Att text: The twelve Proverbs of Patrick are attributed to Saint Patrick but regarded as of uncertain authenticity (Wright, 1894/1896). Their appearance among material associated with the Irish canons (Stokes, 1887) situates them within an early medieval ecclesiastical context. While no scholar explicitly assigns them a precise date or author, comparison with Irish canonical texts—generally dated to the late 7^th or early 8^th century (Flechner, 2025; Sowerby, 2023)—suggests they are more likely the product of a later anonymous Irish ecclesiastical milieu than of Patrick himself.

Flechner, R. (2025) ‘From Bible to Law in the Early Middle Ages: Adaptations of the Old Testament in the Collectio canonum Hibernensis and King Alfred’s Law-Book’, The Journal of Ecclesiastical History.
Sowerby, R. (2023) ‘The “Second Synod of St. Patrick” and the “Romans” of the Early Irish Church’, Traditio, 78, pp. 47–78.
Stokes, W. (1887) The Tripartite Life of Patrick: With Other Documents Relating to That Saint. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode.
Wright, C.H.H. (ed. and trans.) (1894) The Writings of Saint Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland: A Revised Translation with Notes, Critical and Historical. London: Religious Tract Society.

¹ It’s better for us to correct those who are careless, so that wrongdoing doesn’t grow, than to criticize actions only after they’ve already happened. (Sirach 20:1)

² Judges of the Church ought not to have the fear of man, but the fear of God, because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 1:7)

³ Judges of the Church ought not to have the wisdom of this world, “for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God,” but to have the “wisdom of God " (1 Cor. 3:19; 1:21).'

⁴ Judges of the Church ought not to take gifts, because “gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and change the words of the just.” (Sirach 20:31)

⁵ Judges in the Church should not show favouritism in making their decisions, for “God shows no partiality”. (Rom 2:11)

⁶ Judges of the Church should not rely on worldly cleverness, but on divine examples, for it is unfitting for a servant of God to be sly or crafty.

⁷ Judges of the Church should not judge too quickly until they know the truth of a matter, as it is written, “Do not desire quickly to be a judge”. [Sirach 7:6]

⁸ Judges of the Church should not be overly talkative. [James 1:19]

⁹ Judges of the Church should not to tell a lie, for a lie is a great crime.[Ephesians 4:25]

¹⁰ Judges of the Church ought to “judge just judgment,” [John 7:24] “for whatever judgment they have judged, judgment will be passed upon them.” [Matthew 7:2]

¹¹ Look to the examples of the elders, where you will find no deceipt.

¹² Judges who do not judge rightly the judgments of the Church are not judges, but falsifiers.