Chapter 37

37. Every friend will say, I am his friend; but there is a friend, which is only a friend in name, for is not a companion going about a table a grief? But he will not abide in the day of thy trouble, and he will be as one that is present with thee, and he will make much of you, and will eat your meat, and be sorry for your affliction, but in the time of thy trouble he will be against thee. Beware of your friends, and take heed of your enemies, for a good companion will abide with you, but a bad companion will go from you, and he will be as one that is present with thee, and he will make much of you, and will eat your meat, and be sorry for your affliction, but in the time of thy trouble he will be against thee. A counsellor will give counsel, but he will not abide in the day of thy trouble, and he will be as one that is present with thee, and he will make much of you, and will eat your meat, and be sorry for your affliction, but in the time of thy trouble he will be against thee. Believe not his counsel, but take heed to your ways, for every counsellor will give counsel, but he will be sorry for his affliction. A man may be a counsellor for himself, but he that is without understanding will not be satisfied, for there is a friend that is a friend for his own sake, and there is a friend that is a friend for your sake. A counsellor will give counsel for his own sake, and he will be sorry for his affliction, for the most part of them you shall see it in a dream, and he will be as one that is present with thee, and he will make much of you, and will eat your meat, and be sorry for your affliction, but in the time of thy trouble he will be against thee. Consult not with a fool, for he cannot keep counsel, neither consult with a coward, for he cannot keep counsel, nor with a wicked man, for he will advise you against yourself, and consult not with a fool, for he cannot keep counsel, neither consult with a coward, for he cannot keep counsel. Consult not with a woman about her rival, nor with a coward about war, nor with a merchant about exchange, nor with a buyer about selling, nor with an envious man of thankfulness, nor with an unmerciful man touching kindness, nor with the slothful for any work, nor with an hireling for a year about finishing work, nor with an idle servant of much business: hearken not unto these in any matter of counsel. But be continually with a godly man, whom you know to keep the commandments of the Lord, whose mind is according to your mind, and who will sorrow with you, if you shall miscarry, and let the counsel of thine own heart stand, for there is no man more faithful unto you than it. For a man's mind is sometimes wont to tell him more than seven watchmen that sit in a high tower, and above all this pray to the most High, that he will direct your way in truth. Let reason go before every enterprise, and counsel before every action, for a wicked sentence will change the mind, and let not the unrighteousness of your heart deceive you, for a man's heart is not satisfied with all things. A man's heart is a great trouble, and all their travail is a great trouble, but a wise man will be temperate in his life, and he that is not temperate will be despised. A man's heart is a great trouble, and all their travail is a great trouble, for a man that is full of meat is not hungry, and he that is full of wine is not thirsty, and a sound sleeper is satisfied, and he that is not satisfied is sick.