1. WISEDOM is better then strength: and a wiseman then a strong.
2. Heare therfore ye kings, & vnderstand, lerne ye iudges of the endes of the earth.
3. Geue eare ye, that rule multitudes, and that please yourselues in multitudes of nations:
4. because the powre is geuen you of our Lord, and strength by the Highest, who wil examine your workes, and search your cogitations:
5. because when you were the ministers of his kingdom, you iudged not rightly, nor kept the law of iustice, nor haue walked according to the wil of God.
6. Horribly and quickly wil he appeare to you: because most seuere iudgement shal be done on them, that beare rule.
7. For to the litle one mercie is granted: but the mightie shal mightely suffer torments.
8. For God wil not except any mans person, neither wil feare the greatnes of any man: because he made the litle and the great, & he hath equally care of al.
9. But to the stronger more strong torment is imminent.
10. To you therfore o kings are these my wordes, that you may lerne wisdom, and not fal.
11. For they that haue kept iust thinges iustly, shal be iustified: and they that haue learned these thinges, shal find what they may answer.
12. Couet ye therfore my wordes, and loue them, and you shal haue discipline.
13. Wisdom is cleere, and such as neuer fadeth, and is easely sene of them that loue her, and is found of them that seeke her.
14. She preuenteth them that couete her, that she first may shew herself vnto them.
15. He that awaketh early to her, shal not labour: for he shal find her sitting at her doores.
16. To thinke therfore of her, is perfect vnderstanding: and he that watcheth for her, shal quickly be secure.
17. Because she goeth about seeking them that be worthie of her, and in the wayes she wil shew her self to them cheerefully, and in al prouidence she wil meete them.
18. For the beginning of her is the most true desire of discipline.
19. The care therfore of discipline, is loue: and loue, is the keeping of her lawes: and the keeping of the lawes, is the consummation of incorruption:
20. and incorruption maketh to be next to God.
21. Therfore the desire of wisdom leadeth to the euerlasting kingdom.
22. If therfore you be delighted with thrones, and with scepters o ye kinges of the people, loue wisdom, that you may reigne for euer.
23. Loue the light of wisdom al ye that beare rule ouer peoples.
24. But what wisdom is, and how she was made, I wil declare: and I wil not hide from you the mysteries of God, but from the beginning of her natiuitie I wil search out, and sette the knowledge of her into light, and wil not let passe the truth:
25. neither wil I goe with pyning enuie: because such a man shal not be partaker of wisdom.
26. But the multitude of the wise is the health of the round world: and a wise king is the stabilitie of the people.
27. Therfore take ye discipline by my wordes, and it shal profite you.