It is the part of man to prepare the soul: and of the Lord to govern the tongue.

Hominis est animam præparare, et Domini gubernare linguam.

Man’s heart is ever full of devising; from the Lord comes the ordering of right speech.

All the ways of a man are open to his eyes: the Lord is the weigher of spirits.

Omnes viæ hominis patent oculis ejus; spirituum ponderator est Dominus.

His own path man scans, and nothing sees amiss, but the divine balance weighs our thoughts;

Lay open thy works to the Lord: and thy thoughts shall be directed.

Revela Domino opera tua, et dirigentur cogitationes tuæ.

share with the Lord the burden of all thy doings, if thou wouldst be sincere in thy intent.

The Lord hath made all things for himself: the wicked also for the evil day.

Universa propter semetipsum operatus est Dominus; impium quoque ad diem malum.

God, who made all, made all for his own purposes, even the godless man, with doom awaiting him.

Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord: though hand should be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice; and this is more acceptable with God, than to offer sacrifices.

Abominatio Domini est omnis arrogans; etiamsi manus ad manum fuerit, non est innocens. Initium viæ bonæ facere justitiam; accepta est autem apud Deum magis quam immolare hostias.

A proud man the Lord holds in abhorrence; depend upon it, no acquittal shall he find. (To do right, that is the first step on the way of blessedness, a more welcome thing in God’s sight than any sacrifice a man can offer. )

By mercy and truth iniquity is redeemed: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

Misericordia et veritate redimitur iniquitas, et in timore Domini declinatur a malo.

Kindness and honour are sin’s purging; ever it is the fear of the Lord turns men away from harm.

When the ways of man shall please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.

Cum placuerint Domino viæ hominis, inimicos quoque ejus convertet ad pacem.

Live as the Lord would have thee live, and he will make even thy enemies into well-wishers.

Better is a little with justice, than great revenues with iniquity.

Melius est parum cum justitia quam multi fructus cum iniquitate.

Better a penny honestly come by than great revenues ill gotten.

The heart of man disposeth his way: but the Lord must direct his steps.

Cor hominis disponit viam suam, sed Domini est dirigere gressus ejus.

Heart of man must plan his course, but his steps will fall as the Lord guides them.

Divination is in the lips of the king, his mouth shall not err in judgment.

Divinatio in labiis regis; in judicio non errabit os ejus.

Speaks king, speaks oracle; never a word amiss.

Weight and balance are judgments of the Lord: and his work all the weights of the bag.

Pondus et statera judicia Domini sunt, et opera ejus omnes lapides sacculi.

Scale and balance are emblems of the Lord’s own justice; no weight in the merchant’s wallet but is of divine fashioning.

They that act wickedly are abominable to the king: for the throne is established by justice.

Abominabiles regi qui agunt impie, quoniam justitia firmatur solium.

Wrong-doing the king will not abide; on right his own throne rests.

Just lips are the delight of kings: he that speaketh right things shall be loved.

Voluntas regum labia justa; qui recta loquitur diligetur.

Kings are for honest talk; free-spoken is well loved.

The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: and the wise man will pacify it.

Indignatio regis nuntii mortis, et vir sapiens placabit eam.

The king’s frown is death at thy door; wisdom will appease it;

In the cheerfulness of the king’s countenance is life: and his clemency is like the latter rain.

In hilaritate vultus regis vita, et clementia ejus quasi imber serotinus.

his smile is life; not more welcome the spring rains, than royal favour.

Get wisdom, because it is better than gold: and purchase prudence, for it is more precious than silver.

Posside sapientiam, quia auro melior est, et acquire prudentiam, quia pretiosior est argento.

Not of gold or silver be thy hoard; make wisdom thine, discernment thine, more precious than these.

The path of the just departeth from evils: he that keepeth his soul keepeth his way.

Semita justorum declinat mala; custos animæ suæ servat viam suam.

The just man travels by the high road, safe from harm, watching his path anxiously, as he values his life.

Pride goeth before destruction: and the spirit is lifted up before a fall.

Contritionem præcedit superbia, et ante ruinam exaltatur spiritus.

Presumption comes first, and ruin close behind it; pride ever goes before a fall.

It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the proud.

Melius est humiliari cum mitibus quam dividere spolia cum superbis.

Better a humble lot among peaceful folk, than all the spoil a tyrant’s friendship can bring thee.

The learned in word shall find good things: and he that trusteth in the Lord is blessed.

Eruditus in verbo reperiet bona, et qui sperat in Domino beatus est.

Well versed in doctrine, happiness thou shalt win; trust in the Lord, and find a blessing.

The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and he that is sweet in words shall attain to greater things.

Qui sapiens est corde appellabitur prudens, et qui dulcis eloquio majora percipiet.

Good judgement a wise heart can claim; winning words bring greater prizes yet.

Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesseth it: the instruction of fools is foolishness.

Fons vitæ eruditio possidentis; doctrina stultorum fatuitas.

The prudent man drinks from a living fountain; fools only learn the lessons of their folly.

The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth: and shall add grace to his lips.

Cor sapientis erudiet os ejus, et labiis ejus addet gratiam.

Wisdom distils from heart to mouth, and lends the lips persuasion.

Well ordered words are as a honeycomb: sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Favus mellis composita verba; dulcedo animæ sanitas ossium.

Honey itself cannot vie with well-framed words, for heart’s comfort and body’s refreshment.

There is a way that seemeth to a man right: and the ends thereof lead to death.

Est via quæ videtur homini recta, et novissima ejus ducunt ad mortem.

The right road in a man’s thinking may be one whose goal is death.

The soul of him that laboureth, laboureth for himself, because his mouth hath obliged him to it.

Anima laborantis laborat sibi, quia compulit eum os suum.

No better friend drudgery has than appetite; hunger drives a man to his task.

The wicked man diggeth evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.

Vir impius fodit malum, et in labiis ejus ignis ardescit.

Ever the godless man digs a well of mischief, ever his lips are aflame.

A perverse man stirreth up quarrels: and one full of words separateth princes.

Homo perversus suscitat lites, et verbosus separat principes.

His the scheming that breeds quarrels, the whispering that divides his clan,

An unjust man allureth his friend: and leadeth him into a way that is not good.

Vir iniquus lactat amicum suum, et ducit eum per viam non bonam.

the love of wrong that misleads his neighbours and carries them off into evil ways;

He that with fixed eyes deviseth wicked things, biting his lips, bringeth evil to pass.

Qui attonitis oculis cogitat prava, mordens labia sua perficit malum.

spell-bound with dreams of treachery, he shuts his lips tight and goes about his false errand.

Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.

Corona dignitatis senectus, quæ in viis justitiæ reperietur.

No prize so honourable as old age, and it is won by innocence of life.

The patient man is better than the valiant: and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh cities.

Melior est patiens viro forti, et qui dominatur animo suo expugnatore urbium.

Patience is worth more than valour; better a disciplined heart than a stormed city.

Lots are cast into the lap, but they are disposed of by the Lord.

Sortes mittuntur in sinum, sed a Domino temperantur.

Into the lap’s fold the lot falls haphazard, but the Lord rules the issue.