Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker and strong drinke is raging: and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby, is not wise.
Wiyn is a letcherouse thing and drunkenesse is ful of noise; who euere delitith in these, schal not be wijs.
2 The feare of the King is like the roaring of a lyon: hee that prouoketh him vnto anger, sinneth against his owne soule.
As the roryng of a lioun, so and the drede of the kyng; he that territh hym to ire, synneth ayens his owne lijf.
3 It is a mans honour to cease from strife: but euery foole will be medling.
It is onour to a man that departith hym silf fro stryuyngis; but fonned men ben medlid with dispisyngis.
4 The slouthfull will not plowe, because of winter: therefore shall he beg in sommer, but haue nothing.
A slow man nolde ere for coold; therfor he schal begge in somer, and me schal not yyue to hym.
5 The counsell in the heart of man is like deepe waters: but a man that hath vnderstanding, will drawe it out.
As deep watir, so counsel is in the herte of a man; but a wijs man schal drawe it out.
6 Many men wil boast, euery one of his owne goodnes: but who can finde a faithfull man?
Many men ben clepid merciful; but who schal fynde a feithful man?
7 He that walketh in his integritie, is iust: and blessed shall his children be after him.
Forsothe a iust man that goith in his simplenesse, schal leeue blessid sones aftir hym.
8 A King that sitteth in the throne of iudgement, chaseth away all euill with his eyes.
A king that sittith in the seete of doom, distrieth al yuel bi his lokyng.
9 Who can say, I haue made mine heart cleane, I am cleane from my sinne?
Who may seie, Myn herte is clene; Y am clene of synne?
10 Diuers weightes, and diuers measures, both these are euen abomination vnto the Lord.
A weiyte and a weiyte, a mesure and a mesure, euer eithir is abhomynable at God.
11 A childe also is knowen by his doings, whether his worke be pure and right.
A child is vndurstondun bi hise studies, yf his werkis ben riytful and cleene.
12 The Lord hath made both these, euen the eare to heare, and the eye to see.
An eere heringe, and an iye seynge, God made euere eithir.
13 Loue not sleepe least thou come vnto pouertie: open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Nyle thou loue sleep, lest nedynesse oppresse thee; opene thin iyen, and be thou fillid with looues.
14 It is naught, it is naught, sayth the buyer: but when he is gone apart, he boasteth.
Ech biere seith, It is yuel, it is yuel; and whanne he hath go awey, thanne he schal haue glorie.
15 There is golde, and a multitude of precious stones: but the lips of knowledge are a precious iewel.
Gold, and the multitude of iemmes, and a preciouse vessel, ben the lippis of kunnyng.
16 Take his garment, that is suretie for a stranger, and a pledge of him for the stranger.
Take thou awei the cloth of hym, that was borewe of an othere man; and for straungeris take thou awei a wed fro hym.
17 The bread of deceit is sweete to a man: but afterward his mouth shalbe filled with grauel.
The breed of a leesing is sweet to a man; and aftirward his mouth schal be fillid with rikenyng.
18 Establish the thoughtes by counsell: and by counsell make warre.
Thouytis ben maad strong bi counselis; and bateils schulen be tretid bi gouernals.
19 He that goeth about as a slanderer, discouereth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
Be thou not medlid with him that schewith pryuetees, and goith gylefulli, and alargith hise lippis.
20 He that curseth his father or his mother, his light shalbe put out in obscure darkenes.
The liyt of hym that cursith his fadir and modir, schal be quenchid in the myddis of derknessis.
21 An heritage is hastely gotten at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
Eritage to which me haastith in the bigynnyng, schal wante blessing in the laste tyme.
22 Say not thou, I wil recompense euill: but waite vpon the Lord, and he shall saue thee.
Seie thou not, Y schal yelde yuel for yuel; abide thou the Lord, and he schal delyuere thee.
23 Diuers weightes are an abomination vnto the Lord, and deceitful balances are not good.
Abhomynacioun at God is weiyte and weiyte; a gileful balaunce is not good.
24 The steps of man are ruled by the Lord: how can a man then vnderstand his owne way?
The steppis of man ben dressid of the Lord; who forsothe of men mai vndurstonde his weie?
25 It is a destruction for a man to deuoure that which is sanctified, and after the vowes to inquire.
Falling of man is to make auow to seyntis, and aftirward to withdrawe the vowis.
26 A wise King scattereth the wicked, and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them.
A wijs kyng scaterith wickid men; and bowith a bouwe of victorie ouer hem.
27 The light of the Lord is the breath of man, and searcheth all the bowels of the belly.
The lanterne of the Lord is the spirit of man, that sekith out alle the priuetees of the wombe.
28 Mercie and trueth preserue the King: for his throne shall be established with mercie.
Merci and treuthe kepen a kyng; and his trone is maad strong bi mekenesse.
29 The beautie of yong men is their strength, and the glory of the aged is the gray head.
The ful out ioiyng of yonge men is the strengthe of hem; and the dignyte of elde men is hoornesse.
30 The blewnes of the wound serueth to purge the euill, and the stripes within the bowels of the belly.
The wannesse of wounde schal wipe aweie yuels, and woundis in the priuyere thingis of the wombe.
