Proverbs 18
1 He that wole go a wei fro a frend, sekith occasiouns; in al tyme he schal be dispisable.
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh [and] intermeddleth with all wisdom.
2 A fool resseyueth not the wordis of prudence; `no but thou seie tho thingis, that ben turned in his herte.
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
3 A wickid man, whanne he cometh in to depthe of synnes, dispisith; but sclaundre and schenschipe sueth hym.
When the wicked cometh, [then] cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
4 Deep watir is the wordis of the mouth of a man; and a stronde fletinge ouer is the welle of wisdom.
The words of a man’s mouth [are as] deep waters, [and] the wellspring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook.
5 It is not good to take the persoone of a wickid man in doom, that thou bowe awei fro the treuthe of dom.
[It is] not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
6 The lippis of a fool medlen hem silf with chidyngis; and his mouth excitith stryues.
A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
7 The mouth of a fool is defoulyng of hym; and hise lippis ben the fallynge of his soule.
A fool’s mouth [is] his destruction, and his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8 The wordis of a double tungid man ben as symple; and tho comen `til to the ynnere thingis of the wombe. Drede castith doun a slowe man; forsothe the soulis of men turned in to wymmens condicioun schulen haue hungur.
The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
9 He that is neisch, and vnstidfast in his werk, is the brother of a man distriynge hise werkis.
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
10 A strongeste tour is the name of the Lord; a iust man renneth to hym, and schal be enhaunsid.
The name of the LORD [is] a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
11 The catel of a riche man is the citee of his strengthe; and as a stronge wal cumpassinge hym.
The rich man’s wealth [is] his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
12 The herte of man is enhaunsid, bifor that it be brokun; and it is maad meke, bifore that it be glorified.
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour [is] humility.
13 He that answerith bifore that he herith, shewith hym silf to be a fool; and worthi of schenschipe.
He that answereth a matter before he heareth [it], it [is] folly and shame unto him.
14 The spirit of a man susteyneth his feblenesse; but who may susteyne a spirit liyt to be wrooth?
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
15 The herte of a prudent man schal holde stidfastli kunnyng; and the eere of wise men sekith techyng.
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
16 The yift of a man alargith his weie; and makith space to hym bifore princes.
A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
17 A iust man is the first accusere of hym silf; his frend cometh, and schal serche hym.
[He that is] first in his own cause [seemeth] just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
18 Lot ceessith ayenseiyngis; and demeth also among miyti men.
The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
19 A brother that is helpid of a brothir, is as a stidfast citee; and domes ben as the barris of citees.
A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a strong city: and [their] contentions [are] like the bars of a castle.
20 A mannus wombe schal be fillid of the fruit of his mouth; and the seedis of hise lippis schulen fille hym.
A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; [and] with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
21 Deth and lijf ben in the werkis of tunge; thei that louen it, schulen ete the fruytis therof.
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
22 He that fyndith a good womman, fyndith a good thing; and of the Lord he schal drawe vp myrthe. He that puttith a wey a good womman, puttith awei a good thing; but he that holdith auowtresse, is a fool and vnwijs.
[Whoso] findeth a wife findeth a good [thing], and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
23 A pore man schal speke with bisechingis; and a riche man schal speke sterneli.
The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
24 A man freendli to felouschipe schal more be a frend, than a brothir.
A man [that hath] friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother.
