Ecclesiastes 10
1 Flies `that dien, leesen the swetnesse of oynement. Litil foli at a tyme is preciousere than wisdom and glorie.
Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
2 The herte of a wijs man is in his riyt side; and the herte of a fool is in his left side.
The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
3 But also a fool goynge in the weie, whanne he is vnwijs, gessith alle men foolis.
Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas be himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
4 If the spirit of hym, that hath power, stieth on thee, forsake thou not thi place; for heeling schal make gretteste synnes to ceesse.
If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.
5 An yuel is, which Y siy vndur the sunne, and goith out as bi errour fro the face of the prince; a fool set in hiy dignyte,
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:
6 and riche men sitte bynethe.
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
7 I siy seruauntis on horsis, and princes as seruauntis goynge on the erthe.
I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
8 He that diggith a diche, schal falle in to it; and an eddre schal bite hym, that distrieth an hegge.
He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 He that berith ouer stoonys, schal be turmentid in tho; and he that kittith trees, schal be woundid of tho.
He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
10 If yrun is foldid ayen, and this is not as bifore, but is maad blunt, it schal be maad scharp with myche trauel; and wisdom schal sue aftir bisynesse.
If the iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.
11 If a serpent bitith, it bitith in silence; he that bacbitith priueli, hath no thing lesse than it.
If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
12 The wordis of the mouth of a wijs man is grace; and the lippis of an vnwijs man schulen caste hym doun.
The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
13 The bigynnyng of hise wordis is foli; and the laste thing of his mouth is the worste errour.
The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
14 A fool multiplieth wordis; a man noot, what was bifore hym, and who mai schewe to hym that, that schal come aftir hym?
A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The trauel of foolis shal turment hem, that kunnen not go in to the citee.
The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not bow to go to the city.
16 Lond, wo to thee, whos kyng is a child, and whose princes eten eerli.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.
17 Blessid is the lond, whos kyng is noble; and whose princis eten in her tyme, to susteyne the kynde, and not to waste.
Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
18 The hiynesse of housis schal be maad low in slouthis; and the hous schal droppe in the feblenesse of hondis.
By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
19 In leiyyng thei disposen breed and wyn, that thei drynkynge ete largeli; and alle thingis obeien to monei.
For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
20 In thi thouyt bacbite thou not the kyng, and in the priuete of thi bed, curse thou not a riche man; for the briddis of heuene schulen bere thi vois, and he that hath pennys, schal telle the sentence.
Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.
