Proverbs 25
1 THESE ARE ALSO PARABLES of Salomon, which the men of Hezekiah King of Iudah copied out.
Also these ben the Parablis of Salomon, whiche the men of Ezechie, kyng of Juda, translatiden.
2 The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret: but the Kings honour is to search out a thing.
The glorie of God is to hele a word; and the glorie of kyngis is to seke out a word.
3 The heaues in height, and the earth in deepenes, and the Kings heart can no man search out.
Heuene aboue, and the erthe bynethe, and the herte of kyngis is vnserchable.
4 Take the drosse from the siluer, and there shall proceede a vessell for the finer.
Do thou a wei rust fro siluer, and a ful cleene vessel schal go out.
5 Take away the wicked from the King, and his throne shall be stablished in righteousnes.
Do thou awei vnpite fro the cheer of the kyng, and his trone schal be maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse.
6 Boast not thy selfe before the King, and stand not in the place of great men.
Appere thou not gloriouse bifore the kyng, and stonde thou not in the place of grete men.
7 For it is better, that it be saide vnto thee, Come vp hither, then thou to be put lower in the presece of the prince whom thine eyes haue seene.
For it is betere, that it be seid to thee, Stie thou hidur, than that thou be maad low bifore the prince.
8 Goe not foorth hastily to strife, least thou know not what to doe in the ende thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
Brynge thou not forth soone tho thingis in strijf, whiche thin iyen sien; lest aftirward thou maist not amende, whanne thou hast maad thi frend vnhonest.
9 Debate thy matter with thy neighbour, and discouer not the secret to another,
Trete thi cause with thi frend, and schewe thou not priuyte to a straunge man;
10 Least he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamie doe not cease.
lest perauenture he haue ioye of thi fal, whanne he hath herde, and ceesse not to do schenschipe to thee. Grace and frenschip delyueren, whiche kepe thou to thee, that thou be not maad repreuable.
11 A word spoken in his place, is like apples of golde with pictures of siluer.
A goldun pomel in beddis of siluer is he, that spekith a word in his time.
12 He that reprooueth the wise, and the obedient eare, is as a golden earering and an ornament of fine golde.
A goldun eere ryng, and a schinynge peerle is he, that repreueth a wijs man, and an eere obeiynge.
13 As the colde of the snowe in the time of haruest, so is a faithfull messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soule of his masters.
As the coold of snow in the dai of heruest, so a feithful messanger to hym that sente `thilke messanger, makith his soule to haue reste.
14 A man that boasteth of false liberalitie, is like cloudes and winde without raine.
A cloude and wind, and reyn not suynge, is a gloriouse man, and not fillynge biheestis.
15 A Prince is pacified by staying of anger, and a soft tongue breaketh the bones.
A prince schal be maad soft bi pacience; and a soft tunge schal breke hardnesse.
16 If thou haue found hony, eate that is sufficient for thee, least thou be ouerfull, and vomit it.
Thou hast founde hony, ete thou that that suffisith to thee; lest perauenture thou be fillid, and brake it out.
17 Withdrawe thy foote from thy neighbours house, least he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
Withdrawe thi foot fro the hous of thi neiybore; lest sum tyme he be fillid, and hate thee.
18 A man that beareth false witnes against his neighbour, is like an hammer and a sword, and a sharpe arrowe.
A dart, and a swerd, and a scharp arowe, a man that spekith fals witnessing ayens his neiybore.
19 Confidence in an vnfaythfull man in time of trouble, is like a broken tooth and a sliding foote.
A rotun tooth, and a feynt foot is he, that hopith on an vnfeithful man in the dai of angwisch,
20 Hee that taketh away the garment in the colde season, is like vineger powred vpon nitre, or like him that singeth songs to an heauy heart.
and leesith his mentil in the dai of coold. Vynegre in a vessel of salt is he, that singith songis to the worste herte. As a mouyte noieth a cloth, and a worm noieth a tree, so the sorewe of a man noieth the herte.
21 If hee that hateth thee be hungry, giue him bread to eate, and if he be thirstie, giue him water to drinke.
If thin enemy hungrith, feede thou him; if he thirstith, yyue thou watir to hym to drinke;
22 For thou shalt lay coles vpon his head, and the Lord shall recompense thee.
for thou schalt gadere togidere coolis on his heed; and the Lord schal yelde to thee.
23 As the Northwinde driueth away the raine, so doeth an angry countenance the slandering tongue.
The north wind scatereth reynes; and a sorewful face distrieth a tunge bacbitinge.
24 It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, then with a contentious woman in a wide house.
It is betere to sitte in the corner of an hous without roof, than with a womman ful of chidyng, and in a comyn hous.
25 As are the colde waters to a weary soule, so is good newes from a farre countery.
Coold watir to a thirsti man; and a good messanger fro a fer lond.
26 A righteous man falling downe before the wicked, is like a troubled well, and a corrupt spring.
A welle disturblid with foot, and a veyne brokun, a iust man fallinge bifore a wickid man.
27 It is not good to eate much hony: so to search their owne glory is not glory.
As it is not good to hym that etith myche hony; so he that is a serchere of maieste, schal be put doun fro glorie.
28 A man that refraineth not his appetite, is like a citie which is broken downe and without walles.
As a citee opyn, and with out cumpas of wallis; so is a man that mai not refreyne his spirit in speking.
