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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. )

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cor prudens possidebit scientiam, et auris sapientium quærit doctrinam.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contradictiones comprimit sors, et inter potentes quoque dijudicat.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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. )

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.

Cum obsecrationibus loquetur pauper, et dives effabitur rigide.

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

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

Vir amabilis ad societatem magis amicus erit quam frater.

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

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