Filii sapientiæ ecclesia justorum, et natio illorum obedientia et dilectio.

The sons of wisdom are the church of the just: and their generation, obedience and love.

Wherever choice souls are found, wisdom is the mother of them; all submissiveness and love their breed is.

Judicium patris audite, filii, et sic facite, ut salvi sitis.

Children, hear the judgment of your father, and so do that you may be saved.

Speak we now of a father’s rights; do you, sons, give good heed, and follow these counsels, if thrive you would.

Deus enim honoravit patrem in filiis: et judicium matris exquirens, firmavit in filios.

For God hath made the father honourable to the children: and seeking the judgment of the mothers, hath confirmed it upon the children.

God will have children honour their fathers; a mother’s rights are his own strict ordinance.

Qui diligit Deum exorabit pro peccatis, et continebit se ab illis, et in oratione dierum exaudietur.

He that loveth God, shall obtain pardon for his sins by prayer, and shall refrain himself from them, and shall be heard in the prayer of days.

A lover of God will fall to prayer over his sins and sin no more; so, all his life long, his prayer shall find audience.

Et sicut qui thesaurizat, ita et qui honorificat matrem suam.

And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up a treasure.

… riches he lays up for himself, that gives his mother her due.

Qui honorat patrem suum jucundabitur in filiis, et in die orationis suæ exaudietur.

He that honoureth his father shall have joy in his own children, and in the day of his prayer he shall be heard.

As thou wouldst have joy of thy own children, as thou wouldst be heard when thou fallest to praying, honour thy father still.

Qui honorat patrem suum vita vivet longiore, et qui obedit patri refrigerabit matrem.

He that honoureth his father shall enjoy a long life: and he that obeyeth the father, shall be a comfort to his mother.

A father honoured is long life won; a father well obeyed is a mother’s heart comforted.

Qui timet Dominum honorat parentes, et quasi dominis serviet his qui se genuerunt.

He that feareth the Lord, honoureth his parents, and will serve them as his masters that brought him into the world.

None that fears the Lord but honours the parents who gave him life, slave to master owes no greater service.

In opere, et sermone, et omni patientia, honora patrem tuum,

Honour thy father, in work and word, and all patience,

Thy father honour, in deed and in word and in all manner of forbearance;

ut superveniat tibi benedictio ab eo, et benedictio illius in novissimo maneat.

That a blessing may come upon thee from him, and his blessing may remain in the latter end.

so thou shalt have his blessing, a blessing that will endure to thy life’s end.

Benedictio patris firmat domos filiorum: maledictio autem matris eradicat fundamenta.

The father’s blessing establisheth the houses of the children: but the mother’s curse rooteth up the foundation.

What is the buttress of a man’s house? A father’s blessing. What tears up the foundations of it? A mother’s curse.

Ne glorieris in contumelia patris tui: non enim est tibi gloria ejus confusio.

Glory not in the dishonour of thy father: for his shame is no glory to thee.

Never make a boast of thy father’s ill name; what, should his discredit be thy renown?

Gloria enim hominis ex honore patris sui, et dedecus filii pater sine honore.

For the glory of a man is from the honour of his father, and a father without honour is the disgrace of the son.

Nay, for a father’s good repute or ill, a son must go proudly, or hang his head.

Fili, suscipe senectam patris tui, et non contristes eum in vita illius:

Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his life;

My son, when thy father grows old, take him to thyself; long as he lives, never be thou the cause of his repining.

et si defecerit sensu, veniam da, et ne spernas eum in virtute tua: eleemosyna enim patris non erit in oblivione.

And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy strength: for the relieving of the father shall not be forgotten.

Grow he feeble of wit, make allowance for him, nor in thy manhood’s vigour despise him. The kindness shewn to thy father will not go forgotten;

Nam pro peccato matris restituetur tibi bonum:

For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy mother.

favour it shall bring thee in acquittal of thy mother’s guilt.

et in justitia ædificabitur tibi, et in die tribulationis commemorabitur tui, et sicut in sereno glacies, solventur peccata tua.

And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of affliction thou shalt be remembered: and thy sins shall melt away as the ice in the fair warm weather.

Faithfully it shall be made good to thee, nor shalt thou be forgotten when the time of affliction comes; like ice in summer the record of thy sins shall melt away.

Quam malæ famæ est qui derelinquit patrem, et est maledictus a Deo qui exasperat matrem!

Of what an evil fame is he that forsaketh his father: and he is cursed of God that angereth his mother.

Tarnished his name, that leaves his father forsaken; God’s curse rest on him, that earns a mother’s ill-will.

Fili, in mansuetudine opera tua perfice, et super hominum gloriam diligeris.

My son, do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men.

My son, do all thou dost in lowly fashion; love thou shalt win, that is worth more than men’s praise.

Quanto magnus es, humilia te in omnibus, et coram Deo invenies gratiam:

The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God:

The greater thou art, the more in all things abase thyself; so thou shalt win favour with God …

quoniam magna potentia Dei solius, et ab humilibus honoratur.

For great is the power of God alone, and he is honoured by the humble.

Sovereignty belongs to God and no other; they honour him most that most keep humility.

Altiora te ne quæsieris, et fortiora te ne scrutatus fueris: sed quæ præcepit tibi Deus, illa cogita semper, et in pluribus operibus ejus ne fueris curiosus.

Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not into things above thy ability: but the things that God hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of his works be not curious.

Seek not to know what is far above thee; search not beyond thy range; let thy mind ever dwell on the duty God has given thee to do, content to be ignorant of all his dealings besides.

Non est enim tibi necessarium ea, quæ abscondita sunt, videre oculis tuis.

For it is not necessary for thee to see with thy eyes those things that are hid.

Need is none thy eyes should see what things lie hidden.

In supervacuis rebus noli scrutari multipliciter, et in pluribus operibus ejus non eris curiosus.

In unnecessary matters be not over curious, and in many of his works thou shalt not be inquisitive.

Leave off, then, thy much questioning about such things as little concern thee, and be content with thy ignorance;

Plurima enim super sensum hominum ostensa sunt tibi:

For many things are shewn to thee above the understanding of men.

more is granted to thy view than lies within human ken.

multos quoque supplantavit suspicio illorum, et in vanitate detinuit sensus illorum.

And the suspicion of them hath deceived many, and hath detained their minds in vanity.

By such fancies, many have been led astray, and their thoughts chained to folly.

Cor durum habebit male in novissimo, et qui amat periculum in illo peribit.

A hard heart shall fear evil at the last: and he that loveth danger shall perish in it.

… Heart that is obstinate shall thrive ill at the last; danger loved is death won.

Cor ingrediens duas vias non habebit successus, et pravus corde in illis scandalizabitur.

A heart that goeth two ways shall not have success, and the perverse of heart shall be scandalized therein.

Heart that will try two ways at once shall prosper little; he falls into the snare that goes a-straying.

Cor nequam gravabitur in doloribus, et peccator adjiciet ad peccandum.

A wicked heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the sinner will add sin to sin.

Heart that will not mend shall be weighed down by its own troubles; the sinner is ever ready for one sin more.

Synagogæ superborum non erit sanitas, frutex enim peccati radicabitur in illis, et non intelligetur.

The congregation of the proud shall not be healed: for the plant of wickedness shall take root in them, and it shall not be perceived.

For one sort of men there is no remedy, the proud; too deep a root the evil has taken, before they knew it.

Cor sapientis intelligitur in sapientia, et auris bona audiet cum omni concupiscentia sapientiam.

The heart of the wise is understood in wisdom, and a good ear will hear wisdom with all desire.

Heart that is wise will prove itself in wise company; ever greedy of wise talk is the ear that knows how to listen.

Sapiens cor et intelligibile abstinebit se a peccatis, et in operibus justitiæ successus habebit.

A wise heart, and which hath understanding, will abstain from sins, and in the works of justice shall have success.

Heart that is wise and discerning will keep clear of wrong, and by honest dealings prosper yet.

Ignem ardentem exstinguit aqua, et eleemosyna resistit peccatis:

Water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins:

No fire burns so high but water may quench it; almsgiving was ever sin’s atoning.

et Deus prospector est ejus qui reddit gratiam: meminit ejus in posterum, et in tempore casus sui inveniet firmamentum.

And God provideth for him that sheweth favour: he remembereth him afterwards, and in the time of his fall he shall find a sure stay.

God marks the grateful eye, and remembers it; here is sure support won against peril of falling.