Proverbs 28
1 Wicked [people] run away [even] when no one is pursuing them, but righteous/good [people are not afraid]; they are as brave as lions.
A wickid man fleeth, whanne no man pursueth; but a iust man as a lioun tristynge schal be with out ferdfulnesse.
2 When [the people of] a nation sin, they will have one ruler after another; but when their leaders are wise and have good sense, their government will last for a long time.
For the synnes of the lond ben many princis therof; and for the wisdom of a man, and for the kunnyng of these thingis that ben seid, the lijf of the duyk schal be lengere.
3 A poor person who oppresses [other] poor [people] is [like] [MET] a very heavy/hard rain that [destroys the crops], with the result that there is no food [for people to eat].
A pore man falsli calengynge pore men, is lijk a grete reyn, wherynne hungur is maad redi.
4 Those who reject/disobey [God’s] laws always speak well of wicked [people]; but those who obey [God’s] laws [always] oppose what wicked people do.
Thei that forsaken the lawe, preisen a wickid man; thei that kepen `the lawe, ben kyndlid ayens hym.
5 Evil people do not understand what it means to act justly, but those who try to obey/worship Yahweh understand that very well.
Wickid men thenken not doom; but thei that seken the Lord, perseyuen alle thingis.
6 It is better to be honest [even] though you are poor than to be dishonest [even] though you are rich.
Betere is a pore man goynge in his sympilnesse, than a riche man in schrewid weies.
7 Young people who obey the laws are wise [IDM]; parents whose children associate with those who (carouse/go to wild parties) are humiliated/disgraced because of what their children do.
He that kepith the lawe, is a wijs sone; but he that fedith glotouns, schendith his fadir.
8 When people become very rich by charging very high interest [DOU], their money will [eventually] go to someone who does kind things for the poor.
He that gaderith togidere richessis bi vsuris, and fre encrees, gaderith tho togidere ayens pore men.
9 If people do not obey [MTY] [God’s] laws, [God] (detests their prayers/considers that their prayers stink).
His preyer schal be maad cursid, that bowith awei his eere; that he here not the lawe.
10 Those who cause honest/good [people] to do what is evil will fall into their own pits/traps, but good things will happen to those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
He that disseyueth iust men in an yuel weye, schal falle in his perisching; and iuste men schulen welde hise goodis.
11 [Many] rich people think that they are wise, but poor people who have good sense will find out whether rich people really are wise or not.
A ryche man semeth wijs to him silf; but a pore man prudent schal serche him.
12 When righteous/good [people] (succeed/win [elections]), everyone (celebrates/is happy); but when wicked [people win], everyone hides [because they are afraid of what the wicked people will do].
In enhaunsing of iust men is miche glorie; whanne wickid men regnen, fallyngis of men ben.
13 Those who refuse to confess/admit their sins will not prosper, but [God] acts mercifully/kindly toward those who confess their sins and turn away from their sinful behavior.
He that hidith hise grete trespassis, schal not be maad riytful; but he that knoulechith and forsakith tho, schal gete merci.
14 [God] is pleased with those who always revere him, but those who are stubborn [IDM] will experience disasters.
Blessid is the man, which is euere dredeful; but he that is `harde of soule, schal falle in to yuel.
15 Wicked people who [mistreat] poor people whom they rule are [as dangerous to them as] [SIM] a lion roaring [at them] or a bear springing up [to attack them].
A rorynge lioun, and an hungry bere, is a wickid prince on a pore puple.
16 Rulers who do not have good sense cruelly oppress [the people they rule], but rulers who do not want to become rich by cheating/deceiving [people] will live (OR, rule) for a long time.
A duyk nedi of prudence schal oppresse many men bi fals chalenge; but the daies of hym that hatith aueryce, schulen be maad longe.
17 Those who are guilty of murdering [MTY] another person will (be fugitives/keep running away) until they die; do not help them to escape.
No man susteyneth a man that falsly chalengith the blood of a man, if he fleeth `til to the lake.
18 Those who [continually] do what is right will be safe/protected, but those who are dishonest will [suddenly] be ruined.
He that goith simpli, schal be saaf; he that goith bi weiward weies, schal falle doun onys.
19 Farmers who work [hard] in their fields will [produce good crops and always] have plenty of food [to eat], but those who spend all their time (on useless projects/doing things that do not benefit anyone) will become very poor.
He that worchith his lond, schal be fillid with looues; he that sueth ydelnesse, schal be fillid with nedynesse.
20 [God] will greatly bless those who (are trustworthy/always do what they say that they will do), but he will certainly punish [LIT] those who try to become rich quickly.
A feithful man schal be preisid myche; but he that hastith to be maad riche, schal not be innocent.
21 It is not good [for judges] to decide matters unfairly/unjustly, but [some] people will do what is wrong [even] if they receive [only] a very small bribe [HYP] [for doing it].
He that knowith a face in doom, doith not wel; this man forsakith treuthe, yhe, for a mussel of breed.
22 Selfish people [IDM] are very eager to become rich quickly; they do not realize that they will [soon] become poor.
A man that hastith to be maad riche, and hath enuye to othere men; woot not that nedinesse schal come on hym.
23 Those who rebuke someone will be appreciated/thanked more than those who [say nice things to others merely] to (flatter them/cause them to feel good).
He that repreueth a man, schal fynde grace aftirward at hym; more than he that disseyueth bi flateryngis of tunge.
24 Anyone who steals things from his father or his mother and says “That is not sinful” is as bad as a bandit.
He that withdrawith ony thing fro his fadir and fro his modir, and seith that this is no synne, is parcener of a manquellere.
25 Greedy people cause trouble/strife; those who trust in Yahweh will prosper [IDM].
He that auauntith hym silf, and alargith, reisith stryues; but he that hopith in the Lord, schal be sauyd.
26 Those who believe that what they think [is always right] are foolish; those who act wisely will (escape danger/be safe).
He that tristith in his herte, is a fool; but he that goith wiseli,
27 Those who give things to poor [people] will not become poor, but many [people] will curse those who refuse to help [IDM] poor people.
schal be preysid. He that yyueth to a pore man, schal not be nedi; he that dispisith `a pore man bisechynge, schal suffre nedynesse.
28 When wicked [people] become rulers, people hide [because they are afraid of what those wicked people will do]; but when wicked people are no longer rulers, good/righteous [people will] become the rulers.
Whanne vnpitouse men risen, men schulen be hid; whanne tho `vnpitouse men han perischid, iust men schulen be multiplied.
