< Proverbs 14 >
1 A wijs womman bildith hir hous; and an unwijs womman schal distrie with hondis an hous bildid.
A wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built.
2 A man goynge in riytful weie, and dredinge God, is dispisid of hym, that goith in a weie of yuel fame.
He that walketh in the right way, and feareth God, Cis despised by him that goeth by an infamous way.
3 The yerde of pride is in the mouth of a fool; the lippis of wijs men kepen hem.
In the mouth of a fool is the rod of pride: but the lips of the wise preserve 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 crib is empty: but where there is much corn, 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 uttereth a lie.
6 A scornere sekith wisdom, and he fyndith not; the teching of prudent men is esy.
A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: the learning of the wise is easy.
7 Go thou ayens a man a fool; and he schal not knowe the lippis of prudence.
Go against a foolish man, and he knoweth not the 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. discreet man is to understand his way: and the imprudence of fools erreth.
9 A fool scorneth synne; grace schal dwelle among iust men.
A fool will laugh at sin, but among the just grace shall abide.
10 The herte that knowith the bittirnesse of his soule; a straunger schal not be meddlid in the ioie therof.
The heart that knoweth the bitterness of his own soul, in his joy the stranger shall not intermeddle.
11 The hous of wickid men schal be don awei; the tabernaclis of iust men schulen buriowne.
The house of the wicked shall be destroyed: but the tabernacles of the just shall flourish.
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 seemeth just to a man: but the ends thereof lead 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 taketh hold of the end of joy.
14 A fool schal be fillid with hise weies; and a good man schal be aboue hym.
A fool shall be filled with 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 believeth every word: the discreet man considereth his steps. No good shall come to the deceitful son: but the wise servant shall prosper in his dealings, and his way shall be made straight.
16 A wijs man dredith, and bowith awei fro yuel; a fool skippith ouer, and tristith.
A wise man feareth and declineth from evil: the fool leapeth over and is confident.
17 A man vnpacient schal worche foli; and a gileful man is odiouse.
The impatient man shall work folly: and the crafty man is hateful.
18 Litle men of wit schulen holde foli; and felle men schulen abide kunnyng.
The childish shall possess folly, and the prudent, shall look for knowledge.
19 Yuel men schulen ligge bifor goode men; and vnpitouse men bifor the yatis of iust men.
The evil shall fall down before the good: and the wicked 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 poor man shall be hateful even to his own neighbour: but the friends of the rich 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;
He that despiseth his neighbour, sinneth: but he that sheweth mercy to the poor, shall be blessed. He that believeth in the Lord, loveth mercy.
22 thei erren that worchen yuel. Merci and treuthe maken redi goodis;
They err that 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 much work there shall be abundance: but where there are many words, there is oftentimes want.
24 The coroun of wise men is the richessis of hem; the fooli of foolis is vnwarnesse.
The crown of the wise is their riches: the folly of fools, imprudence.
25 A feithful witnesse delyuereth soulis; and a fals man bringith forth leesyngis.
A faithful witness delivereth souls: and the double dealer uttereth 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 confidence of strength, and there shall be hope for his children.
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, to decline 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 the multitude of people is the dignity of the king: and in the small number of people the dishonour of the prince.
29 He that is pacient, is gouerned bi myche wisdom; but he that is vnpacient, enhaunsith his foli.
He that is patient, is governed with much wisdom: but he that is impatient, exalteth his folly.
30 Helthe of herte is the lijf of fleischis; enuye is rot of boonys.
Soundness of heart is the life of the flesh: but envy is the rottenness of 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.
He that oppresseth the poor, upbraideth his Maker: but he that hath pity on the poor, honoureth him.
32 A wickid man is put out for his malice; but a iust man hopith in his deth.
The wicked man shall be driven out in his wickedness: but the just hath hope in his death.
33 Wisdom restith in the herte of a wijs man; and he schal teche alle vnlerned men.
In the heart of the prudent resteth wisdom, and it shall instruct all the ignorant.
34 Riytfulnesse reisith a folc; synne makith puplis wretchis.
Justice exalteth a nation: but sin maketh nations miserable.
35 A mynystre vndurstondynge is acceptable to a kyng; a mynystre vnprofitable schal suffre the wrathfulnesse of him.
A wise servant is acceptable to the king: he that is good for nothing shall feel his anger.