Proverbs 3
1 Mi sone, foryete thou not my lawe; and thyn herte kepe my comaundementis.
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;
2 For tho schulen sette to thee the lengthe of daies, and the yeeris of lijf, and pees.
for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
3 Merci and treuthe forsake thee not; bynde thou tho to thi throte, and write in the tablis of thin herte.
Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 And thou schalt fynde grace, and good teching bifore God and men.
Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
5 Haue thou trist in the Lord, of al thin herte; and triste thou not to thi prudence.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
6 In alle thi weies thenke thou on hym, and he schal dresse thi goyngis.
in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
7 Be thou not wijs anentis thi silf; drede thou God, and go awei fro yuel.
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
8 For whi helthe schal be in thi nawle, and moisting of thi boonys.
This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
9 Onoure thou the Lord of thi catel, and of the beste of alle thi fruytis yyue thou to pore men;
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;
10 and thi bernes schulen be fillid with abundaunce, and pressours schulen flowe with wiyn.
then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 My sone, caste thou not awei the teching of the Lord; and faile thou not, whanne thou art chastisid of him.
My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke;
12 For the Lord chastisith hym, whom he loueth; and as a fadir in the sone he plesith hym.
for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.
13 Blessid is the man that fyndith wisdom, and which flowith with prudence.
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding,
14 The geting therof is betere than the marchaundie of gold and of siluer; the fruytis therof ben the firste and clenneste.
for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold.
15 It is preciousere than alle richessis; and alle thingis that ben desirid, moun not be comparisound to this.
She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.
16 Lengthe of daies is in the riythalf therof, and richessis and glorie ben in the lifthalf therof.
Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 The weies therof ben feire weies, and alle the pathis therof ben pesible.
All her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 It is a tre of lijf to hem that taken it; and he that holdith it, is blessid.
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.
19 The Lord foundide the erthe bi wisdom; he stablischide heuenes bi prudence.
The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding.
20 The depthis of watris braken out bi his wisdom; and cloudis wexen togidere bi dewe.
By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.
21 My sone, these thingis flete not awey fro thin iyen; kepe thou my lawe, and my counsel;
My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment.
22 and lijf schal be to thi soule, and grace `schal be to thi chekis.
They will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck.
23 Thanne thou schalt go tristili in thi weie; and thi foot schal not snapere.
Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.
24 If thou schalt slepe, thou schalt not drede; thou schalt reste, and thi sleep schal be soft.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Drede thou not bi sudeyne feer, and the powers of wickid men fallynge in on thee.
Do not fear sudden danger or the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 For the Lord schal be at thi side; and he schal kepe thi foot, that thou be not takun.
for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from the snare.
27 Nil thou forbede to do wel him that mai; if thou maist, and do thou wel.
Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act.
28 Seie thou not to thi frend, Go, and turne thou ayen, and to morewe Y schal yyue to thee; whanne thou maist yyue anoon.
Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”— when you already have the means.
29 Ymagyne thou not yuel to thi freend, whanne he hath trist in thee.
Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you.
30 Stryue thou not ayens a man with out cause, whanne he doith noon yuel to thee.
Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.
31 Sue thou not an vniust man, sue thou not hise weies.
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways;
32 For ech disseyuer is abhomynacioun of the Lord; and his speking is with simple men.
for the LORD detests the perverse, but He is a friend to the upright.
33 Nedinesse is sent of the Lord in the hous of a wickid man; but the dwelling places of iust men schulen be blessid.
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous.
34 He schal scorne scorneris; and he schal yyue grace to mylde men.
He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
35 Wise men schulen haue glorie; enhaunsing of foolis is schenschipe.
The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame.
