Quam bonum est arguere, quam irasci, et confitentem in oratione non prohibere!

Better the complaint made than the grudge secretly nursed. When a man con-fesses his fault, do not cut him short in mid utterance.

How much better is it to reprove, than to be angry, and not to hinder him that confesseth in prayer.

Concupiscentia spadonis devirginabit juvenculam:

Redress sought by violence no more content shall bring thee

The lust of an eunuch shall deflour a young maiden:

sic qui facit per vim judicium iniquum.

than eunuch’s lust for maid.

So is he that by violence executeth unjust judgment.

Quam bonum est correptum manifestare pœnitentiam! sic enim effugies voluntarium peccatum.

Well it is to be reproved, and to confess thy fault, and be rid of all such guilt as thou hast incurred knowingly.

How good is it, when thou art reproved, to shew repentance! for so thou shalt escape wilful sin.

Est tacens qui invenitur sapiens: et est odibilis qui procax est ad loquendum.

A man may be the wiser for remaining dumb, where the glib talker grows wearisome;

There is one that holdeth his peace, that is found wise: and there is another that is hateful, that is bold in speech.

Est tacens non habens sensum loquelæ: et est tacens sciens tempus aptum.

the silent man, has he nothing to say? Or is he waiting for the right time to say it?

There is one that holdeth his peace, because he knoweth not what to say: and there is another that holdeth his peace, knowing the proper time.

Homo sapiens tacebit usque ad tempus: lascivus autem et imprudens non servabunt tempus.

Wisdom keeps its utterance in reserve, where the fool’s vanity cannot wait.

A wise man will hold his peace till he see opportunity: but a babbler, and a fool will regard no time.

Qui multis utitur verbis lædet animam suam: et qui potestatem sibi sumit injuste, odietur.

The babbler cuts his own throat; claim more than thy right, and all men are thy enemies.

He that useth many words shall hurt his own soul: and he that taketh authority to himself unjustly shall be hated.

Est processio in malis viro indisciplinato, et est inventio in detrimentum.

For a mind ill trained, success is failure, winning is losing.

There is success in evil things to a man without discipline, and there is a finding that turneth to loss.

Est datum quod non est utile, et est datum cujus retributio duplex.

Gift given may bring thee nothing in return, or twice its worth.

There is a gift that is not profitable: and there is a gift, the recompense of which is double.

Est propter gloriam minoratio, et est qui ab humilitate levabit caput.

Honour achieved may belittle a man, and modesty bring him renown.

There is an abasement because of glory: and there is one that shall lift up his head from a low estate.

Est qui multa redimat modico pretio, et restituens ea in septuplum.

What use to make a good bargain, if thou must pay for it sevenfold?

There is that buyeth much for a small price, and restoreth the same sevenfold.

Sapiens in verbis seipsum amabilem facit: gratiæ autem fatuorum effundentur.

Word of wise man endears him; the fool spends his favours in vain.

A man wise in words shall make himself beloved: but the graces of fools shall be poured out.

Datus insipientis non erit utilis tibi: oculi enim illius septemplices sunt.

Little will the fool’s gift profit thee; seven times magnified is all he sees.

The gift of the fool shall do thee no good: for his eyes are sevenfold.

Exigua dabit, et multa improperabit: et apertio oris illius inflammatio est.

The paltrier the gift, the longer the admonitions that go with it, and every word of his an incitement to anger.

He will give a few things, and upbraid much: and the opening of his mouth is the kindling of a fire.

Hodie fœneratur quis, et cras expetit: odibilis est homo hujusmodi.

Out upon the man who lends today, and will have the loan restored to-morrow!

To day a man lendeth, and to morrow he asketh it again: such a man as this is hateful.

Fatuo non erit amicus, et non erit gratia bonis illius:

The fool has no friends, nor can win love by all his favours;

A fool shall have no friend, and there shall be no thanks for his good deeds.

qui enim edunt panem illius, falsæ linguæ sunt. Quoties et quanti irridebunt eum!

they are but parasites that eat at his table; loud and long they will laugh over him;

For they that eat his bread, are of a false tongue. How often, and how many will laugh him to scorn!

neque enim quod habendum erat directo sensu distribuit; similiter et quod non erat habendum.

so injudiciously he bestows gifts worth having, and gifts nothing worth.

For he doth not distribute with right understanding that which was to be had: in like manner also that which was not to be had.

Lapsus falsæ linguæ quasi qui in pavimento cadens: sic casus malorum festinanter veniet.

Slip of a liar’s tongue is like slip from roof to ground; a villain’s end is not long a-coming.

The slipping of a false tongue is as one that falleth on the pavement: so the fall of the wicked shall come speedily.

Homo acharis quasi fabula vana, in ore indisciplinatorum assidua erit.

An ungracious man is no more regarded, than some idle tale that is ever on the lips of the ill-bred.

A man without grace is as a vain fable, it shall be continually in the mouth of the unwise.

Ex ore fatui reprobabitur parabola: non enim dicit illam in tempore suo.

No weighty saying but offends in a fool’s mouth; sure it is that he will bring it out unseasonably.

A parable coming out of a fool’s mouth shall be rejected: for he doth not speak it in due season.

Est qui vetatur peccare præ inopia, et in requie sua stimulabitur.

Some avoid wrong only because they lack the means to do it; idle they remain, yet rest they cannot.

There is that is hindered from sinning through want, and in his rest he shall be pricked.

Est qui perdet animam suam præ confusione, et ab imprudenti persona perdet eam: personæ autem acceptione perdet se.

Some for very shame have courted their own ruin, resolved, though that opinion were worthless enough, to sacrifice themselves for another’s good opinion.

There is that will destroy his own soul through shamefacedness, and by occasion of an unwise person he will destroy it: and by respect of person he will destroy himself.

Est qui præ confusione promittit amico, et lucratus est eum inimicum gratis.

Some, too, for shame, make their friends high-sounding promises, and thereby gain nothing, but lose a friend.

There is that for bashfulness promiseth to his friend, and maketh him his enemy for nothing.

Opprobrium nequam in homine mendacium: et in ore indisciplinatorum assidue erit.

A lie is a foul blot upon a man’s name, yet nothing so frequent on ill-guarded lips.

A lie is a foul blot in a man, and yet it will be continually in the mouth of men without discipline.

Potior fur quam assiduitas viri mendacis: perditionem autem ambo hæreditabunt.

Worse than a thief is one who is ever lying, and to no better end may he look forward.

A thief is better than a man that is always lying: but both of them shall inherit destruction.

Mores hominum mendacium sine honore, et confusio illorum cum ipsis sine intermissione.

He lives without honour that lies without scruple, and shame is at his side continually.

The manners of lying men are without honour: and their confusion is with them without ceasing.

Sapiens in verbis producet seipsum, et homo prudens placebit magnatis.

The wise word brings a man to honour; prudence will endear thee to the great.

A wise man shall advance himself with his words, and a prudent man shall please the great ones.

Qui operatur terram suam inaltabit acervum frugum, et qui operatur justitiam, ipse exaltabitur: qui vero placet magnatis effugiet iniquitatem.

Till ground, and fill barn; live uprightly, and attain honour; win prince, and escape harm.

He that tilleth his land shall make a high heap of corn: and he that worketh justice shall be exalted: and he that pleaseth great men shall escape iniquity.

Xenia et dona excæcant oculos judicum, et quasi mutus, in ore avertit correptiones eorum.

Hospitality here, a gift there, how they blind the eyes of justice! No better gag to silence reproof.

Presents and gifts blind the eyes of judges, and make them dumb in the mouth, so that they cannot correct.

Sapientia absconsa, et thesaurus invisus, quæ utilitas in utrisque?

Wisdom hidden is wasted, is treasure that never sees the light of day;

Wisdom that is hid, and treasure that is not seen: what profit is there in them both?

Melior est qui celat insipientiam suam, quam homo qui abscondit sapientiam suam.

silence is rightly used when it masks folly, not when it is the grave of wisdom.

Better is he that hideth his folly, than the man that hideth his wisdom.