Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE INSTRUCTION OF KE'GEMNI I.1 The cautious man flourisheth, the exact one is praised; the innermost chamber openeth unto the man of silence. Wide ' is the seat of the man gentle of speech; but knives are prepared against one that forceth a path, that he advance not, save in due season. 2. If thou sit with a company of people, desire not the bread that thou likest: short is the time of restraining the heart, and gluttony is an abomination; therein is the quality of a beast. A handful of water quencheth the thirst, and a mouthful of melon supporteth the heart. A good thing standeth for goodness, but some small thing standeth for plenty.1 A base man is he that is governed by his belly; he departeth only when he is no longer able to fill full his belly in men's houses. 1 The original is not divided into sections. i.e. comfortable This is a rather dark saying, but apparently the author meant that although the duly instructed guest will only partake moderately of the abundance before him, what he eats is as good as the rest. His portion will be equal to the whole as regards quality, though inferior as regards quantity. ON AVOIDING OFFENCE 63 3. If thou sit with a glutton, eat with him, then depart (?). If thou drink with a drunkard, accept drink], and his heart shall be satisfied. Refuse not meat when with a greedy man. Take that which he giveth thee; set it not on one side, thinking that it will be a courteous thing. 4. If a man be lacking in good fellowship, no speech hath any influence over him. He is sour of face toward the glad-hearted that are kindly to him; he is a grief unto his mother and his friends; and all men cry], ' Let thy name be known; thou art silent in thy mouth when thou art addressed ' 5. Be not haughty because of thy...