Proverbs 16
1 It perteyneth to man to make redi the soule; and it perteyneth to the Lord to gouerne the tunge.
The preparations of the heart are in man: but the answere of the tongue is of the Lord.
2 Alle the weies of men ben opyn to the iyen of God; the Lord is a weiere of spiritis.
All the wayes of a man are cleane in his owne eyes: but the Lord pondereth the spirits.
3 Schewe thi werkys to the Lord; and thi thouytis schulen be dressid.
Commit thy workes vnto the Lord, and thy thoughts shalbe directed.
4 The Lord wrouyte alle thingis for hym silf; and he made redi a wickid man to the yuel dai.
The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake: yea, euen the wicked for the day of euill.
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 that are proude in heart, are an abomination to the Lord: though hand ioyne in hand, he shall not be vnpunished.
6 Wickidnesse is ayen bouyt bi merci and treuthe; and me bowith awei fro yuel bi the drede of the Lord.
By mercy and trueth iniquitie shalbe forgiuen, and by the feare of the Lord they depart from euill.
7 Whanne the weyes of man plesen the Lord, he schal conuerte, yhe, hise enemyes to pees.
When the wayes of a man please the Lord, he will make also his enemies at peace with him.
8 Betere is a litil with riytfulnesse, than many fruytis with wickidnesse.
Better is a litle with righteousnesse, then great reuenues without equitie.
9 The herte of a man schal dispose his weie; but it perteyneth to the Lord to dresse hise steppis.
The heart of man purposeth his way: but the Lord doeth direct his steppes.
10 Dyuynyng is in the lippis of a king; his mouth schal not erre in doom.
A diuine sentence shalbe in the lips of the King: his mouth shall not transgresse in iudgement.
11 The domes of the Lord ben weiyte and a balaunce; and hise werkis ben alle the stoonys of the world.
A true weight and balance are of the Lord: all the weightes of the bagge are his worke.
12 Thei that don wickidli ben abhomynable to the king; for the trone of the rewme is maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse.
It is an abomination to Kings to commit wickednes: for the throne is stablished by iustice.
13 The wille of kyngis is iust lippis; he that spekith riytful thingis, schal be dressid.
Righteous lips are the delite of Kings, and the King loueth him that speaketh right things.
14 Indignacioun of the kyng is messangeris of deth; and a wijs man schal plese him.
The wrath of a King is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacifie it.
15 Lijf is in the gladnesse of the `cheer of the king; and his merci is as a reyn comynge late.
In the light of the Kings coutenance is life: and his fauour is as a cloude of the latter raine.
16 Welde thou wisdom, for it is betere than gold; and gete thou prudence, for it is precyousere than siluer.
Howe much better is it to get wisedome then golde? and to get vnderstanding, is more to be desired then siluer.
17 The path of iust men bowith awei yuelis; the kepere of his soule kepith his weie.
The pathe of the righteous is to decline from euil, and hee keepeth his soule, that keepeth his way.
18 Pride goith bifore sorewe; and the spirit schal be enhaunsid byfor fallyng.
Pride goeth before destruction, and an high minde before the fall.
19 It is betere to be maad meke with mylde men, than to departe spuylis with proude men.
Better it is to be of humble minde with the lowly, then to deuide the spoyles with the proude.
20 A lerned man in word schal fynde goodis; and he that hopith in the Lord is blessid.
He that is wise in his busines, shall finde good: and he that trusteth in the Lord, he is blessed.
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 shall bee called prudent: and the sweetenesse of the lippes shall increase doctrine.
22 The welle of lijf is the lernyng of him that weldith; the techyng of foolis is foli.
Vnderstading is welspring of life vnto them that haue it: and the instruction of fooles 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 guideth his mouth wisely, and addeth doctrine to his lippes.
24 Wordis wel set togidere is a coomb of hony; helthe of boonys is the swetnesse of soule.
Faire wordes are as an hony combe, sweetenesse to the soule, and health 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 seemeth right vnto man: but the issue thereof are the wayes of death.
26 The soule of a man trauelinge trauelith to hym silf; for his mouth compellide hym.
The person that traueileth, traueileth for himselfe: for his mouth craueth it of him.
27 An vnwijs man diggith yuel; and fier brenneth in hise lippis.
A wicked man diggeth vp euill, and in his lippes is like burning fire.
28 A weiward man reisith stryues; and a man ful of wordis departith princis.
A frowarde person soweth strife: and a tale teller maketh diuision among princes.
29 A wickid man flaterith his frend; and ledith hym bi a weie not good.
A wicked man deceiueth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.
30 He that thenkith schrewid thingis with iyen astonyed, bitith hise lippis, and parformeth yuel.
He shutteth his eyes to deuise wickednes: he moueth his lippes, and bringeth euil to passe.
31 A coroun of dignyte is eelde, that schal be foundun in the weies of riytfulnesse.
Age is a crowne of glory, when it is founde in the way of righteousnes.
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 that is slowe vnto anger, is better then the mightie man: and hee that ruleth his owne minde, is better then he that winneth a citie.
33 Lottis ben sent into the bosum; but tho ben temperid of the Lord.
The lot is cast into the lap: but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord.
