Proverbs 27
1 Haue thou not glorie on the morewe, `not knowynge what thing the dai to comynge schal bringe forth.
Don't boast about what you're going to do tomorrow, because you don't know what the day may bring.
2 Another man, and not thi mouth preise thee; a straunger, and not thi lippis `preise thee.
Let others praise you, not you yourself; someone else, not you personally.
3 A stoon is heuy, and grauel is chariouse; but the ire of a fool is heuyere than euer eithir.
Stone may be heavy, and sand may weigh a lot, but the annoyance caused by stupid people is the biggest burden of all.
4 Ire hath no merci, and woodnesse brekynge out `hath no merci; and who mai suffre the fersnesse of a spirit stirid?
Fury may be fierce and cruel, anger may be a destructive flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
5 Betere is opyn repreuyng, than loue hid.
Open criticism is better than hidden love.
6 Betere ben the woundis of hym that loueth, than the gileful cossis of hym that hatith.
A friend's honest comments may hurt you, but an enemy's kisses are over the top.
7 A man fillid schal dispise an hony coomb; but an hungri man schal take, yhe, bittir thing for swete.
If you're full up, you can't face honey; but if you're starving, even bitter food tastes sweet.
8 As a brid passinge ouer fro his nest, so is a man that forsakith his place.
Having to leave home is like a bird having to leave its nest.
9 The herte delitith in oynement, and dyuerse odours; and a soule is maad swete bi the good counsels of a frend.
Perfume and scented oils make you feel happy, but good advice from a friend is even better.
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.
Don't give up on your friends or your family's friends. Don't go to a relative's house when you've got trouble. A friend nearby is more useful than a relative far away.
11 Mi sone, studie thou a boute wisdom, and make thou glad myn herte; that thou maist answere a word to a dispisere.
My son, make me happy by being wise, so I can respond to anyone who criticizes me.
12 A fel man seynge yuel was hid; litle men of wit passinge forth suffriden harmes.
If you're sensible you see danger coming and get out of the way; but stupid people just keep going and suffer the consequences.
13 Take thou awei his clooth, that bihiyte for a straunger; and take thou awei a wed fro hym for an alien man.
If someone guarantees a stranger's debt with their cloak, be sure to take it! Make sure you have whatever is pledged to an immoral woman!
14 He that blessith his neiybore with greet vois; and risith bi niyt, schal be lijk hym that cursith.
If when you get up every morning you shout a loud hello to your neighbors, they will see that as a curse!
15 Roouys droppynge in the dai of coold, and a womman ful of chidyng ben comparisond.
An argumentative wife is as irritating as constant dripping on a rainy day.
16 He that withholdith hir, as if he holdith wynd; and auoidith the oile of his riyt hond.
Trying to stop her is like trying to make the wind stop or trying to hold olive oil in your hand.
17 Yrun is whettid bi irun; and a man whettith the face of his frend.
An iron blade is sharpened with an iron tool, and one person's mind is sharpened by another's.
18 He that kepith a fige tre, schal ete the fruytis therof; and he that is a kepere of his lord, schal be glorified.
Those who care for a fig tree eat its fruit, and those who care for their master are rewarded.
19 As the cheris of men biholdinge schynen in watris; so the hertis of men ben opyn to prudent men.
Just as water reflects your face, your mind reflects who you really are.
20 Helle and perdicioun schulen not be fillid; so and the iyen of men moun not be fillid. (Sheol h7585)
In the same way that the grave and destruction are never satisfied, human desire is 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.
Just as a crucible tests silver, and a furnace tests gold, people are tested by the praise they receive.
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.
Even if you ground stupid people in a mortar, crushing them like grain with the pestle, you can't get rid of stupidity from them.
23 Knowe thou diligentli the cheere of thi beeste; and biholde thou thi flockis.
You should know the condition of your flocks really well and take good care of your herds,
24 For thou schalt not haue power contynueli; but a coroun schal be youun to thee in generacioun and in to generacioun.
for wealth doesn't last forever—is a crown passed down through all generations?
25 Medewis ben openyd, and greene eerbis apperiden; and hey is gaderid fro hillis.
Once the hay is cut, and the new growth begins, and fodder from the mountains is gathered,
26 Lambren be to thi clothing; and kidis be to the prijs of feeld.
and the lambs have provided you wool to make clothing, and the sale of goats have paid for a 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.
there'll be enough milk from your goats to feed you, your family, and your servant girls.
