Proverbs 14
1 A wijs womman bildith hir hous; and an unwijs womman schal distrie with hondis an hous bildid.
A wise woman builds up her household. But a foolish one will pull down with her own hands what has been built up.
2 A man goynge in riytful weie, and dredinge God, is dispisid of hym, that goith in a weie of yuel fame.
One who walks on a virtuous journey, and who fears God, is despised by him who advances along a disreputable way.
3 The yerde of pride is in the mouth of a fool; the lippis of wijs men kepen hem.
In the mouth of the foolish, there is a rod of arrogance. But the lips of the wise guard them.
4 Where oxis ben not, the cratche is void; but where ful many cornes apperen, there the strengthe of oxe is opyn.
Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty. But where there are many crops, there the strength of the ox is manifest.
5 A feithful witnesse schal not lie; a gileful witnesse bringith forth a leesing.
A faithful witness will not lie. But a deceitful witness offers a lie.
6 A scornere sekith wisdom, and he fyndith not; the teching of prudent men is esy.
A mocker seeks wisdom and does not find it. The doctrine of the prudent is accessible.
7 Go thou ayens a man a fool; and he schal not knowe the lippis of prudence.
Go against a foolish man, and he does not acknowledge lips of prudence.
8 The wisdom of a fel man is to vndirstonde his weie; and the vnwarnesse of foolis errith.
The wisdom of a discerning man is to understand his way. And the imprudence of the foolish is to be wandering astray.
9 A fool scorneth synne; grace schal dwelle among iust men.
The foolish will speak mockingly of sin. But grace lingers among the just.
10 The herte that knowith the bittirnesse of his soule; a straunger schal not be meddlid in the ioie therof.
The heart that knows the bitterness of its own soul, in its gladness the outsider shall not meddle.
11 The hous of wickid men schal be don awei; the tabernaclis of iust men schulen buriowne.
The house of the impious will be wiped away. Yet truly, the tabernacles of the just shall spring forth.
12 Sotheli a weie is, that semeth iust to a man; but the laste thingis therof leden forth to deth.
There is a way which seems just to a man, but its conclusion leads to death.
13 Leiyyng schal be medlid with sorewe; and morenyng ocupieth the laste thingis of ioye.
Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow, and mourning occupies the limits of joy.
14 A fool schal be fillid with hise weies; and a good man schal be aboue hym.
The foolish will be filled up by his own ways. And the good man shall be above him.
15 An innocent man bileueth to eche word; a felle man biholdith hise goyngis.
The innocent trust every word. The astute one considers his own steps. Nothing good will be for the deceitful son. But the wise servant shall act prosperously and his way will be set in order.
16 A wijs man dredith, and bowith awei fro yuel; a fool skippith ouer, and tristith.
The wise fear, and so turn away from evil. The foolish leap ahead with confidence.
17 A man vnpacient schal worche foli; and a gileful man is odiouse.
The impatient will work foolishness. And a resourceful man is hated.
18 Litle men of wit schulen holde foli; and felle men schulen abide kunnyng.
The childish will possess foolishness, and the discerning will anticipate knowledge.
19 Yuel men schulen ligge bifor goode men; and vnpitouse men bifor the yatis of iust men.
The evil will fall down before the good. And the impious will fall down before the gates of the just.
20 A pore man schal be hateful, yhe, to his neiybore; but many men ben frendis of riche men.
The pauper will be hated, even by his own neighbor. Yet truly, the friends of the wealthy are many.
21 He that dispisith his neiybore, doith synne; but he that doith merci to a pore man, schal be blessid. He that bileueth in the Lord, loueth merci;
Whoever despises his neighbor, sins. But whoever pities the poor shall be blessed. Whoever trusts in the Lord loves mercy.
22 thei erren that worchen yuel. Merci and treuthe maken redi goodis;
They wander astray who work evil. But mercy and truth prepare good things.
23 abundaunce `schal be in ech good werk. Sotheli where ful many wordis ben, there nedynesse is ofte.
In every work, there shall be abundance. But where there are many words, there is often need.
24 The coroun of wise men is the richessis of hem; the fooli of foolis is vnwarnesse.
The crown of the wise is their wealth. The senselessness of the foolish is imprudence.
25 A feithful witnesse delyuereth soulis; and a fals man bringith forth leesyngis.
A faithful witness frees souls. And the chameleon utters lies.
26 In the drede of the Lord is triste of strengthe; and hope schal be to the sones of it.
In the fear of the Lord is the faithfulness of strength, and there shall be hope for his sons.
27 The drede of the Lord is a welle of lijf; that it bowe awei fro the fallyng of deth.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, so as to turn aside from the ruin of death.
28 The dignite of the king is in the multitude of puple; and the schenschipe of a prince is in the fewnesse of puple.
In a multitude of people, there is dignity for the king. And in a paucity of people, there is disgrace for the prince.
29 He that is pacient, is gouerned bi myche wisdom; but he that is vnpacient, enhaunsith his foli.
Whoever is patient is governed by much prudence. But whoever is impatient exalts his foolishness.
30 Helthe of herte is the lijf of fleischis; enuye is rot of boonys.
The well-being of the heart is life for the flesh. But envy is decay for the bones.
31 He that falsli chalengith a nedi man, dispisith his maker; but he that hath merci on a pore man, onourith that makere.
Whoever slanders the indigent argues against his Maker. But he who has compassion on the poor honors his Maker.
32 A wickid man is put out for his malice; but a iust man hopith in his deth.
The impious will be expelled in his malice. But the just finds hope even in his own death.
33 Wisdom restith in the herte of a wijs man; and he schal teche alle vnlerned men.
In the heart of the prudent, wisdom finds rest. And so shall he instruct all the uneducated.
34 Riytfulnesse reisith a folc; synne makith puplis wretchis.
Justice elevates a nation. But sin makes the peoples miserable.
35 A mynystre vndurstondynge is acceptable to a kyng; a mynystre vnprofitable schal suffre the wrathfulnesse of him.
An intelligent minister is acceptable to the king. Whoever is useless shall bear his wrath.
