Chapter 32

¹Have they made thee ruler? be not lifted up: be among them as one of them. ²Have care of them, and so sit down, and when thou hast acquitted thyself of all thy charge, take thy place : ³That thou mayst rejoice for them, and receive a crown as an ornament of grace, and get the honour of the contribution. ⁴Speak, thou that art elder: for it becometh thee, ⁵To speak the first word with care knowledge, and hinder not music. ⁶Where there is no hearing, pour out words, and be not lifted up out season with thy wisdom. ⁷7A concert of music in a banquet wine is as a carbuncle set in gold. ⁸As a signet of an emerald in a work of gold: so is the melody of music with pleasant and moderate wine. ⁹Hear in silence, and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee. ¹⁰Young man, scarcely speak in thy own cause. ¹¹If thou be asked twice, let thy answer be short. ¹²In many things be as if thou wert ignorant, and hear in silence and withal seeking. ¹³In the company of great men bake not upon thee: and when the ancients are present, speak not much. ¹⁴Before a storm goeth lightning: and before shamefacedness goeth favour: and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee. ¹⁵And 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. ¹⁶And do what thou hast a mind, but not in sin or proud speech. ¹⁷And for all these things bless the Lord, that made thee, and that replenisheth thee with all his good things. ¹⁸He that feareth the Lord, will receive his discipline: and they that will seek him early, shall find a blessing. ¹⁹He that seeketh the law, shall be filled with it: and he that dealeth deceitfully, shall meet with a stumblingblock therein. ²⁰They that fear the Lord, shall find just judgment, and shall kindle justice as a light. ²¹A sinful man will flee reproof, and will find an excuse according to his will. ²²A man of counsel will not neglect understanding, a strange and proud man will not dread fear: ²³Even after he hath done with fear without counsel, he shall be controlled by the things of his own seeking. ²⁴My son, do thou nothing without counsel, and thou shalt not repent when thou hast done. ²⁵Go not in the way of ruin, and thou shalt not stumble against the stones; trust not thyself to a rugged may, lest thou set a stumblingblock to thy soul. ²⁶And beware of thy own children, and take heed of them of thy household. ²⁷In every work of thine regard thy soul in faith: for this is the keeping of the commandments. ²⁸He that believeth God, taketh heed to the commandments: and he that trusteth in him, shall fare never the worse.