Bishops(i)
1 Twyse iudge will order his people with discretion: and where a man of vnderstanding beareth rule, there goeth it well.
2 As the iudge of the people is him selfe, euen so are his officers: and loke what maner of man the ruler of the citie is, such are they that dwell therin also.
3 An vnwyse king destroyeth his people: but where they that be in auctoritie are men of vnderstanding, there the citie prospereth.
4 The power of the earth is in the hande of God, and all iniquitie of the people is to be abhorred: and when his time is, he shall set a profitable ruler vpon it.
5 In the hande of God is the prosperitie of man, and vpon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honour.
6 Be not angry for any wrong of thy neyghbour, and meddle thou with no vnrighteous workes.
7 Pryde is hatefull before God and man, and all wickednesse of the heathen is to be abhorred.
8 Because of vnrighteous dealing, wrong, blasphemies, and diuers disceytes, a realme shalbe translated from one people to another.
9 There is nothing worse then a couetous man: Why art thou proude O thou earth and asshes? There is not a more wicked thing then to loue money: and why? such one hath his soule to sel, yet is he but filthy doung while he lyueth.
10 All tyrannie is of smal enduraunce, and the disease that is harde to heale greeueth the phisition.
11 And though the phisition shew his helpe neuer so long, yet in conclusion it goeth after this maner, To day a king, to morowe dead.
12 For when a man dieth, he is the heyre of serpentes, beastes and wormes.
13 The beginning of mans pryde, is to fall away from God: and why? his heart is gone from his maker.
14 For pryde is the originall of all sinne: Who so taketh hold therof, shalbe filled with cursinges, and at the last it shall ouerthrowe hym: Therefore hath the Lorde brought the congregations of the wicked to dishonour, and destroyed them to the end.
15 God hath destroyed the seates of proude princes, and set vp the meeke in their steade.
16 God hath wythered the rootes of the proude heathen, and planted the lowely for them.
17 God hath ouerthrowen the landes of the heathen, & destroyed them vnto the grounde: He hath caused them to wither away, he hath brought them to naught, & made the memoriall of them to ceasse from out of the earth.
18 God hath destroyed the name of the proude, and left the name of the humble of mynde.
19 Pryde was not made for man, neither wrothfulnesse for mens children.
20 The seede of men that feareth God shalbe brought to honour: but the seede whiche transgresseth the commaundementes of the Lorde shalbe shamed.
21 He that is the ruler among brethren, is holden in honour among them: and he that regardeth such as feare the Lorde, is acceptable in his sight.
22 The feare of the Lord causeth that the kingdome faileth not: but the kingdome is lost by crueltie and pryde.
23 The glorie of the riche, of the honorable, and of the poore, is the feare of God.
24 Despyse not thou the iust poore man that hath vnderstanding, and magnifie not the riche vngodly.
25 Great is the iudge and mightie in honour, yet is there none greater then he that feareth God.
26 Unto the seruaunt that is discrete, shal the free do seruice: He that is wyse and well nurtured will not grudge when he is refourmed, and an ignoraunt body shall not come to honour.
27 Be not proude to do thy worke, and dispayre not in the time of aduersitie.
28 Better is he that laboureth and hath plenteousnes of al thinges, then he that is gorgious, and wanteth bread.
29 My sonne, get thy soule honour by mekenesse, & geue her her due honour.
30 Who shall iustifie him that sinneth against him selfe? Who will honour hym that dishonoureth his owne soule?
31 The poore is honoured for his fayhtfulnesse and trueth: but the riche is had in reputation because of his goodes.
32 He that ordereth hym selfe honestly in pouertie, howe much more shal he behaue hym selfe honestly in riches? And who so ordreth hym selfe vnhonestly in riches, how much more shall he behaue him selfe vnhonestly in pouertie?