Rectorem te posuerunt? noli extolli: esto in illis quasi unus ex ipsis.

If they will make thee master of the feast, do not give thyself airs; bear thyself as an equal.

Have they made thee ruler? be not lifted up: be among them as one of them.

Curam illorum habe, et sic conside, et omni cura tua explicita recumbe:

Make good provision for the guests, and so take thy place among them; thy duty done, recline at ease,

Have care of them, and so sit down, and when thou hast acquitted thyself of all thy charge, take thy place:

ut læteris propter illos, et ornamentum gratiæ accipias coronam, et dignationem consequaris corrogationis.

and in their pleasure rejoice, accepting the crown that marks their favour, the honour bestowed by their gifts.

That thou mayst rejoice for them, and receive a crown as an ornament of grace, and get the honour of the contribution.

Loquere major natu: decet enim te

Speak first, as becomes thy seniority,

Speak, thou that art elder: for it becometh thee,

primum verbum diligenti scientia, et non impedias musicam.

but with due choice of words; and do not break in when music is a-playing;

To speak the first word with careful knowledge, and hinder not music.

Ubi auditus non est, non effundas sermonem, et importune noli extolli in sapientia tua.

no need for thy words to flow when none is listening, for thy wisdom to be displayed unseasonably.

Where there is no hearing, pour not out words, and be not lifted up out of season with thy wisdom.

Gemmula carbunculi in ornamento auri, et comparatio musicorum in convivio vini.

Music and wine, carbuncle set in gold,

A concert of music in a banquet of wine is as a carbuncle set in gold.

Sicut in fabricatione auri signum est smaragdi, sic numerus musicorum in jucundo et moderato vino.

music and wine, signet ring of gold and emerald, so the wine be good, and taken in due measure.

As a signet of an emerald in a work of gold: so is the melody of music with pleasant and moderate wine.

Audi tacens, et pro reverentia accedet tibi bona gratia.

Keep silence, and give others a hearing; it shall win thee a name for modesty;

Hear in silence, and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.

Adolescens, loquere in tua causa vix.

if thou art but a young man, be loth to speak even of what concerns thee,

Young man, scarcely speak in thy own cause.

Si bis interrogatus fueris, habeat caput responsum tuum.

and if thou art pressed for an answer, give it in brief.

If thou be asked twice, let thy answer be short.

In multis esto quasi inscius, et audi tacens simul et quærens.

For the most part keep thy knowledge concealed under a mask of silence and enquiry;

In many things be as if thou wert ignorant, and hear in silence and withal seeking.

In medio magnatorum non præsumas: et ubi sunt senes non multum loquaris.

nor ever be familiar among great men, nor garrulous among the wise.

In the company of great men take not upon thee: and when the ancients are present, speak not much.

Ante grandinem præibit coruscatio: et ante verecundiam præibit gratia, et pro reverentia accedet tibi bona gratia.

Sure as the lightning is sign of a storm, men’s good word is the sign of a modest nature; they will love thee all the better for thy bashfulness.

Before a storm goeth lightning: and before shamefacedness goeth favour: and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.

Et hora surgendi non te trices: præcurre autem prior in domum tuam, et illic avocare, et illic lude,

When the time comes for going, do not linger; get thee gone speedily to thy home, there to divert thyself, and take thy ease,

And at the time of rising be not slack: but be first to run home to thy house, and there withdraw thyself, and there take thy pastime.

et age conceptiones tuas, et non in delictis et verbo superbo:

and follow the whim of thy own thoughts, yet innocently and with no word proudly said.

And do what thou hast a mind, but not in sin or proud speech.

et super his omnibus benedicito Dominum, qui fecit, et inebriantem te ab omnibus bonis suis.

And for all this give thanks to God thy maker, that so contents thee with his gifts.

And for all these things bless the Lord, that made thee, and that replenisheth thee with all his good things.

Qui timet Dominum excipiet doctrinam ejus: et qui vigilaverint ad illum invenient benedictionem.

If thou fearest the Lord, thou wilt accept the schooling he gives thee, waiting early at his door to win his blessing.

He that feareth the Lord, will receive his discipline: and they that will seek him early, shall find a blessing.

Qui quærit legem replebitur ab ea, et qui insidiose agit scandalizabitur in ea.

In the law, the law’s follower finds deep content, the false heart nothing but a snare to catch it.

He that seeketh the law, shall be filled with it: and he that dealeth deceitfully, shall meet with a stumblingblock therein.

Qui timent Dominum invenient judicium justum, et justitias quasi lumen accendent.

Those who fear the Lord will discover where right lies, the light of truth shall shine from their awards;

They that fear the Lord, shall find just judgment, and shall kindle justice as a light.

Peccator homo vitabit correptionem, et secundum voluntatem suam inveniet comparationem.

the sinner fears to have his life reproved, and will ever be finding precedents for gratifying his own whim.

A sinful man will flee reproof, and will find an excuse according to his will.

Vir consilii non disperdet intelligentiam: alienus et superbus non pertimescet timorem:

A man of prudence will never throw caution to the winds; his proud enemy feels no dread

A man of counsel will not neglect understanding, a strange and proud man will not dread fear:

etiam postquam fecit cum eo sine consilio, et suis insectationibus arguetur.

even upon rashly provoking him, but shall live to rue the assault.

Even after he hath done with fear without counsel, he shall be controlled by the things of his own seeking.

Fili, sine consilio nihil facias, et post factum non pœnitebis.

Do nothing, my son, save with consideration, and thy deeds shall not bring thee repentance.

My son, do thou nothing without counsel, and thou shalt not repent when thou hast done.

In via ruinæ non eas, et non offendes in lapides: nec credas te viæ laboriosæ, ne ponas animæ tuæ scandalum.

Take not some ruinous road that shall trip thee with its boulders; some road where all journeying is difficult and thou mayst expose thy life to sudden dangers.

Go not in the way of ruin, and thou shalt not stumble against the stones: trust not thyself to a rugged way, lest thou set a stumblingblock to thy soul.

Et a filiis tuis cave, et a domesticis tuis attende.

Of thy own children beware, be on thy watch against thy own household;

And beware of thy own children, and take heed of them of thy household.

In omni opere tuo crede ex fide animæ tuæ, hoc est enim conservatio mandatorum.

be it thine to trust with all thy soul’s confidence, and thou hast kept the commandments.

In every work of thine regard thy soul in faith: for this is the keeping of the commandments.

Qui credit Deo attendit mandatis: et qui confidit in illo non minorabitur.

Who trusts in God, keeps well God’s command; confidence in him was never disappointed.

He that believeth God, taketh heed to the commandments: and he that trusteth in him, shall fare never the worse.