Great is the anxiety all men are doomed to, heavy the yoke each son of Adam must bear, from the day when he leaves his mother’s womb to the day when he is buried in the earth, that is mother of all.

Occupatio magna creata est omnibus hominibus, et jugum grave super filios Adam, a die exitus de ventre matris eorum usque in diem sepulturæ in matrem omnium.

Great labour is created for all men, and a heavy yoke is upon the children of Adam, from the day of their coming out of their mother’s womb, until the day of their burial into the mother of all.

What solicitude is his, what fears catch at his heart; how quick his mind runs out to meet coming events! And the term of it all is death.

Cogitationes eorum, et timores cordis, adinventio exspectationis, et dies finitionis,

Their thoughts, and fears of the heart, their imagination of things to come, and the day of their end:

What matter, whether a man sit on a throne, or grovel in dust and ashes;

a residente super sedem gloriosam, usque ad humiliatum in terra et cinere:

From him that sitteth on a glorious throne, unto him that is humbled in earth and ashes:

whether he goes clad in purple and wears a crown, or has but coarse linen to wear? Anger he shall know, and jealousy, and concern, and bewilderment, and the fear of death, and the grudge that rankles, and rivalry.

ab eo qui utitur hyacintho et portat coronam, usque ad eum qui operitur lino crudo: furor, zelus, tumultus, fluctuatio, et timor mortis, iracundia perseverans, et contentio:

From him that weareth purple, and beareth the crown, even to him that is covered with rough linen: wrath, envy, trouble, unquietness, and the fear of death, continual anger, and strife,

Rest he on his bed at night, sleep comes to fashion his thinking anew;

et in tempore refectionis in cubili, somnus noctis immutat scientiam ejus.

And in the time of rest upon his bed, the sleep of the night changeth his knowledge.

even there, the rest he wins is but little or none at all, and thereupon, in his dreams, he is anxious as sentry waiting to be relieved,

Modicum tamquam nihil in requie, et ab eo in somnis, quasi in die respectus.

A little and as nothing is his rest, and afterward in sleep, as in the day of keeping watch.

his are such whirling thoughts as fugitive has, just escaped from the battle. Then, at the moment of deliverance, comes waking; and he marvels to find his fears all vain.

Conturbatus est in visu cordis sui, tamquam qui evaserit in die belli: in tempore salutis suæ exsurrexit, et admirans ad nullum timorem:

He is troubled in the vision of his heart, as if he had escaped in the day of battle. In the time of his safety he rose up, and wondereth that there is no fear:

This lot he shares with all living things; beast has it as well as man, but for the sinner it is multiplied sevenfold.

cum omni carne, ab homine usque ad pecus, et super peccatores septuplum.

Such things happen to all flesh, from man even to beast, and upon sinners are sevenfold more.

There is more besides, mortal sickness, bloodshed, quarrelling, the sword, oppression, famine, devastation and plague;

Ad hæc mors, sanguis, contentio, et rhomphæa, oppressiones, fames, et contritio, et flagella:

Moreover, death, and bloodshed, strife, and sword, oppressions, famine, and affliction, and scourges:

all such things are designed for the punishing of the wicked; was it not from wickedness the flood came?

super iniquos creata sunt hæc omnia: et propter illos factus est cataclysmus.

All these things are created for the wicked, and for their sakes came the flood.

All that is of earth, to earth must needs return, and all waters find their way back to the sea;

Omnia quæ de terra sunt in terram convertentur, et omnes aquæ in mare revertentur.

All things that are of the earth, shall return to the earth again, and all waters shall return to the sea.

what shall become of bribery and oppression? The memory of them shall vanish; faithfulness will endure for ever.

Omne munus et iniquitas delebitur, et fides in sæculum stabit.

All bribery, and injustice shall be blotted out, and fidelity shall stand for ever.

All the riches of the wrong-doer will disappear, like stream that runs dry, will die away, like roll of thunder in a storm-cloud;

Substantiæ injustorum sicut fluvius siccabuntur, et sicut tonitruum magnum in pluvia personabunt.

The riches of the unjust shall be dried up like a river, and shall pass away with a noise like a great thunder in rain.

open-handed is merry-hearted, the sinners it is that shall pine away at the last.

In aperiendo manus suas lætabitur: sic prævaricatores in consummatione tabescent.

While he openeth his hands he shall rejoice: but transgressors shall pine away in the end.

Never a branch will the posterity of the wicked put forth; dead roots they are that rattle on the wind-swept rock.

Nepotes impiorum non multiplicabunt ramos: et radices immundæ super cacumen petræ sonant.

The offspring of the ungodly shall not bring forth many branches, and make a noise as unclean roots upon the top of a rock.

How green yonder rushes grow by the river’s bank! But they shall be plucked up before hay-harvest.

Super omnem aquam viriditas, et ad oram fluminis ante omne fœnum evelletur.

The weed growing over every water, and at the bank of the river, shall be pulled up before all grass.

But kindliness, like the garden trees, lasts on, remembered in blessing; charity remains unforgotten.

Gratia sicut paradisus in benedictionibus, et misericordia in sæculum permanet.

Grace is like a paradise in blessings, and mercy remaineth for ever.

Sweet is his lot, that toils and is contented; here is hidden treasure for thy finding.

Vita sibi sufficientis operarii condulcabitur, et in ea invenies thesaurum.

The life of a laborer that is content with what he hath, shall be sweet, and in it thou shalt find a treasure.

Children born, and a city founded, will bring thee a great name; best of all, a woman without spot.

Filii et ædificatio civitatis confirmabit nomen: et super hæc mulier immaculata computabitur.

Children, and the building of a city shall establish a name, but a blameless wife shall be counted above them both.

Wine and music make heart glad; best of all, the love of wisdom.

Vinum et musica lætificant cor: et super utraque dilectio sapientiæ.

Wine and music rejoice the heart, but the love of wisdom is above them both.

Flute and harp make sweet melody; best of all a kindly tongue.

Tibiæ et psalterium suavem faciunt melodiam: et super utraque lingua suavis.

The flute and the psaltery make a sweet melody, but a pleasant tongue is above them both.

Grace and beauty charm the eye; best of all, the green wheat.

Gratiam et speciem desiderabit oculus tuus: et super hæc virides sationes.

Thy eye desireth favour and beauty, but more than these green sown fields.

Friend and friend, gossip and gossip, are well met; best of all, man and wife.

Amicus et sodalis in tempore convenientes, et super utrosque mulier cum viro.

A friend and companion meeting together in season, but above them both is a wife with her husband.

Kinsmen … will help thee in hard times; best of all thy alms-deeds to deliver thee.

Fratres in adjutorium in tempore tribulationis: et super eos misericordia liberabit.

Brethren are a help in the time of trouble, but mercy shall deliver more than they.

Gold and silver give thee sure vantage-ground; best of all, right counsel.

Aurum et argentum est constitutio pedum: et super utrumque consilium beneplacitum.

Gold and silver make the feet stand sure: but wise counsel is above them both.

Riches and strength make the heart beat high; best of all, the fear of the Lord.

Facultates et virtutes exaltant cor, et super hæc timor Domini.

Riches and strength lift up the heart: but above these is the fear of the Lord.

Fear the Lord, lack thou shalt have none, help need none;

Non est in timore Domini minoratio: et non est in eo inquirere adjutorium.

There is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needeth not to seek for help.

the fear of the Lord is a garden that yields blessing … and in splendour above all splendour they have clothed him.

Timor Domini sicut paradisus benedictionis, et super omnem gloriam operuerunt illum.

The fear of the Lord is like a paradise of blessing, and they have covered it above all glory.

Long as thou livest, my son, never turn beggar; die is better than beg.

Fili, in tempore vitæ tuæ ne indigeas: melius est enim mori quam indigere.

My son, in thy lifetime be not indigent: for it is better to die than to want.

Look thou for thy meat to another’s table, I count thy life no life at all; what, owe thy very being to another man’s larder?

Vir respiciens in mensam alienam, non est vita ejus in cogitatione victus: alit enim animam suam cibis alienis:

The life of him that looketh toward another man’s table is not to be counted a life: for he feedeth his soul with another man’s meat.

From such a chance, good teaching and good training shall keep thee safe.

vir autem disciplinatus et eruditus custodiet se.

But a man, well instructed and taught, will look to himself.

Poverty, on a fool’s lips, will pass for a thing desirable; but trust me, he has a fire raging within.

In ore imprudentis condulcabitur inopia, et in ventre ejus ignis ardebit.

Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the unwise, but in his belly there shall burn a fire.