None so quick to find pretexts, as he that would break with a friend; he is in fault continually.

Occasiones quærit qui vult recedere ab amico: omni tempore erit exprobrabilis.

He that hath a mind to depart from a friend seeketh occasions: he shall ever be subject to reproach.

For prudent warnings a fool has no stomach; nothing will serve but to echo his own thought.

Non recipit stultus verba prudentiæ, nisi ea dixeris quæ versantur in corde ejus.

A fool receiveth not the words of prudence: unless thou say those things which are in his heart.

Little the godless man recks of it, when he falls into sin’s mire, but shame and reproach go with him.

Impius, cum in profundum venerit peccatorum, contemnit; sed sequitur eum ignominia et opprobrium.

The wicked man when he is come into the depth of sins, contemneth: but ignominy and reproach follow him.

Man’s utterance has currents like the waters that run deep; from wisdom’s well flows a stream in full flood.

Aqua profunda verba ex ore viri, et torrens redundans fons sapientiæ.

Words from the mouth of a man are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom as an overflowing stream.

Foul shame it is to court favour with the wrong-doer by turning justice aside from its course.

Accipere personam impii non est bonum, ut declines a veritate judicii.

It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to decline from the truth of judgment.

A fool’s talk is for ever embroiling him; let him but open his mouth, blows will follow.

Labia stulti miscent se rixis, et os ejus jurgia provocat.

The lips of a fool intermeddle with strife: and his mouth provoketh quarrels.

From his own words his undoing comes, from his own lips the snare.

Os stulti contritio ejus, et labia ipsius ruina animæ ejus.

The mouth of a fool is his destruction: and his lips are the ruin of his soul.

Innocent enough seem the words of the back-biter, yet their poison sinks deep into a man’s belly.(Slow natures every fear disarms; womanish souls shall go hungry. )

Verba bilinguis quasi simplicia, et ipsa perveniunt usque ad interiora ventris. Pigrum dejicit timor; animæ autem effeminatorum esurient.

The words of the double tongued are as if they were harmless: and they reach even to the inner parts of the bowels. Fear casteth down the slothful: and the souls of the effeminate shall be hungry.

Dainty and listless go to work, thou art own brother to that work’s undoer.

Qui mollis et dissolutus est in opere suo frater est sua opera dissipantis.

He that is loose and slack in his work, is the brother of him that wasteth his own works.

No stronghold like the Lord’s name; there the just take refuge, high above reach.

Turris fortissima nomen Domini; ad ipsum currit justus, et exaltabitur.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the just runneth to it, and shall be exalted.

What citadel has the rich man? His own possessions; he seems shut in by a wall impregnable;

Substantia divitis urbs roboris ejus, et quasi murus validus circumdans eum.

The substance of the rich man is the city of his strength, and as a strong wall compassing him about.

yet hearts are proudest when ruin is nearest; humility is the ante-chamber of renown.

Antequam conteratur, exaltatur cor hominis, et antequam glorificetur, humiliatur.

Before destruction, the heart of a man is exalted: and before he be glorified, it is humbled.

Let a man hear the tale out before he answer, or he is a fool manifest, marked out for shame.

Qui prius respondet quam audiat, stultum se esse demonstrat, et confusione dignum.

He that answereth before he heareth sheweth himself to be a fool, and worthy of confusion.

All mortal ills the spirit of man can bear; if the spirit itself be impatient, there is no lightening his lot.

Spiritus viri sustentat imbecillitatem suam; spiritum vero ad irascendum facilem quis poterit sustinere?

The spirit of a man upholdeth his infirmity: but a spirit that is easily angered, who can bear?

Prize of the discerning heart, quest of the wise man’s ear, is to learn truth.

Cor prudens possidebit scientiam, et auris sapientium quærit doctrinam.

A wise heart shall acquire knowledge: and the ear of the wise seeketh instruction.

The gift made, how it opens a man’s path for him, wins him access to the great!

Donum hominis dilatat viam ejus, et ante principes spatium ei facit.

A man’s gift enlargeth his way, and maketh him room before princes.

An innocent man is the first to lay bare the truth; let his neighbour come and search him as he will.

Justus prior est accusator sui: venit amicus ejus, et investigabit eum.

The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.

The lot brings feuds to an end; greatness itself must bow to the lot’s decision.

Contradictiones comprimit sors, et inter potentes quoque dijudicat.

The lot suppresseth contentions, and determineth even between the mighty.

When brother helps brother, theirs is the strength of a fortress; their cause is like a city gate barred, unassailable.

Frater qui adjuvatur a fratre quasi civitas firma, et judicia quasi vectes urbium.

A brother that is helped by his brother, is like a strong city: and judgments are like the bars of cities.

As mouth speaks, belly shall find its fare; a man’s own words bear the fruit that must needs content him.

De fructu oris viri replebitur venter ejus, et genimina labiorum ipsius saturabunt eum.

Of the fruit of a man’s mouth shall his belly be satisfied: and the offspring of his lips shall fill him.

Of life and death, tongue holds the keys; use it lovingly, and it will requite thee.

Mors et vita in manu linguæ; qui diligunt eam comedent fructus ejus.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof.

A good wife found is treasure found; the Lord is filling thy cup with happiness. (A good wife cast away is treasure cast away; leave to fools, and godless fools, the adulterous embrace. )

Qui invenit mulierem bonam invenit bonum, et hauriet jucunditatem a Domino. Qui expellit mulierem bonam expellit bonum; qui autem tenet adulteram stultus est et impius.

He that hath found a good wife, hath found a good thing, and shall receive a pleasure from the Lord. He that driveth away a good wife, driveth away a good thing: but he that keepeth an adulteress, is foolish and wicked.

Poor men must cringe, for the rich to rate them.

Cum obsecrationibus loquetur pauper, et dives effabitur rigide.

The poor will speak with supplications, and the rich will speak roughly.

A man endeared to thee by fellowship will prove a better friend to thee than thy own kin.

Vir amabilis ad societatem magis amicus erit quam frater.

A man amiable in society, shall be more friendly than a brother.