Proverbs 25
1 Also these ben the Parablis of Salomon, whiche the men of Ezechie, kyng of Juda, translatiden.
These are also proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed:
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 [is] to hide a thing, And the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.
3 Heuene aboue, and the erthe bynethe, and the herte of kyngis is vnserchable.
The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings—[are] unsearchable.
4 Do thou a wei rust fro siluer, and a ful cleene vessel schal go out.
Take away dross from silver, And a vessel goes forth for the refiner,
5 Do thou awei vnpite fro the cheer of the kyng, and his trone schal be maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse.
Take away the wicked before a king, And his throne is established in righteousness.
6 Appere thou not gloriouse bifore the kyng, and stonde thou not in the place of grete men.
Do not honor yourself before a king, And do not stand 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 better [that] he has said to you, “Come up here,” Than [that] he humbles you before a noble, Whom your 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.
Do not go forth to strive, hurry, turn, What do you do in its latter end, When your neighbor causes you to blush?
9 Trete thi cause with thi frend, and schewe thou not priuyte to a straunge man;
Plead your cause with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret counsel 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.
Lest the hearer put you to shame, And your evil report not turn back.
11 A goldun pomel in beddis of siluer is he, that spekith a word in his time.
Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
12 A goldun eere ryng, and a schinynge peerle is he, that repreueth a wijs man, and an eere obeiynge.
A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive 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 vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 A cloude and wind, and reyn not suynge, is a gloriouse man, and not fillynge biheestis.
Clouds and wind without rain, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15 A prince schal be maad soft bi pacience; and a soft tunge schal breke hardnesse.
A ruler is persuaded by long-suffering, And a soft tongue breaks a bone.
16 Thou hast founde hony, ete thou that that suffisith to thee; lest perauenture thou be fillid, and brake it out.
You have found honey—eat your sufficiency, Lest you are satiated [with] it, and have vomited it.
17 Withdrawe thi foot fro the hous of thi neiybore; lest sum tyme he be fillid, and hate thee.
Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house, Lest he is satiated [with] you, and has hated you.
18 A dart, and a swerd, and a scharp arowe, a man that spekith fals witnessing ayens his neiybore.
A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying a false testimony against his neighbor.
19 A rotun tooth, and a feynt foot is he, that hopith on an vnfeithful man in the dai of angwisch,
A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
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.
Whoever is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on natron, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
21 If thin enemy hungrith, feede thou him; if he thirstith, yyue thou watir to hym to drinke;
If he who is hating you hungers, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirsts, cause him to drink water.
22 for thou schalt gadere togidere coolis on his heed; and the Lord schal yelde to thee.
For you are putting coals on his head, And YHWH gives repayment to you.
23 The north wind scatereth reynes; and a sorewful face distrieth a tunge bacbitinge.
A north wind brings forth rain, And a secret tongue—indignant faces.
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.
Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
25 Coold watir to a thirsti man; and a good messanger fro a fer lond.
[As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
26 A welle disturblid with foot, and a veyne brokun, a iust man fallinge bifore a wickid man.
A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
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.
The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one’s own honor—honor.
28 As a citee opyn, and with out cumpas of wallis; so is a man that mai not refreyne his spirit in speking.
A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
