Chapter 9

Never shew thyself a jealous husband to the wife thou lovest; it may prove thou hast taught her, to thy cost, a ruinous lesson.

Never give thy soul into a woman’s power, and let her command the fortress of it, to thy shame.

Never turn to look at the wanton, that would catch thee in her snare,

nor spend thy attentions upon some dancing woman, that has power to be thy undoing;

nor let thy eyes linger on a maid unwed, whose very beauty may take thee unawares.

And for harlots, let nothing tempt thee to give way to them, as life and patrimony thou holdest dear;

look not round thee in the city streets, nor haunt the alley-ways.

From a woman bravely decked out turn away; have no eyes for her beauty that is none of thine.

Woman’s beauty has been the ruin of many ere now, a spark to light the flame of lust.

A harlot? Then trample her down like mire in thy path.

The love of stolen sweets has been the undoing of many; a word with her, and the spark is lit.

Sit down never with a wedded wife, nor lean thy elbow upon table of hers,

nor bandy words with her over the wine; steal she thy heart away, thy life is forfeit.

An old friend leave not; the new is not his like.

New friendship, new wine; it must ripen ere thou canst love the taste of it.

Envy not the wrong-doer his wealth and state; beyond all expectation of thine it shall come to ruin.

Of his ill-gotten gains have neither love nor liking; be sure he will not die unpunished.

From one that has the power of life and death keep thy distance; so thou shalt be free from mortal alarms.

If dealings thou hast with him, keep clear of all offence, or thou shalt pay for it with thy life.

Death has become thy familiar; pit-falls encompass thy path; thou art making the rounds of a beleaguered city.

Consider, as best thou mayest, thy company; be wise and prudent men thy counsellors;

honest men thy guests. Be the fear of God all thy boast,

the thought of God all thy thinking, the commandments of the most High all the matter of thy discourse.

By skilful handiwork the artist is known, the ruler of a people by the prudence of his counsel, the good sense of the aged by their word spoken.

No such peril to a city as a great talker; for his rash utterance, no man so well hated as he.