Proverbs 27
1 Haue thou not glorie on the morewe, `not knowynge what thing the dai to comynge schal bringe forth.
Boast not for tomorrow, for thou knowest not what the day to come may bring forth.
2 Another man, and not thi mouth preise thee; a straunger, and not thi lippis `preise thee.
Let another praise thee, and not thy own mouth: a stranger, and not thy own lips.
3 A stoon is heuy, and grauel is chariouse; but the ire of a fool is heuyere than euer eithir.
A stone is heavy, and sand weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.
4 Ire hath no merci, and woodnesse brekynge out `hath no merci; and who mai suffre the fersnesse of a spirit stirid?
Anger hath no mercy, nor fury when it breaketh forth: and who can bear the violence of one provoked?
5 Betere is opyn repreuyng, than loue hid.
Open rebuke is better than hidden love.
6 Betere ben the woundis of hym that loueth, than the gileful cossis of hym that hatith.
Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.
7 A man fillid schal dispise an hony coomb; but an hungri man schal take, yhe, bittir thing for swete.
A soul that is full shall tread upon the honeycomb: and a soul that is hungry shall take even bitter for sweet.
8 As a brid passinge ouer fro his nest, so is a man that forsakith his place.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that leaveth his place.
9 The herte delitith in oynement, and dyuerse odours; and a soule is maad swete bi the good counsels of a frend.
Ointment and perfumes rejoice the heart: and the good counsels of a friend are sweet to the soul.
10 Forsake thou not thi frend, and the frend of thi fadir; and entre thou not in to the hous of thi brothir, in the dai of thi turment. Betere is a neiybore nyy, than a brothir afer.
Thy own friend, and thy father’s friend forsake not: and go not into thy brother’s house in the day of thy affliction. Better is a neighbour that is near, than a brother afar off.
11 Mi sone, studie thou a boute wisdom, and make thou glad myn herte; that thou maist answere a word to a dispisere.
Study wisdom, my son, and make my heart joyful, that thou mayst give an answer to him that reproacheth.
12 A fel man seynge yuel was hid; litle men of wit passinge forth suffriden harmes.
The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.
13 Take thou awei his clooth, that bihiyte for a straunger; and take thou awei a wed fro hym for an alien man.
Take away his garment that hath been surety for a stranger: and take from him a pledge for strangers.
14 He that blessith his neiybore with greet vois; and risith bi niyt, schal be lijk hym that cursith.
He that blesseth his neighbour with a loud voice, rising in the night, shall be like to him that curseth.
15 Roouys droppynge in the dai of coold, and a womman ful of chidyng ben comparisond.
Roofs dropping through in a cold day, and a contentious woman are alike.
16 He that withholdith hir, as if he holdith wynd; and auoidith the oile of his riyt hond.
He that retaineth her, is as he that would hold the wind, and shall call in the oil of his right hand.
17 Yrun is whettid bi irun; and a man whettith the face of his frend.
Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 He that kepith a fige tre, schal ete the fruytis therof; and he that is a kepere of his lord, schal be glorified.
He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eat the fruit thereof: and he that is the keeper of his master, shall be glorified.
19 As the cheris of men biholdinge schynen in watris; so the hertis of men ben opyn to prudent men.
As the faces of them that look therein, shine in the water, so-the hearts of men are laid open to the wise.
20 Helle and perdicioun schulen not be fillid; so and the iyen of men moun not be fillid. (Sheol h7585)
Hell and destruction are never filled: so the eyes of men are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 As siluer is preuyd in a wellyng place, and gold `is preued in a furneys; so a man is preued bi the mouth of preyseris. The herte of a wickid man sekith out yuels; but a riytful herte sekith out kunnyng.
As silver is tried in the fining-pot and gold in the furnace: so a man is tried by the mouth of him that praiseth. The heart of the wicked seeketh after evils, but the righteous heart seeketh after knowledge.
22 Thouy thou beetist a fool in a morter, as with a pestel smytynge aboue dried barli; his foli schal not be don awei fro him.
Though thou shouldst bray a fool in the mortar, as when a pestle striketh upon sodden barley, his folly would not be taken from him.
23 Knowe thou diligentli the cheere of thi beeste; and biholde thou thi flockis.
Be diligent to know the countenance of thy cattle, and consider thy own flocks:
24 For thou schalt not haue power contynueli; but a coroun schal be youun to thee in generacioun and in to generacioun.
For thou shalt not always have power: but a crown shall be given to generation and generation.
25 Medewis ben openyd, and greene eerbis apperiden; and hey is gaderid fro hillis.
The meadows are open, and the green herbs have appeared, and the hay is gathered out of the mountains.
26 Lambren be to thi clothing; and kidis be to the prijs of feeld.
Lambs are for thy clothing: and kids for the price of the field.
27 The mylke of geete suffice to thee for thi meetis; in to the necessarie thingis of thin hous, and to lijflode to thin handmaidis.
Let the milk of the goats be enough for thy food, and for the necessities of thy house, and for maintenance for thy handmaids.
