Proverbs 16
1 It perteyneth to man to make redi the soule; and it perteyneth to the Lord to gouerne the tunge.
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.
2 Alle the weies of men ben opyn to the iyen of God; the Lord is a weiere of spiritis.
All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.
3 Schewe thi werkys to the Lord; and thi thouytis schulen be dressid.
Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.
4 The Lord wrouyte alle thingis for hym silf; and he made redi a wickid man to the yuel dai.
The LORD has made everything for His purpose— even the wicked for the day of disaster.
5 Abhomynacioun of the Lord is ech proude man; yhe, thouy the hond is to the hond, he schal not be innocent. The bigynnyng of good weie is to do riytwisnesse; forsothe it is more acceptable at God, than to offre sacrifices.
Everyone who is proud in heart is detestable to the LORD; be assured that he will not go unpunished.
6 Wickidnesse is ayen bouyt bi merci and treuthe; and me bowith awei fro yuel bi the drede of the Lord.
By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
7 Whanne the weyes of man plesen the Lord, he schal conuerte, yhe, hise enemyes to pees.
When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.
8 Betere is a litil with riytfulnesse, than many fruytis with wickidnesse.
Better a little with righteousness than great gain with injustice.
9 The herte of a man schal dispose his weie; but it perteyneth to the Lord to dresse hise steppis.
A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
10 Dyuynyng is in the lippis of a king; his mouth schal not erre in doom.
A divine verdict is on the lips of a king; his mouth must not betray justice.
11 The domes of the Lord ben weiyte and a balaunce; and hise werkis ben alle the stoonys of the world.
Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are His concern.
12 Thei that don wickidli ben abhomynable to the king; for the trone of the rewme is maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse.
Wicked behavior is detestable to kings, for a throne is established through righteousness.
13 The wille of kyngis is iust lippis; he that spekith riytful thingis, schal be dressid.
Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and he who speaks honestly is beloved.
14 Indignacioun of the kyng is messangeris of deth; and a wijs man schal plese him.
The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
15 Lijf is in the gladnesse of the `cheer of the king; and his merci is as a reyn comynge late.
When a king’s face brightens, there is life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
16 Welde thou wisdom, for it is betere than gold; and gete thou prudence, for it is precyousere than siluer.
How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.
17 The path of iust men bowith awei yuelis; the kepere of his soule kepith his weie.
The highway of the upright leads away from evil; he who guards his way protects his life.
18 Pride goith bifore sorewe; and the spirit schal be enhaunsid byfor fallyng.
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 It is betere to be maad meke with mylde men, than to departe spuylis with proude men.
It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 A lerned man in word schal fynde goodis; and he that hopith in the Lord is blessid.
Whoever heeds instruction will find success, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
21 He that is wijs in herte, schal be clepid prudent; and he that is swete in speche, schal fynde grettere thingis.
The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant speech promotes instruction.
22 The welle of lijf is the lernyng of him that weldith; the techyng of foolis is foli.
Understanding is a fountain of life to its possessor, but the discipline of fools is folly.
23 The herte of a wijs man schal teche his mouth; and schal encreesse grace to hise lippis.
The heart of the wise man instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 Wordis wel set togidere is a coomb of hony; helthe of boonys is the swetnesse of soule.
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
25 A weye is that semeth riytful to a man; and the laste thingis therof leden to deth.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
26 The soule of a man trauelinge trauelith to hym silf; for his mouth compellide hym.
A worker’s appetite works for him because his hunger drives him onward.
27 An vnwijs man diggith yuel; and fier brenneth in hise lippis.
A worthless man digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
28 A weiward man reisith stryues; and a man ful of wordis departith princis.
A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.
29 A wickid man flaterith his frend; and ledith hym bi a weie not good.
A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.
30 He that thenkith schrewid thingis with iyen astonyed, bitith hise lippis, and parformeth yuel.
He who winks his eye devises perversity; he who purses his lips is bent on evil.
31 A coroun of dignyte is eelde, that schal be foundun in the weies of riytfulnesse.
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.
32 A pacient man is betere than a stronge man; and he that `is lord of his soule, is betere than an ouercomere of citees.
He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
33 Lottis ben sent into the bosum; but tho ben temperid of the Lord.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
