Proverbs 25
1 Also these ben the Parablis of Salomon, whiche the men of Ezechie, kyng of Juda, translatiden.
These are more wise sayings of Solomon, copied out by the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
2 The glorie of God is to hele a word; and the glorie of kyngis is to seke out a word.
It is the glory of God to keep a thing secret: but the glory of kings is to have it searched out.
3 Heuene aboue, and the erthe bynethe, and the herte of kyngis is vnserchable.
The heaven is high and the earth is deep, and the hearts of kings may not be searched out.
4 Do thou a wei rust fro siluer, and a ful cleene vessel schal go out.
Take away the waste from silver, and a vessel will come out for the silver-worker.
5 Do thou awei vnpite fro the cheer of the kyng, and his trone schal be maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse.
Take away evil-doers from before the king, and the seat of his power will be made strong in righteousness.
6 Appere thou not gloriouse bifore the kyng, and stonde thou not in the place of grete men.
Do not take glory for yourself before the king, and do not put yourself in the place of the great:
7 For it is betere, that it be seid to thee, Stie thou hidur, than that thou be maad low bifore the prince.
For it is better to have it said to you, Come up here; than for you to be put down in a lower place before the ruler.
8 Brynge thou not forth soone tho thingis in strijf, whiche thin iyen sien; lest aftirward thou maist not amende, whanne thou hast maad thi frend vnhonest.
Do not be quick to go to law about what you have seen, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbour has put you to shame?
9 Trete thi cause with thi frend, and schewe thou not priuyte to a straunge man;
Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:
10 lest perauenture he haue ioye of thi fal, whanne he hath herde, and ceesse not to do schenschipe to thee. Grace and frenschip delyueren, whiche kepe thou to thee, that thou be not maad repreuable.
Or your hearer may say evil of you, and your shame will not be turned away.
11 A goldun pomel in beddis of siluer is he, that spekith a word in his time.
A word at the right time is like apples of gold in a network of silver.
12 A goldun eere ryng, and a schinynge peerle is he, that repreueth a wijs man, and an eere obeiynge.
Like a nose-ring of gold and an ornament of the best gold, is a wise man who says sharp words to an ear ready to give attention.
13 As the coold of snow in the dai of heruest, so a feithful messanger to hym that sente `thilke messanger, makith his soule to haue reste.
As the cold of snow in the time of grain-cutting, so is a true servant to those who send him; for he gives new life to the soul of his master.
14 A cloude and wind, and reyn not suynge, is a gloriouse man, and not fillynge biheestis.
As clouds and wind without rain, so is one who takes credit for an offering he has not given.
15 A prince schal be maad soft bi pacience; and a soft tunge schal breke hardnesse.
A judge is moved by one who for a long time undergoes wrongs without protest, and by a soft tongue even bone is broken.
16 Thou hast founde hony, ete thou that that suffisith to thee; lest perauenture thou be fillid, and brake it out.
If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down.
17 Withdrawe thi foot fro the hous of thi neiybore; lest sum tyme he be fillid, and hate thee.
Let not your foot be frequently in your neighbour's house, or he may get tired of you, and his feeling be turned to hate.
18 A dart, and a swerd, and a scharp arowe, a man that spekith fals witnessing ayens his neiybore.
One who gives false witness against his neighbour is a hammer and a sword and a sharp arrow.
19 A rotun tooth, and a feynt foot is he, that hopith on an vnfeithful man in the dai of angwisch,
Putting one's faith in a false man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a shaking foot.
20 and leesith his mentil in the dai of coold. Vynegre in a vessel of salt is he, that singith songis to the worste herte. As a mouyte noieth a cloth, and a worm noieth a tree, so the sorewe of a man noieth the herte.
Like one who takes off clothing in cold weather and like acid on a wound, is he who makes melody to a sad heart.
21 If thin enemy hungrith, feede thou him; if he thirstith, yyue thou watir to hym to drinke;
If your hater is in need of food, give him bread; and if he is in need of drink, give him water:
22 for thou schalt gadere togidere coolis on his heed; and the Lord schal yelde to thee.
For so you will put coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will give you your reward.
23 The north wind scatereth reynes; and a sorewful face distrieth a tunge bacbitinge.
As the north wind gives birth to rain, so is an angry face caused by a tongue saying evil secretly.
24 It is betere to sitte in the corner of an hous without roof, than with a womman ful of chidyng, and in a comyn hous.
It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.
25 Coold watir to a thirsti man; and a good messanger fro a fer lond.
As cold water to a tired soul, so is good news from a far country.
26 A welle disturblid with foot, and a veyne brokun, a iust man fallinge bifore a wickid man.
Like a troubled fountain and a dirty spring, is an upright man who has to give way before evil-doers.
27 As it is not good to hym that etith myche hony; so he that is a serchere of maieste, schal be put doun fro glorie.
It is not good to take much honey: so he who is not looking for honour will be honoured.
28 As a citee opyn, and with out cumpas of wallis; so is a man that mai not refreyne his spirit in speking.
He whose spirit is uncontrolled is like an unwalled town which has been broken into.
