Proverbs 17
1 Betere is a drie mussel with ioye, than an hous ful of sacrifices with chidyng.
Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 A wijs seruaunt schal be lord of fonned sones; and he schal departe eritage among britheren.
A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.
3 As siluer is preued bi fier, and gold is preued bi a chymnei, so the Lord preueth hertis.
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the hearts.
4 An yuel man obeieth to a wickid tunge; and a fals man obeieth to false lippis.
An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
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 mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
6 The coroun of elde men is the sones of sones; and the glorie of sones is the fadris of hem.
Children's children are the crown of old men; the glory of children are their parents.
7 Wordis wel set togidere bisemen not a fool; and a liynge lippe bicometh not a prince.
Arrogant speech isn't fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.
8 A preciouse stoon moost acceptable is the abiding of hym that sekith; whidur euere he turneth hym silf, he vndurstondith prudentli.
A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.
9 He that helith trespas, sekith frenschipis; he that rehersith bi an hiy word, departith hem, that ben knyt togidere in pees.
He who covers an offense promotes love; but he who repeats a matter separates best friends.
10 A blamyng profitith more at a prudent man, than an hundryd woundis at a fool.
A rebuke enters deeper into one who has understanding than a hundred lashes into a fool.
11 Euere an yuel man sekith stryues; forsothe a cruel aungel schal be sent ayens hym.
An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger 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.
Let a bear robbed of her cubs meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Yuel schal not go a wei fro the hous of hym, that yeldith yuels for goodis.
Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 He that leeueth watir, is heed of stryues; and bifor that he suffrith wrong, he forsakith dom.
The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.
15 Bothe he that iustifieth a wickid man, and he that condempneth a iust man, euer ethir is abhomynable at God.
He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
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.
Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he has no understanding?
17 He that is a frend, loueth in al tyme; and a brother is preuyd in angwischis.
A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity.
18 A fonned man schal make ioie with hondis, whanne he hath bihiyt for his frend.
A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.
19 He that bithenkith discordis, loueth chidingis; and he that enhaunsith his mouth, sekith fallyng.
He who loves disobedience loves strife. One who builds a high gate seeks destruction.
20 He that is of weiward herte, schal not fynde good; and he that turneth the tunge, schal falle in to yuel.
One who has a perverse heart doesn't find prosperity, and one who has a deceitful tongue falls into trouble.
21 A fool is borun in his schenschipe; but nether the fadir schal be glad in a fool.
He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
22 A ioiful soule makith likinge age; a sorewful spirit makith drie boonys.
A cheerful heart makes good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23 A wickid man takith yiftis fro the bosum, to mys turne the pathis of doom.
A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.
24 Wisdom schyneth in the face of a prudent man; the iyen of foolis ben in the endis of erthe.
Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander everywhere.
25 A fonned sone is the ire of the fadir, and the sorewe of the modir that gendride hym.
A foolish son brings grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.
26 It is not good to brynge in harm to a iust man; nether to smyte the prince that demeth riytfuli.
Also to punish the righteous is not good, nor to flog officials for their integrity.
27 He that mesurith his wordis, is wijs and prudent; and a lerud man is of preciouse spirit.
He who spares his words has knowledge. He who is even tempered is a man of understanding.
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.
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is counted wise. When he shuts his lips, he is thought to be discerning.
