Proverbs 16
1 It perteyneth to man to make redi the soule; and it perteyneth to the Lord to gouerne the tunge.
It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue.
2 Alle the weies of men ben opyn to the iyen of God; the Lord is a weiere of spiritis.
All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits.
3 Schewe thi werkys to the Lord; and thi thouytis schulen be dressid.
Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order.
4 The Lord wrouyte alle thingis for hym silf; and he made redi a wickid man to the yuel dai.
The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day.
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.
All the arrogant are an abomination to the Lord. Even if hand will be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice. And this is more acceptable with God than to immolate sacrifices.
6 Wickidnesse is ayen bouyt bi merci and treuthe; and me bowith awei fro yuel bi the drede of the Lord.
By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.
7 Whanne the weyes of man plesen the Lord, he schal conuerte, yhe, hise enemyes to pees.
When the ways of man will please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.
8 Betere is a litil with riytfulnesse, than many fruytis with wickidnesse.
Better is a little with justice, than many fruits with iniquity.
9 The herte of a man schal dispose his weie; but it perteyneth to the Lord to dresse hise steppis.
The heart of man disposes his way. But it is for Lord to direct his steps.
10 Dyuynyng is in the lippis of a king; his mouth schal not erre in doom.
Foreknowledge is in the lips of the king. His mouth shall not err in judgment.
11 The domes of the Lord ben weiyte and a balaunce; and hise werkis ben alle the stoonys of the world.
Weights and scales are judgments of the Lord. And all the stones in the bag are his work.
12 Thei that don wickidli ben abhomynable to the king; for the trone of the rewme is maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse.
Those who act impiously are abominable to the king. For the throne is made firm by justice.
13 The wille of kyngis is iust lippis; he that spekith riytful thingis, schal be dressid.
Just lips are the will of kings. He who speaks honestly shall be loved.
14 Indignacioun of the kyng is messangeris of deth; and a wijs man schal plese him.
The indignation of a king is a herald of death. And the wise man will appease it.
15 Lijf is in the gladnesse of the `cheer of the king; and his merci is as a reyn comynge late.
In the cheerfulness of the king’s countenance, there is life. And his clemency is like belated rain.
16 Welde thou wisdom, for it is betere than gold; and gete thou prudence, for it is precyousere than siluer.
Possess wisdom, for it is better than gold. And acquire prudence, for it is more precious than silver.
17 The path of iust men bowith awei yuelis; the kepere of his soule kepith his weie.
The path of the just turns away from evils. He who guards his soul preserves his way.
18 Pride goith bifore sorewe; and the spirit schal be enhaunsid byfor fallyng.
Arrogance precedes destruction. And the spirit is exalted 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 humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the arrogant.
20 A lerned man in word schal fynde goodis; and he that hopith in the Lord is blessid.
The learned in word shall find good things. And whoever hopes in the Lord is blessed.
21 He that is wijs in herte, schal be clepid prudent; and he that is swete in speche, schal fynde grettere thingis.
Whoever is wise in heart shall be called prudent. And whoever is sweet in eloquence shall attain to what is greater.
22 The welle of lijf is the lernyng of him that weldith; the techyng of foolis is foli.
Learning is a fountain of life to one who possesses it. The doctrine of the foolish is senseless.
23 The herte of a wijs man schal teche his mouth; and schal encreesse grace to hise lippis.
The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth and add grace to his lips.
24 Wordis wel set togidere is a coomb of hony; helthe of boonys is the swetnesse of soule.
Careful words are a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and healthful 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 which seems right to a man, and its end result leads to death.
26 The soule of a man trauelinge trauelith to hym silf; for his mouth compellide hym.
The soul of the laborer labors for himself, because his mouth has driven him to it.
27 An vnwijs man diggith yuel; and fier brenneth in hise lippis.
The impious man digs up evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.
28 A weiward man reisith stryues; and a man ful of wordis departith princis.
A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders.
29 A wickid man flaterith his frend; and ledith hym bi a weie not good.
A man of iniquity entices his friend, and he leads him along a way that is not good.
30 He that thenkith schrewid thingis with iyen astonyed, bitith hise lippis, and parformeth yuel.
Whoever, with astonished eyes, thinks up depravities, biting his lips, accomplishes evil.
31 A coroun of dignyte is eelde, that schal be foundun in the weies of riytfulnesse.
Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.
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.
A patient man is better than a strong one. And whoever rules his soul is better than one who assaults cities.
33 Lottis ben sent into the bosum; but tho ben temperid of the Lord.
Lots are cast into the lap, but they are tempered by the Lord.
