Luxuriosa res vinum, et tumultuosa ebrietas: quicumque his delectatur non erit sapiens.

Wine is a luxurious thing, and drunkenness riotous: whosoever is delighted therewith shall not be wise.

A reckless counsellor is wine, strong drink a riotous friend; the man who is swayed by these, call not wise.

Sicut rugitus leonis, ita et terror regis: qui provocat eum peccat in animam suam.

As the roaring of a lion, so also is the dread of a king: he that provoketh him, sinneth against his own soul.

Beware of the king’s power, as of lion roaring; challenge it, and thy life is forfeit.

Honor est homini qui separat se a contentionibus; omnes autem stulti miscentur contumeliis.

It is an honour for a man to separate himself from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches.

Well may he boast, that keeps clear of strife; every fool will be quarrelling.

Propter frigus piger arare noluit; mendicabit ergo æstate, et non dabitur illi.

Because of the cold the sluggard would not plough: he shall beg therefore in the summer, and it shall not be given him.

Too cold to plough, says Sloth; vainly, when harvest comes, he will go a-begging.

Sicut aqua profunda, sic consilium in corde viri; sed homo sapiens exhauriet illud.

Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water: but a wise man will draw it out.

Prudent counsel is a well buried deep in man’s heart; but the wise know how to draw from it.

Multi homines misericordes vocantur; virum autem fidelem quis inveniet?

Many men are called merciful: but who shall find a faithful man?

Many there are that pass for kindly souls, but a faithful friend is hard to come by.

Justus qui ambulat in simplicitate sua beatos post se filios derelinquet.

The just that walketh in his simplicity, shall leave behind him blessed children.

An upright man that goes armed with honest intent, leaves a blessing to his children.

Rex qui sedet in solio judicii dissipat omne malum intuitu suo.

The king, that sitteth on the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his look.

Let a king rule justly, wrong-doing shall be winnowed away under his scrutiny.

Quis potest dicere: Mundum est cor meum; purus sum a peccato?

Who can say: My heart is clean, I am pure from sin?

Who dares to boast, My heart is unsullied now, I have cleansed myself of every fault?

Pondus et pondus, mensura et mensura: utrumque abominabile est apud Deum.

Diverse weights and diverse measures, both are abominable before God.

One balance for getting and one for giving, one yard-wand for selling and one for buying, the Lord will not endure.

Ex studiis suis intelligitur puer, si munda et recta sint opera ejus.

By his inclinations a child is known, if his works be clean and right.

Watch a boy even at his play, thou canst tell whether his heart is pure and true.

Aurem audientem, et oculum videntem: Dominus fecit utrumque.

The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made them both.

The ear that listens, the watchful eye, are both of the Lord’s fashioning.

Noli diligere somnum, ne te egestas opprimat: aperi oculos tuos, et saturare panibus.

Love not sleep, lest poverty oppress thee: open thy eyes, and be filled with bread.

Love not thy sleep, or poverty will overtake thee unawares; the open eye means a full belly.

Malum est, malum est, dicit omnis emptor; et cum recesserit, tunc gloriabitur.

It is nought, it is nought, saith every buyer: and when he is gone away, then he will boast.

A poor thing, says the buyer, a poor thing! Then off he goes, and boasts of it.

Est aurum et multitudo gemmarum, et vas pretiosum labia scientiæ.

There is gold, and a multitude of jewels: but the lips of knowledge are a precious vessel.

Gold thou mayst have in abundance, and jewels a many, but the finest ware of all is wise speech.

Tolle vestimentum ejus qui fidejussor extitit alieni, et pro extraneis aufer pignus ab eo.

Take away the garment of him that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge from him for strangers.

Does a man go bail for a stranger? Without more ado, take his garment from him; who trusts without knowledge, forfeits the pledge.

Suavis est homini panis mendacii, et postea implebitur os ejus calculo.

The bread of lying is sweet to a man: but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

Ill-gotten wealth is bread most appetizing, that will yet turn to grit in the mouth.

Cogitationes consiliis roborantur, et gubernaculis tractanda sunt bella.

Designs are strengthened by counsels: and wars are to be managed by governments.

Counsel is the sure buttress of determination; wars must ever be won by statecraft.

Ei qui revelat mysteria, et ambulat fraudulenter, et dilatat labia sua, ne commiscearis.

Meddle not with him that revealeth secrets, and walketh deceitfully, and openeth wide his lips.

With the whisperer, that goes about open-mouthed on his errand of gossip, never throw in thy lot.

Qui maledicit patri suo et matri, extinguetur lucerna ejus in mediis tenebris:

He that curseth his father, and mother, his lamp shall be put out in the midst of darkness.

In deepest night the lamp of his hopes shall be quenched, that turns upon father or mother with a curse.

hæreditas ad quam festinatur in principio, in novissimo benedictione carebit.

The inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning, in the end shall be without a blessing.

The inheritance too soon come by, too late thou shalt find unblessed.

Ne dicas: Reddam malum: exspecta Dominum, et liberabit te.

Say not: I will return evil: wait for the Lord and he will deliver thee.

Never promise thyself vengeance; await the Lord’s hour, and redress shall be thine.

Abominatio est apud Dominum pondus et pondus; statera dolosa non est bona.

Diverse weights are an abomination before the Lord: a deceitful balance is not good.

One weight for getting and one for giving, the Lord cannot endure; a false balance is great wrong.

A Domino diriguntur gressus viri: quis autem hominum intelligere potest viam suam?

The steps of man are guided by the Lord: but who is the man that can understand his own way?

Every step man takes is of the Lord’s choosing; and thou, poor mortal, wouldst thou plot out thy path?

Ruina est homini devorare sanctos, et post vota retractare.

It is ruin to a man to devour holy ones, and after vows to retract.

He is trapped, that consecrates his gift in haste; the vow made, repentance comes too late.

Dissipat impios rex sapiens, et incurvat super eos fornicem.

A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth over them the wheel.

Fan and flail a wise king has for the ill-doer.

Lucerna Domini spiraculum hominis, quæ investigat omnia secreta ventris.

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, which searcheth all the hidden things of the bowels.

Man’s spirit is a lamp the Lord gives, to search out the hidden corners of his being.

Misericordia et veritas custodiunt regem, et roboratur clementia thronus ejus.

Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency.

What is a king’s best body-guard? Mercy and faithfulness; on mercy his throne rests.

Exsultatio juvenum fortitudo eorum, et dignitas senum canities.

The joy of young men is their strength: and the dignity of old men, their grey hairs.

Youth has strong arms to boast of, old age white hairs for a crown.

Livor vulneris absterget mala, et plagæ in secretioribus ventris.

The blueness of a wound shall wipe away evils: and stripes in the more inward parts of the belly.

Hurts that bruise cruelly, chastisement felt deep within, are sin’s best remedy.