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 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 weighs the motives.
3 Schewe thi werkys to the Lord; and thi thouytis schulen be dressid.
Commit your deeds to the LORD, and your plans shall succeed.
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 its own end— yes, 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.
Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; they shall certainly 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 atoned for. 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 makes 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 plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps.
10 Dyuynyng is in the lippis of a king; his mouth schal not erre in doom.
Inspired judgements are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.
11 The domes of the Lord ben weiyte and a balaunce; and hise werkis ben alle the stoonys of the world.
Honest balances and scales are the LORD’s; all the weights 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.
It is an abomination for kings to do wrong, 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. They value one who speaks the truth.
14 Indignacioun of the kyng is messangeris of deth; and a wijs man schal plese him.
The king’s wrath 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.
In the light of the king’s face is life. His favour is like a cloud of the spring rain.
16 Welde thou wisdom, for it is betere than gold; and gete thou prudence, for it is precyousere than siluer.
How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather 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 who keeps his way preserves his soul.
18 Pride goith bifore sorewe; and the spirit schal be enhaunsid byfor fallyng.
Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant 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 of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud.
20 A lerned man in word schal fynde goodis; and he that hopith in the Lord is blessid.
He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts 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.
The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips 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 one who has it, but the punishment 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 instructs his mouth, and adds 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 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 seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
26 The soule of a man trauelinge trauelith to hym silf; for his mouth compellide hym.
The appetite of the labouring man labours for him, for his mouth urges him on.
27 An vnwijs man diggith yuel; and fier brenneth in hise lippis.
A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire.
28 A weiward man reisith stryues; and a man ful of wordis departith princis.
A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.
29 A wickid man flaterith his frend; and ledith hym bi a weie not good.
A man of violence entices his neighbour, and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He that thenkith schrewid thingis with iyen astonyed, bitith hise lippis, and parformeth yuel.
One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.
31 A coroun of dignyte is eelde, that schal be foundun in the weies of riytfulnesse.
Grey hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life 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.
One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes 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.
