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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

pauperem superbum, divitem mendacem, senem fatuum et insensatum.

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

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

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

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

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

Quam speciosum canitiei judicium, et presbyteris cognoscere consilium!

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

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

Quam speciosa veteranis sapientia, et gloriosus intellectus et consilium!

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

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

Corona senum multa peritia, et gloria illorum timor Dei.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Timor Dei super omnia se superposuit.

The fear of God hath set itself above all things:

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Et omnem plagam, et non plagam videbit cordis:

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

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

et omnem nequitiam, et non nequitiam mulieris:

And any wickedness, but the wickedness of a woman:

and any malice but a woman’s;

et omnem obductum, et non obductum odientium:

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

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

et omnem vindictam, et non vindictam inimicorum.

And any revenge, but the revenge of enemies.

any sentence imposed on him but by his enemies.

Non est caput nequius super caput colubri,

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

No head so venomous as the viper’s,

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

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.

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

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

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,

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,

ingemuit vir ejus, et audiens suspiravit modicum.

Her husband groaned, and hearing he sighed a little.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Mulieris ira, et irreverentia, et confusio magna.

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

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

Mulier si primatum habeat, contraria est viro suo.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A carnibus tuis abscinde illam, ne semper te abutatur.

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

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