Proverbs 11
1 A gileful balaunce is abhominacioun anentis God; and an euene weiyte is his wille.
Scales of deceit are hated by the Lord, but a true weight is his delight.
2 Where pride is, there also dispising schal be; but where meeknesse is, there also is wisdom.
When pride comes, there comes shame, but wisdom is with the quiet in spirit.
3 The simplenesse of iust men schal dresse hem; and the disseyuyng of weiward men schal destrie hem.
The righteousness of the upright will be their guide, but the twisted ways of the false will be their destruction.
4 Richessis schulen not profite in the dai of veniaunce; but riytfulnesse schal delyuere fro deth.
Wealth is of no profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness keeps a man safe from death.
5 The riytfulnesse of a simple man schal dresse his weie; and a wickid man schal falle in his wickidnesse.
The righteousness of the good man will make his way straight, but the sin of the evil-doer will be the cause of his fall.
6 The riytfulnesse of riytful men schal delyuere hem; and wickid men schulen be takun in her aspiyngis.
The righteousness of the upright will be their salvation, but the false will themselves be taken in their evil designs.
7 Whanne a wickid man is deed, noon hope schal be ferther; and abidyng of bisy men schal perische.
At the death of an upright man his hope does not come to an end, but the hope of the evil-doer comes to destruction.
8 A iust man is delyuered from angwisch; and a wickid man schal be youun for hym.
The upright man is taken out of trouble, and in his place comes the sinner.
9 A feynere bi mouth disseyueth his freend; but iust men schulen be deliuered bi kunnyng.
With his mouth the evil man sends destruction on his neighbour; but through knowledge the upright are taken out of trouble.
10 A citee schal be enhaunsid in the goodis of iust men; and preysyng schal be in the perdicioun of wickid men.
When things go well for the upright man, all the town is glad; at the death of sinners, there are cries of joy.
11 A citee schal be enhaunsid bi blessing of iust men; and it schal be distried bi the mouth of wickid men.
By the blessing of the upright man the town is made great, but it is overturned by the mouth of the evil-doer.
12 He that dispisith his freend, is nedi in herte; but a prudent man schal be stille.
He who has a poor opinion of his neighbour has no sense, but a wise man keeps quiet.
13 He that goith gilefuli, schewith priuetees; but he that is feithful, helith the priuetee of a freend.
He who goes about talking of others makes secrets public, but the true-hearted man keeps things covered.
14 Where a gouernour is not, the puple schal falle; but helthe `of the puple is, where ben many counsels.
When there is no helping suggestion the people will have a fall, but with a number of wise guides they will be safe.
15 He that makith feith for a straunger, schal be turmentid with yuel; but he that eschewith snaris, schal be sikur.
He who makes himself responsible for a strange man will undergo much loss; but the hater of such undertakings will be safe.
16 A graciouse womman schal fynde glorie; and stronge men schulen haue richessis.
A woman who is full of grace is honoured, but a woman hating righteousness is a seat of shame: those hating work will undergo loss, but the strong keep their wealth.
17 A merciful man doith wel to his soule; but he that is cruel, castith awei, yhe, kynnesmen.
The man who has mercy will be rewarded, but the cruel man is the cause of trouble to himself.
18 A wickid man makith vnstable werk; but feithful mede is to hym, that sowith riytfulnesse.
The sinner gets the payment of deceit; but his reward is certain who puts in the seed of righteousness.
19 Merci schal make redi lijf; and the suyng of yuels `schal make redi deth.
So righteousness gives life; but he who goes after evil gets death for himself.
20 A schrewid herte is abhomynable to the Lord; and his wille is in hem, that goen symply.
The uncontrolled are hated by the Lord, but those whose ways are without error are his delight
21 Thouy hond be in the hond, an yuel man schal not be innocent; but the seed of iust men schal be sauyd.
Certainly the evil-doer will not go free from punishment, but the seed of the upright man will be safe.
22 A goldun `sercle, ether ryng, in the `nose thrillis of a sowe, a womman fair and fool.
Like a ring of gold in the nose of a pig, is a beautiful woman who has no sense.
23 The desir of iust men is al good; abiding of wickid men is woodnesse.
The desire of the upright man is only for good, but wrath is waiting for the evil-doer.
24 Sum men departen her owne thingis, and ben maad richere; other men rauyschen thingis, that ben not hern, and ben euere in nedynesse.
A man may give freely, and still his wealth will be increased; and another may keep back more than is right, but only comes to be in need.
25 A soule that blessith, schal be maad fat; and he that fillith, schal be fillid also.
He who gives blessing will be made fat, but the curser will himself be cursed.
26 He that hidith wheete `in tyme, schal be cursid among the puplis; but blessyng schal come on the heed of silleris.
He who keeps back grain will be cursed by the people; but a blessing will be on the head of him who lets them have it for a price.
27 Wel he risith eerli, that sekith good thingis; but he that is a serchere of yuels, schal be oppressid of tho.
He who, with all his heart, goes after what is good is searching for grace; but he who is looking for trouble will get it.
28 He that tristith in hise richessis, schal falle; but iust men schulen buriowne as a greene leef.
He who puts his faith in wealth will come to nothing; but the upright man will be full of growth like the green leaf.
29 He that disturblith his hows, schal haue wyndis in possessioun; and he that is a fool, schal serue a wijs man.
The troubler of his house will have the wind for his heritage, and the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.
30 The fruyt of a riytful man is the tre of lijf; and he that takith soulis, is a wijs man.
The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life, but violent behaviour takes away souls.
31 If a iust man receyueth in erthe, how miche more an vnfeithful man, and synnere.
If the upright man is rewarded on earth, how much more the evil-doer and the sinner!
