| 1 | Watching for riches consumeth the flesh, and the care thereof driveth away sleep. |
| 2 | Watching care will not let a man slumber, as a sore disease breaketh sleep, |
| 3 | The rich hath great labour in gathering riches together; and when he resteth, he is filled with his delicates. |
| 4 | The poor laboureth in his poor estate; and when he leaveth off, he is still needy. |
| 5 | He that loveth gold shall not be justified, and he that followeth corruption shall have enough thereof. |
| 6 | Gold hath been the ruin of many, and their destruction was present. |
| 7 | It is a stumblingblock unto them that sacrifice unto it, and every fool shall be taken therewith. |
| 8 | Blessed is the rich that is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold. |
| 9 | Who is he? and we will call him blessed: for wonderful things hath he done among his people. |
| 10 | Who hath been tried thereby, and found perfect? then let him glory. Who might offend, and hath not offended? or done evil, and hath not done it? |
| 11 | His goods shall be established, and the congregation shall declare his alms. |
| 12 | If thou sit at a bountiful table, be not greedy upon it, and say not, There is much meat on it. |
| 13 | Remember that a wicked eye is an evil thing: and what is created more wicked than an eye? therefore it weepeth upon every occasion. |
| 14 | Stretch not thine hand whithersoever it looketh, and thrust it not with him into the dish. |
| 15 | Judge not thy neighbour by thyself: and be discreet in every point. |
| 16 | Eat as it becometh a man, those things which are set before thee; and devour note, lest thou be hated. |
| 17 | Leave off first for manners' sake; and be not unsatiable, lest thou offend. |
| 18 | When thou sittest among many, reach not thine hand out first of all. |
| 19 | A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured, and he fetcheth not his wind short upon his bed. |
| 20 | Sound sleep cometh of moderate eating: he riseth early, and his wits are with him: but the pain of watching, and choler, and pangs of the belly, are with an unsatiable man. |
| 21 | And if thou hast been forced to eat, arise, go forth, vomit, and thou shalt have rest. |
| 22 | My son, hear me, and despise me not, and at the last thou shalt find as I told thee: in all thy works be quick, so shall there no sickness come unto thee. |
| 23 | Whoso is liberal of his meat, men shall speak well of him; and the report of his good housekeeping will be believed. |
| 24 | But against him that is a niggard of his meat the whole city shall murmur; and the testimonies of his niggardness shall not be doubted of. |
| 25 | Shew not thy valiantness in wine; for wine hath destroyed many. |
| 26 | The furnace proveth the edge by dipping: so doth wine the hearts of the proud by drunkeness. |
| 27 | Wine is as good as life to a man, if it be drunk moderately: what life is then to a man that is without wine? for it was made to make men glad. |
| 28 | Wine measurably drunk and in season bringeth gladness of the heart, and cheerfulness of the mind: |
| 29 | But wine drunken with excess maketh bitterness of the mind, with brawling and quarrelling. |
| 30 | Drunkenness increaseth the rage of a fool till he offend: it diminisheth strength, and maketh wounds. |
| 31 | Rebuke not thy neighbour at the wine, and despise him not in his mirth: give him no despiteful words, and press not upon him with urging him [to drink.] |