Proverbs 2
1 Mi sone, if thou resseyuest my wordis, `and hidist myn heestis anentis thee;
[Fili mi, si susceperis sermones meos, et mandata mea absconderis penes te:
2 that thin eere here wisdom, bowe thin herte to knowe prudence.
ut audiat sapientiam auris tua, inclina cor tuum ad cognoscendam prudentiam.
3 For if thou inwardli clepist wisdom, and bowist thin herte to prudence;
Si enim sapientiam invocaveris, et inclinaveris cor tuum prudentiæ;
4 if thou sekist it as money, and diggist it out as tresours;
si quæsieris eam quasi pecuniam, et sicut thesauros effoderis illam:
5 thanne thou schalt vndirstonde the drede of the Lord, and schalt fynde the kunnyng of God.
tunc intelliges timorem Domini, et scientiam Dei invenies,
6 For the Lord yyueth wisdom; and prudence and kunnyng is of his mouth.
quia Dominus dat sapientiam, et ex ore ejus prudentia et scientia.
7 He schal kepe the heelthe of riytful men, and he schal defende hem that goen sympli.
Custodiet rectorum salutem, et proteget gradientes simpliciter,
8 And he schal kepe the pathis of riytfulnesse, and he schal kepe the weies of hooli men.
servans semitas justitiæ, et vias sanctorum custodiens.
9 Thanne thou schalt vndirstonde riytfulnesse, and dom, and equytee, and ech good path.
Tunc intelliges justitiam, et judicium, et æquitatem, et omnem semitam bonam.]
10 If wysdom entrith in to thin herte, and kunnyng plesith thi soule,
[Si intraverit sapientia cor tuum, et scientia animæ tuæ placuerit,
11 good councel schal kepe thee, and prudence schal kepe thee; that thou be delyuered fro an yuel weie,
consilium custodiet te, et prudentia servabit te:
12 and fro a man that spekith weiward thingis.
ut eruaris a via mala, et ab homine qui perversa loquitur;
13 Whiche forsaken a riytful weie, and goen bi derk weies;
qui relinquunt iter rectum, et ambulant per vias tenebrosas;
14 whiche ben glad, whanne thei han do yuel, and maken ful out ioye in worste thingis;
qui lætantur cum malefecerint, et exsultant in rebus pessimis;
15 whose weies ben weywerd, and her goyingis ben of yuel fame.
quorum viæ perversæ sunt, et infames gressus eorum.
16 That thou be delyuered fro an alien womman, and fro a straunge womman, that makith soft hir wordis;
Ut eruaris a muliere aliena, et ab extranea quæ mollit sermones suos,
17 and forsakith the duyk of hir tyme of mariage,
et relinquit ducem pubertatis suæ,
18 and hath foryete the couenaunt of hir God. For the hous of hir is bowid to deeth, and hir pathis to helle.
et pacti Dei sui oblita est. Inclinata est enim ad mortem domus ejus, et ad inferos semitæ ipsius. (questioned)
19 Alle that entren to hir, schulen not turne ayen, nether schulen catche the pathis of lijf.
Omnes qui ingrediuntur ad eam non revertentur, nec apprehendent semitas vitæ.
20 That thou go in a good weie, and kepe the pathis of iust men.
Ut ambules in via bona, et calles justorum custodias:
21 Forsothe thei that ben riytful, schulen dwelle in the lond; and symple men schulen perfitli dwelle ther ynne.
qui enim recti sunt habitabunt in terra, et simplices permanebunt in ea;
22 But vnfeithful men schulen be lost fro the loond; and thei that doen wickidli, schulen be takun awey fro it.
impii vero de terra perdentur, et qui inique agunt auferentur ex ea.]
