Proverbs 25
1 Also these ben the Parablis of Salomon, whiche the men of Ezechie, kyng of Juda, translatiden.
These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.
2 The glorie of God is to hele a word; and the glorie of kyngis is to seke out a word.
The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honours business.
3 Heuene aboue, and the erthe bynethe, and the herte of kyngis is vnserchable.
Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.
4 Do thou a wei rust fro siluer, and a ful cleene vessel schal go out.
Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.
5 Do thou awei vnpite fro the cheer of the kyng, and his trone schal be maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse.
Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in righteousness.
6 Appere thou not gloriouse bifore the kyng, and stonde thou not in the place of grete men.
Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;
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 for thee that it should be said, Come up to me, than that [one] should humble thee in the presence of the prince; speak of that which thine eyes have seen.
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.
Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest thou repent at last.
9 Trete thi cause with thi frend, and schewe thou not priuyte to a straunge man;
Whenever thy friend shall reproach thee, retreat backward, despise [him] not;
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.
lest thy friend continue to reproach thee, so thy quarrel and enmity shall not depart, but shall be to thee like death. Favour and friendship set [a man] free, which do thou keep for thyself, lest thou be made liable to reproach; but take heed to thy ways peaceably.
11 A goldun pomel in beddis of siluer is he, that spekith a word in his time.
[As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a [wise] word.
12 A goldun eere ryng, and a schinynge peerle is he, that repreueth a wijs man, and an eere obeiynge.
In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise word to an obedient ear.
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 a fall of snow in the time of harvest is good against heat, so a faithful messenger [refreshes] those that send him; for he helps the souls of his employers.
14 A cloude and wind, and reyn not suynge, is a gloriouse man, and not fillynge biheestis.
As winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that boasts of a false gift.
15 A prince schal be maad soft bi pacience; and a soft tunge schal breke hardnesse.
In long-suffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.
16 Thou hast founde hony, ete thou that that suffisith to thee; lest perauenture thou be fillid, and brake it out.
Having found honey, eat [only] what is enough, lest haply thou be filled, and vomit it up.
17 Withdrawe thi foot fro the hous of thi neiybore; lest sum tyme he be fillid, and hate thee.
Enter sparingly into thy friend's house, lest he be satiated with thy company, and hate thee.
18 A dart, and a swerd, and a scharp arowe, a man that spekith fals witnessing ayens his neiybore.
[As] a club, and a dagger, and a pointed arrow, so also is a man who bears false witness against his friend.
19 A rotun tooth, and a feynt foot is he, that hopith on an vnfeithful man in the dai of angwisch,
The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.
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.
As vinegar is bad for a sore, so trouble befalling the body afflicts the heart. As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man hurts the heart.
21 If thin enemy hungrith, feede thou him; if he thirstith, yyue thou watir to hym to drinke;
If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
22 for thou schalt gadere togidere coolis on his heed; and the Lord schal yelde to thee.
for so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee [with] good.
23 The north wind scatereth reynes; and a sorewful face distrieth a tunge bacbitinge.
The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
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 dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing woman in an open house.
25 Coold watir to a thirsti man; and a good messanger fro a fer lond.
As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.
26 A welle disturblid with foot, and a veyne brokun, a iust man fallinge bifore a wickid man.
As if one should stop a well, and corrupt a spring of water, so [is it] unseemly for a righteous man to fall before an ungodly man.
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 eat much honey; but it is right to honour venerable sayings.
28 As a citee opyn, and with out cumpas of wallis; so is a man that mai not refreyne his spirit in speking.
As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.
