Proverbs 17
1 Betere is a drie mussel with ioye, than an hous ful of sacrifices with chidyng.
A dry morsel with gladness is better than a house full of sacrifices along with conflict.
2 A wijs seruaunt schal be lord of fonned sones; and he schal departe eritage among britheren.
A wise servant shall rule over foolish sons, and he will divide the inheritance among brothers.
3 As siluer is preued bi fier, and gold is preued bi a chymnei, so the Lord preueth hertis.
Just as silver is tested by fire, and gold is tested in the furnace, so also does the Lord test hearts.
4 An yuel man obeieth to a wickid tunge; and a fals man obeieth to false lippis.
The evil obey an unjust tongue. And the false are submissive to lying lips.
5 He that dispisith a pore man, repreueth his maker; and he that is glad in the fallyng of another man, schal not be vnpunyschid.
Whoever despises the poor rebukes his Maker. And whoever rejoices in the ruin of another will not go unpunished.
6 The coroun of elde men is the sones of sones; and the glorie of sones is the fadris of hem.
Sons of sons are the crown of old age. And the glory of sons is their fathers.
7 Wordis wel set togidere bisemen not a fool; and a liynge lippe bicometh not a prince.
Well-chosen words are not fitting for the foolish, nor are lying lips fitting for a leader.
8 A preciouse stoon moost acceptable is the abiding of hym that sekith; whidur euere he turneth hym silf, he vndurstondith prudentli.
The expectation of those who stand ready is a most pleasing jewel. Whichever way he turns himself, he understands prudently.
9 He that helith trespas, sekith frenschipis; he that rehersith bi an hiy word, departith hem, that ben knyt togidere in pees.
Whoever conceals an offense seeks friendships. Whoever repeats the words of another separates allies.
10 A blamyng profitith more at a prudent man, than an hundryd woundis at a fool.
A correction benefits more with a wise man, than a hundred stripes with a fool.
11 Euere an yuel man sekith stryues; forsothe a cruel aungel schal be sent ayens hym.
The evil one continually seeks conflicts. But a cruel Angel shall be sent against him.
12 It spedith more to meete a femal bere, whanne the whelpis ben rauyschid, than a fool tristynge to hym silf in his foli.
It is more expedient to meet a bear robbed of her young, than the foolish trusting in his own folly.
13 Yuel schal not go a wei fro the hous of hym, that yeldith yuels for goodis.
Whoever repays evil for good, evil shall not withdraw from his house.
14 He that leeueth watir, is heed of stryues; and bifor that he suffrith wrong, he forsakith dom.
Whoever releases the water is the head of the conflict. And just before he suffers contempt, he abandons judgment.
15 Bothe he that iustifieth a wickid man, and he that condempneth a iust man, euer ethir is abhomynable at God.
Those who justify the impious, and those who condemn the just, both are abominable with God.
16 What profitith it to a fool to haue richessis, sithen he mai not bie wisdom? He that makith his hous hiy, sekith falling; and he that eschewith to lerne, schal falle in to yuels.
What does it profit the foolish to have riches, when he is not able to buy wisdom? Whoever makes his house high seeks ruin. And whoever shuns learning shall fall into evils.
17 He that is a frend, loueth in al tyme; and a brother is preuyd in angwischis.
Whoever is a friend loves at all times. And a brother is proved by distress.
18 A fonned man schal make ioie with hondis, whanne he hath bihiyt for his frend.
A foolish man will clap his hands, when he makes a pledge for his friend.
19 He that bithenkith discordis, loueth chidingis; and he that enhaunsith his mouth, sekith fallyng.
Whoever dwells on discord loves disputes. And whoever exalts his door seeks ruin.
20 He that is of weiward herte, schal not fynde good; and he that turneth the tunge, schal falle in to yuel.
Whoever is of a perverse heart shall not find good. And whoever turns his tongue shall fall into evil.
21 A fool is borun in his schenschipe; but nether the fadir schal be glad in a fool.
A foolish one is born into his own disgrace. But his father will not rejoice in one who is senseless.
22 A ioiful soule makith likinge age; a sorewful spirit makith drie boonys.
A joyful soul makes a lifetime flourish. A gloomy spirit dries out the bones.
23 A wickid man takith yiftis fro the bosum, to mys turne the pathis of doom.
The impious receives gifts from the bosom, so that he may pervert the paths of judgment.
24 Wisdom schyneth in the face of a prudent man; the iyen of foolis ben in the endis of erthe.
Prudence shines from the face of the wise. The eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.
25 A fonned sone is the ire of the fadir, and the sorewe of the modir that gendride hym.
A foolish son is the anger of the father and the grief of the mother who conceived him.
26 It is not good to brynge in harm to a iust man; nether to smyte the prince that demeth riytfuli.
It is not good to inflict damage on the just, nor to strike the leader who judges uprightly.
27 He that mesurith his wordis, is wijs and prudent; and a lerud man is of preciouse spirit.
Whoever moderates his words is learned and prudent. And a man of learning has a precious spirit.
28 Also a foole, if he is stille, schal be gessid a wijs man; and, if he pressith togidre hise lippis, he `schal be gessid an vndurstondynge man.
If he would remain silent, even the foolish would be considered wise, and if he closes his lips, intelligent.
