Proverbs 21
1 The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
As departyngis of watris, so the herte of the kyng is in the power of the Lord; whidur euer he wole, he schal bowe it.
2 All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Ech weye of a man semeth riytful to hym silf; but the Lord peisith the hertis.
3 To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
To do merci and doom plesith more the Lord, than sacrifices doen.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the guides of the wicked—are sin.
Enhaunsyng of iyen is alargyng of the herte; the lanterne of wickid men is synne.
5 The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.
The thouytis of a stronge man ben euere in abundaunce; but ech slow man is euere in nedynesse.
6 Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.
He that gaderith tresours bi the tunge of a leesing, is veyne, and with outen herte; and he schal be hurtlid to the snaris of deth.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just.
The raueyns of vnpitouse men schulen drawe hem doun; for thei nolden do doom.
8 The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
The weiward weie of a man is alien fro God; but the werk of hym that is cleene, is riytful.
9 Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
It is betere to sitte in the corner of an hous with oute roof, than with a womman ful of chydyng, and in a comyn hous.
10 The soul of the wicked man craves evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
The soule of an vnpitouse man desirith yuel; he schal not haue merci on his neiybore.
11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; and when a wise man is instructed, he acquires knowledge.
Whanne a man ful of pestilence is punyschid, a litil man of wit schal be the wisere; and if he sueth a wijs man, he schal take kunnyng.
12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.
A iust man of the hous of a wickid man thenkith, to withdrawe wickid men fro yuel.
13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
He that stoppith his eere at the cry of a pore man, schal crye also, and schal not be herd.
14 A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.
A yift hid quenchith chidyngis; and a yift in bosum quenchith the moost indignacioun.
15 Justice executed is a joy to the righteous, but a terror to the workers of iniquity.
It is ioye to a iust man to make doom; and it is drede to hem that worchen wickidnesse.
16 The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
A man that errith fro the weie of doctryn, schal dwelle in the cumpany of giauntis.
17 He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.
He that loueth metis, schal be in nedynesse; he that loueth wiyn and fatte thingis, schal not be maad riche.
18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright.
An vnpitouse man schal be youun for a iust man; and a wickid man schal be youun for a riytful man.
19 Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.
It is betere to dwelle in a desert lond, than with a womman ful of chidyng, and wrathful.
20 Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.
Desirable tresoure and oile is in the dwelling places of a iust man; and an vnprudent man schal distrie it.
21 He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.
He that sueth riytfulnesse and mercy, schal fynde lijf and glorie.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.
A wijs man stiede `in to the citee of stronge men, and distriede the strengthe of trist therof.
23 He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
He that kepith his mouth and his tunge, kepith his soule from angwischis.
24 Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man— of him who acts with excessive pride.
A proude man and boosteere is clepid a fool, that worchith pride in ire.
25 The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.
Desiris sleen a slow man; for hise hondis nolden worche ony thing.
26 All day long he covets more, but the righteous give without restraint.
Al dai he coueitith and desirith; but he that is a iust man, schal yyue, and schal not ceesse.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with ill intent!
The offringis of wickid men, that ben offrid of greet trespas, ben abhomynable.
28 A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.
A fals witnesse schal perische; a man obedient schal speke victorie.
29 A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure.
A wickid man makith sad his cheer vnschamefastli; but he that is riytful, amendith his weie.
30 There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
No wisdom is, no prudence is, no counsel is ayens the Lord.
31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.
An hors is maad redi to the dai of batel; but the Lord schal yyue helthe.
