Chapter 10

A wise judge will instruct his people; and the government of a prudent man is well ordered.

²As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein.

³An unwise king destroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited.

⁴The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable.

⁵In the hand of God is the prosperity of man: and upon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honour.

⁶Bear not hatred to thy neighbour for every wrong; and do nothing at all by injurious practices.

⁷Pride is hateful before God and man: and by both doth one commit iniquity.

⁸Because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, the kingdom is translated from one people to another.

⁹Why is earth and ashes proud? There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man: for such an one setteth his own soul to sale; because while he liveth he casteth away his bowels.

¹⁰The physician cutteth off a long disease; and he that is to day a king to morrow shall die.

¹¹For when a man is dead, he shall inherit creeping things, beasts, and worms.

¹²The beginning of pride is when one departeth from God, and his heart is turned away from his Maker.

¹³For pride is the beginning of sin, and he that hath it shall pour out abomination: and therefore the Lord brought upon them strange calamities, and overthrew them utterly.

¹⁴The Lord hath cast down the thrones of proud princes, and set up the meek in their stead.

¹⁵The Lord hath plucked up the roots of the proud nations, and planted the lowly in their place.

¹⁶The Lord overthrew countries of the heathen, and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.

¹⁷He took some of them away, and destroyed them, and hath made their memorial to cease from the earth.

¹⁸Pride was not made for men, nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman.

¹⁹They that fear the Lord are a sure seed, and they that love him an honourable plant: they that regard not the law are a dishonourable seed; they that transgress the commandments are a deceivable seed.

²⁰Among brethren he that is chief is honorable; so are they that fear the Lord in his eyes.

²¹The fear of the Lord goeth before the obtaining of authority: but roughness and pride is the losing thereof.

²²Whether he be rich, noble, or poor, their glory is the fear of the Lord.

²³It is not meet to despise the poor man that hath understanding; neither is it convenient to magnify a sinful man.

²⁴Great men, and judges, and potentates, shall be honoured; yet is there none of them greater than he that feareth the Lord.

²⁵Unto the servant that is wise shall they that are free do service: and he that hath knowledge will not grudge when he is reformed.

²⁶Be not overwise in doing thy business; and boast not thyself in the time of thy distress.

²⁷Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself, and wanteth bread.

²⁸My son, glorify thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to the dignity thereof.

²⁹Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own life?

³⁰The poor man is honoured for his skill, and the rich man is honoured for his riches.

³¹He that is honoured in poverty, how much more in riches? and he that is dishonourable in riches, how much more in poverty?