Bible Text & Cross-references:
Lessons for superiors and inferiors. Advantages of fearing
God, and doing nothing without counsel.
1 Have they made thee ruler? be not lifted up: be among them as one of
them.
2 Have care of them, and so sit down, and when thou hast acquitted thyself
of all thy charge, take thy place:
3 That thou mayst rejoice for them, and receive a crown as an ornament
of grace, and get the honour of the contribution.
4 Speak, thou that art elder: for it becometh thee,
5 To speak the first word with careful knowledge, and hinder not music.
6 Where there is no hearing, pour not out words, and be not lifted up
out of season with thy wisdom.
7 A concert of music in a banquet of wine is as a carbuncle set in gold.
8 As a signet of an emerald in a work of gold: so is the melody of music
with pleasant and moderate wine.
9 Hear in silence, and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.
10 Young man, scarcely speak in thy own cause.
11 If thou be asked twice, let thy answer be short.
12 In many things, be as if thou wert ignorant, and hear in silence,
and withal seeking.
13 In the company of great men take not upon thee: and when the ancients
are present, speak not much.
14 Before a storm goeth lightning: and before shamefacedness goeth favour:
and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee.
15 And at the time of rising be not slack: but be first to run home to
thy house, and there withdraw thyself, and there take thy pastime.
16 And do what thou hast a mind, but not in sins or proud speech.
17 And for all these things bless the Lord, that made thee, and that
replenisheth thee with all his good things.
18 He that feareth the Lord, will receive his discipline: and they that
will seek him early, shall find a blessing.
19 He that seeketh the law, shall be filled with it: and he that dealeth
deceitfully, shall meet with a stumbling-block therein.
20 They that fear the Lord, shall find just judgment, and shall kindle
justice as a light.
21 A sinful man will flee reproof, and will find an excuse according
to his will.
22 A man of counsel will not neglect understanding, a strange and proud
man will not dread fear:
23 Even after he hath done with fear without counsel, he shall be controlled
by the things of his own seeking.
24 My son, do thou nothing without counsel, and thou shalt not repent
when thou hast done.
25 Go not in the way of ruin, and thou shalt not stumble against the
stones: trust not thyself to a rugged way, lest thou set a stumbling-block to thy soul.
26 And beware of thy own children, and take heed of them of thy household.
27 In every work of thine regard thy soul in faith: for this is the keeping
of the commandments.
28 He that believeth God, taketh heed to the commandments: and he that
trusteth in him, shall fare never the worse.