Proverbs 18
1 He that wole go a wei fro a frend, sekith occasiouns; in al tyme he schal be dispisable.
Occasiones quærit qui vult recedere ab amico: omni tempore erit exprobrabilis.
2 A fool resseyueth not the wordis of prudence; `no but thou seie tho thingis, that ben turned in his herte.
Non recipit stultus verba prudentiæ: nisi ea dixeris quæ versantur in corde eius.
3 A wickid man, whanne he cometh in to depthe of synnes, dispisith; but sclaundre and schenschipe sueth hym.
Impius, cum in profundum venerit peccatorum, contemnit: sed sequitur eum ignominia et opprobrium.
4 Deep watir is the wordis of the mouth of a man; and a stronde fletinge ouer is the welle of wisdom.
Aqua profunda verba ex ore viri: et torrens redundans fons sapientiæ.
5 It is not good to take the persoone of a wickid man in doom, that thou bowe awei fro the treuthe of dom.
Accipere personam impii non est bonum, ut declines a veritate iudicii.
6 The lippis of a fool medlen hem silf with chidyngis; and his mouth excitith stryues.
Labia stulti miscent se rixis: et os eius iurgia provocat.
7 The mouth of a fool is defoulyng of hym; and hise lippis ben the fallynge of his soule.
Os stulti contritio eius: et labia ipsius, ruina animæ eius.
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.
Verba bilinguis, quasi simplicia: et ipsa perveniunt usque ad interiora ventris. Pigrum deiicit timor: animæ autem effeminatorum esurient.
9 He that is neisch, and vnstidfast in his werk, is the brother of a man distriynge hise werkis.
Qui mollis et dissolutus est in opere suo, frater est sua opera dissipantis.
10 A strongeste tour is the name of the Lord; a iust man renneth to hym, and schal be enhaunsid.
Turris fortissima, nomen Domini: ad ipsum currit iustus, et exaltabitur.
11 The catel of a riche man is the citee of his strengthe; and as a stronge wal cumpassinge hym.
Substantia divitis urbs roboris eius, et quasi murus validus circumdans eum.
12 The herte of man is enhaunsid, bifor that it be brokun; and it is maad meke, bifore that it be glorified.
Antequam conteratur, exaltatur cor hominis: et antequam glorificetur, humiliatur.
13 He that answerith bifore that he herith, shewith hym silf to be a fool; and worthi of schenschipe.
Qui prius respondet quam audiat, stultum se esse demonstrat, et confusione dignum.
14 The spirit of a man susteyneth his feblenesse; but who may susteyne a spirit liyt to be wrooth?
Spiritus viri sustentat imbecillitatem suam: spiritum vero ad irascendum facilem quis poterit sustinere?
15 The herte of a prudent man schal holde stidfastli kunnyng; and the eere of wise men sekith techyng.
Cor prudens possidebit scientiam: et auris sapientium quærit doctrinam.
16 The yift of a man alargith his weie; and makith space to hym bifore princes.
Donum hominis dilatat viam eius, et ante principes spatium ei facit.
17 A iust man is the first accusere of hym silf; his frend cometh, and schal serche hym.
Iustus, prior est accusator sui: venit amicus eius, et investigabit eum.
18 Lot ceessith ayenseiyngis; and demeth also among miyti men.
Contradictiones comprimit sors, et inter potentes quoque diiudicat.
19 A brother that is helpid of a brothir, is as a stidfast citee; and domes ben as the barris of citees.
Frater, qui adiuvatur a fratre, quasi civitas firma: et iudicia quasi vectes urbium.
20 A mannus wombe schal be fillid of the fruit of his mouth; and the seedis of hise lippis schulen fille hym.
De fructu oris viri replebitur venter eius: et genimina labiorum ipsius saturabunt eum.
21 Deth and lijf ben in the werkis of tunge; thei that louen it, schulen ete the fruytis therof.
Mors, et vita in manu linguæ: qui diligunt eam, comedent fructus eius.
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.
Qui invenit mulierem bonam, invenit bonum: et hauriet iucunditatem a Domino. Qui expellit mulierem bonam, expellit bonum: qui autem tenet adulteram, stultus est et impius.
23 A pore man schal speke with bisechingis; and a riche man schal speke sterneli.
Cum obsecrationibus loquetur pauper: et dives effabitur rigide.
24 A man freendli to felouschipe schal more be a frend, than a brothir.
Vir amabilis ad societatem, magis amicus erit, quam frater.
