quemcumque cognoveris observantem timorem Dei:

But be continually with a holy man, whomsoever thou shalt know to observe the fear of God,

some soul well matched with thine, such as would grieve to see thee stumbling in darkness.

cujus anima est secundum animam tuam, et qui, cum titubaveris in tenebris, condolebit tibi.

Whose soul is according to thy own soul: and who, when thou shalt stumble in the dark, will be sorry for thee.

And thy own heart enthrone as thy best counsellor; nothing may compare with that;

Cor boni consilii statue tecum: non est enim tibi aliud pluris illo.

And establish within thyself a heart of good counsel: for there is no other thing of more worth to thee than it.

there are times when a man of piety sees truth clearer than seven sentinels high in a watch-tower.

Anima viri sancti enuntiat aliquando vera, quam septem circumspectores sedentes in excelso ad speculandum.

The soul of a holy man discovereth sometimes true things, more than seven watchmen that sit in a high place to watch.

With all this, entreat the most High to guide thy steps in the right path.

Et in his omnibus deprecare Altissimum, ut dirigat in veritate viam tuam.

But above all these things pray to the most High, that he may direct thy way in truth.

For every undertaking, every act of thine let just consideration prepare thee, and trustworthy counsel.

Ante omnia opera verbum verax præcedat te, et ante omnem actum consilium stabile.

In all thy works let the true word go before thee, and steady counsel before every action.

Ill counsel may make the heart veer round; four points its compass has, good and evil, life and death; and it is ever the tongue that sways it. Shrewdness there is that can much impart, yet is its own enemy.

Verbum nequam immutabit cor: ex quo partes quatuor oriuntur: bonum et malum, vita et mors: et dominatrix illorum est assidua lingua. Est vir astutus multorum eruditor, et animæ suæ inutilis est.

A wicked word shall change the heart: out of which four manner of things arise, good and evil, life and death: and the tongue is continually the ruler of them. There is a man that is subtle and a teacher of many, and yet is unprofitable to his own soul.

And there is experience that imparts much to others, and is its own friend besides.

Vir peritus multos erudivit, et animæ suæ suavis est.

A skilful man hath taught many, and is sweet to his own soul.

There is quibbling talk that will earn thee enemies, and an empty belly;

Qui sophistice loquitur odibilis est: in omni re defraudabitur.

He that speaketh sophistically, is hateful: he shall be destitute of every thing.

no power to win men the Lord has given it, so empty is it of all wisdom.

Non est illi data a Domino gratia, omni enim sapientia defraudatus est.

Grace is not given him from the Lord: for he is deprived of all wisdom.

But there is wisdom that befriends the owner of it, earning high meed of praise;

Est sapiens animæ suæ sapiens, et fructus sensus illius laudabilis.

There is a wise man that is wise to his own soul: and the fruit of his understanding is commendable.

if thus thou art wise, wisdom thou shalt impart to thy fellows, and shalt not miss thy own reward;

Vir sapiens plebem suam erudit, et fructus sensus illius fideles sunt.

A wise man instructeth his own people, and the fruits of his understanding are faithful.

blessings the wise man reaps from all around, to see him is to praise him.

Vir sapiens implebitur benedictionibus, et videntes illum laudabunt.

A wise man shall be filled with blessings, and they that see shall praise him.

Man’s days are numbered, Israel’s none can number,

Vita viri in numero dierum: dies autem Israël innumerabiles sunt.

The life of a man is in the number of his days: but the days of Israel are innumerable.

and among our people the wise man wins an inheritance of honour, a deathless renown.

Sapiens in populo hæreditabit honorem, et nomen illius erit vivens in æternum.

A wise man shall inherit honour among his people, and his name shall live for ever.

Son, as thy life goes on, make trial of thy appetites, and if harmful they be, give them no liberty;

Fili, in vita tua tenta animam tuam, et si fuerit nequam non des illi potestatem:

My son, prove thy soul in thy life: and if it be wicked, give it no power:

not all things all men suit, nor please.

non enim omnia omnibus expediunt, et non omni animæ omne genus placet.

For all things are not expedient for all, and every kind pleaseth not every soul.

When there is feasting, thy greed restrain; do not fall upon all the meats thou seest;

Noli avidus esse in omni epulatione, et non te effundas super omnem escam:

Be not greedy in any feasting, and pour not out thyself upon any meat:

much feasting breeds infirmity, gluttony the bile,

in multis enim escis erit infirmitas, et aviditas appropinquabit usque ad choleram.

For in many meats there will be sickness, and greediness will turn to choler.

and many have died of surfeiting; the temperate live long.

Propter crapulam multi obierunt: qui autem abstinens est adjiciet vitam.

By surfeiting many have perished: but he that is temperate, shall prolong life.