1In three things it is pleased to my spirit, which be approved before God and men; according [or the accord] of brethren, and love of neighbours, [and] a man and woman well con-senting to themselves.

2My soul hated three species, and I am grieved greatly to the soul of them; a poor man proud, and a rich man that is a liar, and an eld [or old] man that is a fool and unwitting [or doted].

3How shalt thou find in thine eld age those things, which thou gather-ed not in thy youth?

4Doom of discretion is full fair in hoariness [or How fair the doom in hoariness], either eld man, and to priests to know counsel.

5Wisdom is full fair to eld [or old] men, and glorious understanding, and counsel.

6The crown of eld [or old] men is in much knowing [or wisdom]; and the glory of them is the dread of God.

7I magnified nine things unsus-pected of the heart; and I shall say the tenth thing by tongue to men. A man which living is merry [or joyed] in sons, and seeing the destroying of his enemies.

8He is blessed [or Blissful] that dwelleth with a witting woman, and he that fell not [or is not slidden] by his tongue, and he that served not to men unworthy to himself.

9He is blessed [or Blissful] that findeth a very friend, and he that telleth out rightfulness [or rightwise-ness] to an ear hearing [or the hearing ear].

10He is full great that findeth wisdom and knowing; but he is not above him that dreadeth God ².

11The dread of God hath set itself above all things. Blessed is the man to whom it is given to have the dread of God; to whom shall he be likened, that holdeth that dread?

12The dread of God is the begin-ning of his love; forsooth the begin-ning of faith is to be fast-joined thereto [or to be joined to him].

13The sorrow of heart is each wound; and the wickedness of a woman is all [or each] malice ³. A leech shall see each wound, and not the wound of heart; and all wicked-ness, and not the wickedness of a woman;

14and each covering [or all hid thing], that is, colouring of malice, and not the covering [or hid thing] of haters; and each [or all] vengeance, and not the vengeance of enemies.

15None head is worse than [or wickeder over] the head of an adder dwelling in shadow; and none ire is above the ire of a woman [or there is not wrath over the wrath of a woman].

16It shall please more to dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to dwell with a wicked woman.

17The wickedness of a woman changeth her face; and she blinded her cheer as a bear doeth, and she shall show as a sackcloth in the midst of neighbours.

18Her husband wailed; and his wicked wife heard, and sighed a little. [The husband of her greatly wailed; and hearing, sighed a little.]

19All malice is short on or little compared to the malice of a woman; the part [or the lot] of sinners, that is, the pain of hell, fall on her.

20As a going-up full of gravel in the feet of an eld [or old] man, so is a woman that is a great jangler to a peaceable man [or a tonguey woman to a quiet man].

21Behold thou not the fairness of a woman, and covet thou not a woman for her fairness.

22The ire and unreverence of a woman to her husband is a great shame. If a woman hath the first dignity [or mastery], either chief governail, she is contrary to her husband.

23A low heart, and sorrowful face, and wound of death, is a wicked woman. Feeble hands and knees unbound, cometh from a woman that blesseth not her husband [or a woman that maketh not blissful or blessful her husband].

24The beginning of sin was made of a woman; and all we die by her [or by her all we die].

25Give thou not issue to thy water, yea, not a little issue; neither to a wicked woman freedom, [or leave], of going forth [or going out].

26If she goeth not at thine hand, she shall shame thee in the sight of thine enemies. Cut her away from thy fleshes, lest ever[more] she mis-use thee.