[1] Every friend will say, I also am his friend: But there is a friend, which is only a friend in name.
[2] Is there not a grief in it even to death, When a companion and friend is turned to enmity?
[3] O wicked imagination, whence came you rolling in To cover the dry land with deceitfulness?
[4] There is a companion, which rejoices in the gladness of a friend, But in time of affliction will be against him.
[5] There is a companion, which for the belly's sake laboureth with his friend, In the face of battle will take up the buckler.
[6] Forget not a friend in your soul; And be not unmindful of him in your riches.
[7] Every counsellor extolleth counsel; But there is that counselleth for himself.
[8] Let your soul beware of a counsellor, And know you before what is his interest (For he will take counsel for himself); Lest he cast the lot upon you,
[9] And say to you, Your way is good: And he will stand over against you, to see what shall befall you.
[10] Take not counsel with one that looketh askance at you; And hide your counsel from such as are jealous of you.
[11] Take not counsel with a woman about her rival; Neither with a coward about war; Nor with a merchant about exchange; Nor with a buyer about selling; Nor with an envious man about thankfulness; Nor with an unmerciful man about kindliness; Nor with a sluggard about any kind of work; Nor with a hireling in your house about finishinghis work; Nor with an idle servant about much business: Give not heed to these in any matter of counsel.
[12] But rather be continually with a godly man, Whom you shall have known to be a keeper of the commandments, Who in his soul is as your own soul, And who will grieve with you, if you shall miscarry.
[13] And make the counsel of your heart to stand; For there is none more faithful to you than it.
[14] For a man's soul is sometime wont to bring him tidings, More than seven watchmen that sit on high on a watch-tower.
[15] And above all this entreat the Most High, That he may direct your way in truth.
[16] Let reason be the beginning of every work, And let counsel go before every action.
[17] As a token of the changing of the heart,
[18] four manner of things do rise up, Good and evil, life and death; And that which rules over them continually is the tongue.
[19] There is one that is shrewdand the instructor of many, And yet is unprofitable to his own soul.
[20] There isone that is subtil in words, and is hated; He shall be destitute of all food:
[21] For grace was not given him from the Lord; Because he is deprived of all wisdom.
[22] There is one that is wise to his own soul; And the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy in the mouth.
[23] A wise man will instruct his own people; And the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy.
[24] A wise man shall be filled with blessing; And all they that see him shall call him happy.
[25] The life of man is numbered by days; And the days of Israel are innumerable.
[26] The wise man shall inherit confidence among his people, And his name shall live for ever.
[27] My son, prove your soul in your life, And see what is evil for it, and give not that to it.
[28] For all things are not profitable for all men, Neither has every soul pleasure in every thing.
[29] Be not insatiable in any luxury, And be not greedy on the things that you eatest.
[30] For in multitude of meats there shall be disease, And surfeiting shall come near to colic.
[31] Because of surfeiting have many perished; But he that takes heed shall prolong his life.