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 man's, but the answer 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 the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
3 Schewe thi werkys to the Lord; and thi thouytis schulen be dressid.
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
4 The Lord wrouyte alle thingis for hym silf; and he made redi a wickid man to the yuel dai.
The LORD hath made every things for His own purpose, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
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.
Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; my hand upon it! he shall not be unpunished.
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 expiated; and by the fear of the LORD men depart 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 maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Betere is a litil with riytfulnesse, than many fruytis with wickidnesse.
Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues 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 deviseth his way; but the LORD directeth his steps.
10 Dyuynyng is in the lippis of a king; his mouth schal not erre in doom.
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; his mouth trespasseth not in judgment.
11 The domes of the Lord ben weiyte and a balaunce; and hise werkis ben alle the stoonys of the world.
A just balance and scales are the LORD'S; all the weights of 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.
It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness; for the throne is established by righteousness.
13 The wille of kyngis is iust lippis; he that spekith riytful thingis, schal be dressid.
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
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 pacify 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 king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
16 Welde thou wisdom, for it is betere than gold; and gete thou prudence, for it is precyousere than siluer.
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.
17 The path of iust men bowith awei yuelis; the kepere of his soule kepith his weie.
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
18 Pride goith bifore sorewe; and the spirit schal be enhaunsid byfor fallyng.
Pride goeth 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.
Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with 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.
He that giveth heed unto the word shall find good; and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.
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 is called a man of discernment; and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
22 The welle of lijf is the lernyng of him that weldith; the techyng of foolis is foli.
Understanding is a fountain of life unto him that hath it; but folly is the chastisement of fools.
23 The herte of a wijs man schal teche his mouth; and schal encreesse grace to hise lippis.
The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
24 Wordis wel set togidere is a coomb of hony; helthe of boonys is the swetnesse of soule.
Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, 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 which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
26 The soule of a man trauelinge trauelith to hym silf; for his mouth compellide hym.
The hunger of the labouring man laboureth for him; for his mouth compelleth him.
27 An vnwijs man diggith yuel; and fier brenneth in hise lippis.
An ungodly man diggeth up evil, and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
28 A weiward man reisith stryues; and a man ful of wordis departith princis.
A froward man soweth strife; and a whisperer separateth familiar friends.
29 A wickid man flaterith his frend; and ledith hym bi a weie not good.
A man of violence enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into a way that is not good.
30 He that thenkith schrewid thingis with iyen astonyed, bitith hise lippis, and parformeth yuel.
He that shutteth his eyes, it is to devise froward things; he that biteth his lips bringeth evil to pass.
31 A coroun of dignyte is eelde, that schal be foundun in the weies of riytfulnesse.
The hoary head is a crown of glory, it is found in the way 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 that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
33 Lottis ben sent into the bosum; but tho ben temperid of the Lord.
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
