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 tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.
2 Another man, and not thi mouth preise thee; a straunger, and not thi lippis `preise thee.
Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your 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 is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 Ire hath no merci, and woodnesse brekynge out `hath no merci; and who mai suffre the fersnesse of a spirit stirid?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Betere is opyn repreuyng, than loue hid.
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Betere ben the woundis of hym that loueth, than the gileful cossis of hym that hatith.
The wounds of a friend are faithful, although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 A man fillid schal dispise an hony coomb; but an hungri man schal take, yhe, bittir thing for swete.
A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a brid passinge ouer fro his nest, so is a man that forsakith his place.
As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
9 The herte delitith in oynement, and dyuerse odours; and a soule is maad swete bi the good counsels of a frend.
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
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 forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbour who is near is better than a distant brother.
11 Mi sone, studie thou a boute wisdom, and make thou glad myn herte; that thou maist answere a word to a dispisere.
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
12 A fel man seynge yuel was hid; litle men of wit passinge forth suffriden harmes.
A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
13 Take thou awei his clooth, that bihiyte for a straunger; and take thou awei a wed fro hym for an alien man.
Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!
14 He that blessith his neiybore with greet vois; and risith bi niyt, schal be lijk hym that cursith.
He who blesses his neighbour with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
15 Roouys droppynge in the dai of coold, and a womman ful of chidyng ben comparisond.
A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
16 He that withholdith hir, as if he holdith wynd; and auoidith the oile of his riyt hond.
restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
17 Yrun is whettid bi irun; and a man whettith the face of his frend.
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
18 He that kepith a fige tre, schal ete the fruytis therof; and he that is a kepere of his lord, schal be glorified.
Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honoured.
19 As the cheris of men biholdinge schynen in watris; so the hertis of men ben opyn to prudent men.
Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
20 Helle and perdicioun schulen not be fillid; so and the iyen of men moun not be fillid. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes 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.
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
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 you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
23 Knowe thou diligentli the cheere of thi beeste; and biholde thou thi flockis.
Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to 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 riches are not forever, nor does the crown endure to all generations.
25 Medewis ben openyd, and greene eerbis apperiden; and hey is gaderid fro hillis.
The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 Lambren be to thi clothing; and kidis be to the prijs of feeld.
The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of 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 will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
