Chapter 19

19. A labouring man that is given to drunkenness shall not be rich, and he that contemns small things shall fall by little and little, for wine and women will make men of understanding to fall, and he that uses harlots will be wicked, and moths and worms shall have him to heritage, and a bold man shall be taken away, but he that is hasty to give credit is lightminded, and he that sinneth shall offend against his own soul. Whoso taketh pleasure in wickedness shall be condemned, but he that hateth vain talk will abate the folly; rehearse not unto another that which is told unto thee, neither talk of other men's lives to friend or foe, and if you offend not, you shall not be shamed, for some man has heard it and observes you, and when he sees opportunity, he will hate you. If you have heard a word, let it die with you, and be bold, it will not burst you, for a fool travaileth with a word as a woman in labour with a child, and a tale in a fool's mouth is like an arrow that sticks in a man’s thigh. Admonish a friend, for it may be he has not done it, and if he has, that he do it no more, and admonish him again, for it may be he has not said it, and if he has, that he speak it not again, and believe not every tale, for many times it is a slander, and who never offended with his tongue? Admonish thy neighbour before thou threaten him, and not being angry, give place to the law of the most High; all wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and in all wisdom is the performance of the law and the knowledge of his omnipotency, and the knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom, neither is the counsel of sinners. He that has small understanding and fears God is better than one that has much wisdom and transgresses the law of the most High, for there is an exquisite subtlety that is unjust and a just man that holds his peace, and it is better that a man should not speak that he may seem wise, than that he should hide his wisdom in silence, for an exquisite subtlety may be found in malice, but the counsel of the ungodly is not wisdom. A wise man through his sayings maketh his people to inherit good things, and his fruit of wisdom remains for ever, and though the life of a fool is better than nothing, to be hated is worse than both.