Apocrypha (Deuterocanonical books: Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, Maccabees, ...)

If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will intreat for pardon of his sins?

Remember thy end, and let enmity cease; [remember] corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.

Remember the commandments, and bear no malice to thy neighbour: [remember] the covenant of the Highest, and wink at ignorance.

Abstain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins: for a furious man will kindle strife,

A sinful man disquieteth friends, and maketh debate among them that be at peace.

As the matter of the fire is, so it burneth: and as a man’s strength is, so is his wrath; and according to his riches his anger riseth; and the stronger they are which contend, the more they will be inflamed.

An hasty contention kindleth a fire: and an hasty fighting sheddeth blood.

If thou blow the spark, it shall burn: if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: and both these come out of thy mouth.

Curse the whisperer and doubletongued: for such have destroyed many that were at peace.

A backbiting tongue hath disquieted many, and driven them from nation to nation: strong cities hath it pulled down, and overthrown the houses of great men.

A backbiting tongue hath cast out virtuous women, and deprived them of their labours.

Whoso hearkeneth unto it shall never find rest, and never dwell quietly.

The stroke of the whip maketh marks in the flesh: but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones.

Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: but not so many as have fallen by the tongue.

Well is he that is defended through the venom thereof; who hath not drawn the yoke thereof, nor hath been bound in her bands.

For the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, and the bands thereof are bands of brass.

The death thereof is an evil death, the grave were better than it.

It shall not have rule over them that fear God, neither shall they be burned with the flame thereof.

Such as forsake the Lord shall fall into it; and it shall burn in them, and not be quenched; it shall be sent upon them as a lion, and devour them as a leopard.

Look that thou hedge thy possession about with thorns, and bind up thy silver and gold,

And weigh thy words in a balance, and make a door and bar for thy mouth.

Beware thou slide not by it, lest thou fall before him that lieth in wait.

He that is merciful will lend unto his neighbour; and he that strengtheneth his hand keepeth the commandments.

Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season.

Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him, and thou shalt always find the thing that is necessary for thee.

Many, when a thing was lent them, reckoned it to be found, and put them to trouble that helped them.

Till he hath received, he will kiss a man’s hand; and for his neighbour’s money he will speak submissly: but when he should repay, he will prolong the time, and return words of grief, and complain of the time.

If he prevail, he shall hardly receive the half, and he will count as if he had found it: if not, he hath deprived him of his money, and he hath gotten him an enemy without cause: he payeth him with cursings and railings; and for honour he will pay him disgrace.

Many therefore have refused to lend for other men’s ill dealing, fearing to be defrauded.

Yet have thou patience with a man in poor estate, and delay not to shew him mercy.

Help the poor for the commandment’s sake, and turn him not away because of his poverty.

Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend, and let it not rust under a stone to be lost.

Lay up thy treasure according to the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.

Shut up alms in thy storehouses: and it shall deliver thee from all affliction.

It shall fight for thee against thine enemies better than a mighty shield and strong spear.

An honest man is surety for his neighbour: but he that is impudent will forsake him.

Forget not the friendship of thy surety, for he hath given his life for thee.

A sinner will overthrow the good estate of his surety:

And he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him [in danger] that delivered him.

Suretiship hath undone many of good estate, and shaken them as a wave of the sea: mighty men hath it driven from their houses, so that they wandered among strange nations.

A wicked man transgressing the commandments of the Lord shall fall into suretiship: and he that undertaketh and followeth other men’s business for gain shall fall into suits.

Help thy neighbour according to thy power, and beware that thou thyself fall not into the same.

The chief thing for life is water, and bread, and clothing, and an house to cover shame.

Better is the life of a poor man in a mean cottage, than delicate fare in another man’s house.

Be it little or much, hold thee contented, that thou hear not the reproach of thy house.

For it is a miserable life to go from house to house: for where thou art a stranger, thou darest not open thy mouth.

Thou shalt entertain, and feast, and have no thanks: moreover thou shalt hear bitter words:

Come, thou stranger, and furnish a table, and feed me of that thou hast ready.

Give place, thou stranger, to an honourable man; my brother cometh to be lodged, and I have need of mine house.

These things are grievous to a man of understanding; the upbraiding of houseroom, and reproaching of the lender.

He that loveth his son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end.

He that chastiseth his son shall have joy in him, and shall rejoice of him among his acquaintance.

He that teacheth his son grieveth the enemy: and before his friends he shall rejoice of him.

Though his father die, yet he is as though he were not dead: for he hath left one behind him that is like himself.

While he lived, he saw and rejoiced in him: and when he died, he was not sorrowful.

He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one that shall requite kindness to his friends.

He that maketh too much of his son shall bind up his wounds; and his bowels will be troubled at every cry.

An horse not broken becometh headstrong: and a child left to himself will be wilful.

Cocker thy child, and he shall make thee afraid: play with him, and he will bring thee to heaviness.

Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with him, and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end.

Give him no liberty in his youth, and wink not at his follies.

Bow down his neck while he is young, and beat him on the sides while he is a child, lest he wax stubborn, and be disobedient unto thee, and so bring sorrow to thine heart.

Chastise thy son, and hold him to labour, lest his lewd behaviour be an offence unto thee.

Better is the poor, being sound and strong of constitution, than a rich man that is afflicted in his body.

Health and good estate of body are above all gold, and a strong body above infinite wealth.

There is no riches above a sound body, and no joy above the joy of the heart.

Death is better than a bitter life or continual sickness.

Delicates poured upon a mouth shut up are as messes of meat set upon a grave.

What good doeth the offering unto an idol? for neither can it eat nor smell: so is he that is persecuted of the Lord.

He seeth with his eyes and groaneth, as an eunuch that embraceth a virgin and sigheth.

Give not over thy mind to heaviness, and afflict not thyself in thine own counsel.

The gladness of the heart is the life of man, and the joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days.

Love thine own soul, and comfort thy heart, remove sorrow far from thee: for sorrow hath killed many, and there is no profit therein.

Envy and wrath shorten the life, and carefulness bringeth age before the time.

A cheerful and good heart will have a care of his meat and diet.

Watching for riches consumeth the flesh, and the care thereof driveth away sleep.

Watching care will not let a man slumber, as a sore disease breaketh sleep,

The rich hath great labour in gathering riches together; and when he resteth, he is filled with his delicates.

The poor laboureth in his poor estate; and when he leaveth off, he is still needy.

He that loveth gold shall not be justified, and he that followeth corruption shall have enough thereof.

Gold hath been the ruin of many, and their destruction was present.

It is a stumblingblock unto them that sacrifice unto it, and every fool shall be taken therewith.

Blessed is the rich that is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold.

Who is he? and we will call him blessed: for wonderful things hath he done among his people.

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?

His goods shall be established, and the congregation shall declare his alms.

If thou sit at a bountiful table, be not greedy upon it, and say not, There is much meat on it.

Remember that a wicked eye is an evil thing: and what is created more wicked than an eye? therefore it weepeth upon every occasion.

Stretch not thine hand whithersoever it looketh, and thrust it not with him into the dish.

Judge not thy neighbour by thyself: and be discreet in every point.

Eat as it becometh a man, those things which are set before thee; and devour not, lest thou be hated.

Leave off first for manners’ sake; and be not unsatiable, lest thou offend.

When thou sittest among many, reach not thine hand out first of all.

A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured, and he fetcheth not his wind short upon his bed.

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.

And if thou hast been forced to eat, arise, go forth, vomit, and thou shalt have rest.

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.

Whoso is liberal of his meat, men shall speak well of him; and the report of his good housekeeping will be believed.

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.

Shew not thy valiantness in wine; for wine hath destroyed many.