Proverbs 16
1 It perteyneth to man to make redi the soule; and it perteyneth to the Lord to gouerne the tunge.
To man belongeth the preparation of the heart; 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 pure in his own eyes; But the LORD weigheth the spirit.
3 Schewe thi werkys to the Lord; and thi thouytis schulen be dressid.
Commit thy doings to the LORD, And thy purposes 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 ordained every thing for its end; 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; From generation to generation 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.
Through kindness and truth, iniquity is expiated; And, through 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 without right.
9 The herte of a man schal dispose his weie; but it perteyneth to the Lord to dresse hise steppis.
The heart of man deviseth his way, But the LORD establisheth his steps.
10 Dyuynyng is in the lippis of a king; his mouth schal not erre in doom.
A divine sentence is upon the lips of a king; His mouth transgresseth 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 appointment of the LORD; 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.
The doing of wickedness is an abomination to kings; For by righteousness is the throne established.
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 who 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 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 favor is a like a cloud bringing 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.
It is the highway of the upright to depart from evil; He that taketh heed to his way preserveth his life.
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 is it to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to share the spoil with the proud.
20 A lerned man in word schal fynde goodis; and he that hopith in the Lord is blessid.
He who giveth heed to the word shall find good; And he who 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 shall be called intelligent, And 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 wellspring of life to him that hath it. And the chastisement of fools is their 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 instructeth 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 like a honeycomb, Sweet to the taste, 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 to a man, But the end thereof is the way to death.
26 The soule of a man trauelinge trauelith to hym silf; for his mouth compellide hym.
The hunger of the laborer laboreth for him; For his mouth urgeth him on.
27 An vnwijs man diggith yuel; and fier brenneth in hise lippis.
A worthless man diggeth mischief, And on his lips there is, as it were, a burning fire.
28 A weiward man reisith stryues; and a man ful of wordis departith princis.
A deceitful man stirreth up strife, And a whisperer separateth friends.
29 A wickid man flaterith his frend; and ledith hym bi a weie not good.
A man of violence enticeth his neighbor, And leadeth him into a way which is not good.
30 He that thenkith schrewid thingis with iyen astonyed, bitith hise lippis, and parformeth yuel.
He who shutteth his eyes to devise fraud, He who compresseth his lips, hath accomplished mischief!
31 A coroun of dignyte is eelde, that schal be foundun in the weies of riytfulnesse.
The hoary head is a crown of glory, If it be 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 who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he who 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 decision thereof is from the LORD.
