Proverbs 18
1 He that wole go a wei fro a frend, sekith occasiouns; in al tyme he schal be dispisable.
Those who separate themselves [from other people] think [only] about those things that they are interested in; [if they would continually associate with] those who have good judgment/sense, they would constantly disagree/quarrel with them.
2 A fool resseyueth not the wordis of prudence; `no but thou seie tho thingis, that ben turned in his herte.
Foolish people do not want to understand [anything]; they only want to (express their [own] opinions/say what they think) [IDM].
3 A wickid man, whanne he cometh in to depthe of synnes, dispisith; but sclaundre and schenschipe sueth hym.
Whenever people do wicked things, others will despise them; when people do things that cause themselves to no [longer] be honored, they will be disgraced [also].
4 Deep watir is the wordis of the mouth of a man; and a stronde fletinge ouer is the welle of wisdom.
What wise people say is [like] a deep ocean [that you can never get to the bottom of] [MET], and it [refreshes us like water from] a rapidly flowing stream.
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 [for a judge] to decide matters in favor of those who (are guilty/have done wicked things) and to not do what is just for those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
6 The lippis of a fool medlen hem silf with chidyngis; and his mouth excitith stryues.
When foolish people [SYN] start arguments, [it is as though] they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.
7 The mouth of a fool is defoulyng of hym; and hise lippis ben the fallynge of his soule.
What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined; their [own] words are [like] a trap [MET] [that catches/seizes] them.
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.
[People enjoy listening to] what gossips say like [SIM] [they enjoy] tasty food; they [accept what gossips tell them like] [MET] they swallow tasty food.
9 He that is neisch, and vnstidfast in his werk, is the brother of a man distriynge hise werkis.
People who are lazy while they work are [just as bad] as [IDM] those who destroy things.
10 A strongeste tour is the name of the Lord; a iust man renneth to hym, and schal be enhaunsid.
Yahweh [MTY] is [like] a strong tower [MET]; righteous people [can] go to him and be safe [like they can run to a tower to be safe].
11 The catel of a riche man is the citee of his strengthe; and as a stronge wal cumpassinge hym.
Rich people [are protected because they have] a lot of money [PRS] like a city is protected because it has a high wall surrounding it [SIM].
12 The herte of man is enhaunsid, bifor that it be brokun; and it is maad meke, bifore that it be glorified.
Proud people are on the road to being ruined, but being humble leads to being honored.
13 He that answerith bifore that he herith, shewith hym silf to be a fool; and worthi of schenschipe.
Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish; doing that is disgraceful.
14 The spirit of a man susteyneth his feblenesse; but who may susteyne a spirit liyt to be wrooth?
A desire to [continue to] live can sustain someone when he is sick; if he loses that desire, he (cannot endure it/will become very discouraged) when he is sick [RHQ].
15 The herte of a prudent man schal holde stidfastli kunnyng; and the eere of wise men sekith techyng.
Intelligent people [are always wanting to] learn more; wise people [SYN] are not content with what they already know.
16 The yift of a man alargith his weie; and makith space to hym bifore princes.
If you take a gift to an important person, that will open the way to allow you to talk to him.
17 A iust man is the first accusere of hym silf; his frend cometh, and schal serche hym.
The first person to present his case in court seems right, but when (someone else/his opponent) begins to ask him questions, [it may become clear that what he said was not true].
18 Lot ceessith ayenseiyngis; and demeth also among miyti men.
If two influential/important people are arguing, [someone can] settle the matter by (casting lots/throwing marked stones to decide who is right).
19 A brother that is helpid of a brothir, is as a stidfast citee; and domes ben as the barris of citees.
If you help relatives, they will [protect you] like [SIM] a strong wall [protects a city], but if you quarrel with them, [that will separate you from them] like bars on a city gate [separate the city from those who want to enter it] [MET].
20 A mannus wombe schal be fillid of the fruit of his mouth; and the seedis of hise lippis schulen fille hym.
People are happy when they hear others say [MTY] something that is good, [like] they are happy when they eat food that is good [MET].
21 Deth and lijf ben in the werkis of tunge; thei that louen it, schulen ete the fruytis therof.
What you say can cause others to be killed or it can cause them to [continue to] live; [so] those who like [to talk a lot] must (accept the consequences/realize that what they say can cause much harm).
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.
If you marry a [good] woman, that is [like] finding a wonderful thing; [it shows that] Yahweh is pleased with you.
23 A pore man schal speke with bisechingis; and a riche man schal speke sterneli.
[It is necessary for] poor [people] to speak politely when they request [rich people to do something for them], but rich [people] reply very impolitely when poor people speak to them.
24 A man freendli to felouschipe schal more be a frend, than a brothir.
There are [some] people who [only] pretend to be friends [with us], but there are [some] friends who are more loyal than members of our families.
