Proverbs 20
1 Wiyn is a letcherouse thing and drunkenesse is ful of noise; who euere delitith in these, schal not be wijs.
Wine is an intemperate thing, and strong drink full of violence: but every fool is entangled with them.
2 As the roryng of a lioun, so and the drede of the kyng; he that territh hym to ire, synneth ayens his owne lijf.
The threat of a king differs not from the rage of a lion; and he that provokes him sins against his own soul.
3 It is onour to a man that departith hym silf fro stryuyngis; but fonned men ben medlid with dispisyngis.
[It is] a glory to a man to turn aside from railing; but every fool is entangled with such matters.
4 A slow man nolde ere for coold; therfor he schal begge in somer, and me schal not yyue to hym.
A sluggard when reproached is not ashamed: so also he who borrows corn in harvest.
5 As deep watir, so counsel is in the herte of a man; but a wijs man schal drawe it out.
Counsel in a man's heart is deep water; but a prudent man will draw it out.
6 Many men ben clepid merciful; but who schal fynde a feithful man?
A man is valuable, and a merciful man precious: but [it is] hard to find a faithful man.
7 Forsothe a iust man that goith in his simplenesse, schal leeue blessid sones aftir hym.
He that walks blameless in justice, shall leave his children blessed.
8 A king that sittith in the seete of doom, distrieth al yuel bi his lokyng.
Whenever a righteous king sits on the throne, no evil thing can stand before his presence.
9 Who may seie, Myn herte is clene; Y am clene of synne?
Who will boast that he has a pure heart? or who will boldly say that he is pure from sins?
10 A weiyte and a weiyte, a mesure and a mesure, euer eithir is abhomynable at God.
A large and small weight, and various measures, are even both of them unclean before the Lord; and [so is] he that makes them.
11 A child is vndurstondun bi hise studies, yf his werkis ben riytful and cleene.
A youth [when in company] with a godly man, will be restrained in his devices, and [then] his way will be straight.
12 An eere heringe, and an iye seynge, God made euere eithir.
The ear hears, and the eye sees: even both of them are the Lord's work.
13 Nyle thou loue sleep, lest nedynesse oppresse thee; opene thin iyen, and be thou fillid with looues.
Love not to speak ill, lest you be cut off: open your eyes, and be filled with bread.
14 Ech biere seith, It is yuel, it is yuel; and whanne he hath go awey, thanne he schal haue glorie.
15 Gold, and the multitude of iemmes, and a preciouse vessel, ben the lippis of kunnyng.
16 Take thou awei the cloth of hym, that was borewe of an othere man; and for straungeris take thou awei a wed fro hym.
17 The breed of a leesing is sweet to a man; and aftirward his mouth schal be fillid with rikenyng.
18 Thouytis ben maad strong bi counselis; and bateils schulen be tretid bi gouernals.
19 Be thou not medlid with him that schewith pryuetees, and goith gylefulli, and alargith hise lippis.
20 The liyt of hym that cursith his fadir and modir, schal be quenchid in the myddis of derknessis.
The lamp of him that reviles father or mother shall be put out, and his eyeballs shall see darkness.
21 Eritage to which me haastith in the bigynnyng, schal wante blessing in the laste tyme.
A portion hastily gotten at first shall not be blessed in the end.
22 Seie thou not, Y schal yelde yuel for yuel; abide thou the Lord, and he schal delyuere thee.
Say not, I will avenge myself on my enemy; but wait on the Lord, that he may help you.
23 Abhomynacioun at God is weiyte and weiyte; a gileful balaunce is not good.
A double weight is an abomination to the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good in his sight.
24 The steppis of man ben dressid of the Lord; who forsothe of men mai vndurstonde his weie?
A man's goings are directed of the Lord: how then can a mortal understand his ways?
25 Falling of man is to make auow to seyntis, and aftirward to withdrawe the vowis.
It is a snare to a man hastily to consecrate some of his own property: for [in that case] repentance comes after vowing.
26 A wijs kyng scaterith wickid men; and bowith a bouwe of victorie ouer hem.
A wise king utterly crushes the ungodly, and will bring a wheel upon them.
27 The lanterne of the Lord is the spirit of man, that sekith out alle the priuetees of the wombe.
The spirit of man is a light of the Lord, who searches the inmost parts of the belly.
28 Merci and treuthe kepen a kyng; and his trone is maad strong bi mekenesse.
Mercy and truth are a guard to a king, and will surround his throne with righteousness.
29 The ful out ioiyng of yonge men is the strengthe of hem; and the dignyte of elde men is hoornesse.
Wisdom is an ornament to young men; and grey [hairs] are the glory of old men.
30 The wannesse of wounde schal wipe aweie yuels, and woundis in the priuyere thingis of the wombe.
Bruises and contusions befall bad men; and plagues [shall come] in the inward parts of [their] belly.
