Proverbs 24
1 Sue thou not yuele men, desire thou not to be with hem.
Be not you envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 For the soule of hem bithenkith raueyns, and her lippis speken fraudis.
For their heart studies destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 An hous schal be bildid bi wisdom, and schal be maad strong bi prudence.
Through wisdom is an house built; and by understanding it is established:
4 Celeris schulen be fillid in teching, al riches preciouse and ful fair.
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 A wijs man is strong, and a lerned man is stalworth and miyti.
A wise man is strong; yes, a man of knowledge increases strength.
6 For whi batel is bigunnun with ordenaunce, and helthe schal be, where many counsels ben.
For by wise counsel you shall make your war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Wisdom is hiy to a fool; in the yate he schal not opene his mouth.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he opens not his mouth in the gate.
8 He that thenkith to do yuels, schal be clepid a fool.
He that devises to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.
9 The thouyte of a fool is synne; and a bacbitere is abhomynacioun of men.
The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 If thou that hast slide, dispeirist in the dai of angwisch, thi strengthe schal be maad lesse.
If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
11 Delyuere thou hem, that ben led to deth; and ceesse thou not to delyuere hem, that ben drawun to deth.
If you forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death, and those that are ready to be slain;
12 If thou seist, Strengthis suffisen not; he that is biholdere of the herte, vndirstondith, and no thing disseyueth the kepere of thi soule, and he schal yelde to a man bi hise werkis.
If you say, Behold, we knew it not; does not he that ponders the heart consider it? and he that keeps your soul, does not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
13 Mi sone, ete thou hony, for it is good; and an honycomb ful swete to thi throte.
My son, eat you honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to your taste:
14 `So and the techyng of wisdom is good to thi soule; and whanne thou hast founde it, thou schalt haue hope in the laste thingis, and thin hope schal not perische.
So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul: when you have found it, then there shall be a reward, and your expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Aspie thou not, and seke not wickidnesse in the hous of a iust man, nether waste thou his reste.
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
16 For a iust man schal falle seuene sithis in the dai, and schal rise ayen; but wickid men schulen falle in to yuele.
For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Whanne thin enemye fallith, haue thou not ioye; and thin herte haue not ful out ioiyng in his fal;
Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles:
18 lest perauenture the Lord se, and it displese hym, and he take awei his ire fro hym.
Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Stryue thou not with `the worste men, nether sue thou wickid men.
Fret not yourself because of evil men, neither be you envious at the wicked:
20 For whi yuele men han not hope of thingis to comynge, and the lanterne of wickid men schal be quenchid.
For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
21 My sone, drede thou God, and the kyng; and be thou not medlid with bacbiteris.
My son, fear you the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
22 For her perdicioun schal rise togidere sudenli, and who knowith the fal of euer either?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knows the ruin of them both?
23 Also these thingis that suen ben to wise men. It is not good to knowe a persoone in doom.
These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 Puplis schulen curse hem, that seien to a wickid man, Thou art iust; and lynagis schulen holde hem abhomynable.
He that says to the wicked, You are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:
25 Thei that repreuen iustli synners, schulen be preisid; and blessing schal come on hem.
But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come on them.
26 He that answerith riytful wordis, schal kisse lippis.
Every man shall kiss his lips that gives a right answer.
27 Make redi thi werk with outforth, and worche thi feelde dilygentli, that thou bilde thin hous aftirward.
Prepare your work without, and make it fit for yourself in the field; and afterwards build your house.
28 Be thou not a witnesse with out resonable cause ayens thi neiybore; nether flatere thou ony man with thi lippis.
Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause; and deceive not with your lips.
29 Seie thou not, As he dide to me, so Y schal do to him, and Y schal yelde to ech man aftir his werk.
Say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
30 I passide bi the feeld of a slow man, and bi the vyner of a fonned man; and, lo!
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 nettlis hadden fillid al, thornes hadden hilid the hiyere part therof, and the wal of stoonys with out morter was distried.
And, see, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 And whanne Y hadde seyn this thing, Y settide in myn herte, and bi ensaumple Y lernyde techyng.
Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked on it, and received instruction.
33 Hou longe slepist thou, slow man? whanne schalt thou ryse fro sleep? Sotheli thou schalt slepe a litil, thou schalt nappe a litil, thou schalt ioyne togidere the hondis a litil, to take reste;
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
34 and thi nedynesse as a currour schal come to thee, and thi beggerie as an armed man.
So shall your poverty come as one that travels; and your want as an armed man.
