Proverbs 30
1 The wordis of hym that gaderith, of the sone spuynge. The prophesie which a man spak, with whom God was, and which man was coumfortid bi God dwellyng with hym,
THE WORDS OF AGUR THE SONNE OF JAKEH. The prophecie which ye man spake vnto Ithiel, euen to Ithiel, and Vcal.
2 and seide, Y am the moost fool of men; and the wisdom of men is not with me.
Surely I am more foolish then any man, and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me.
3 Y lernede not wisdom; and Y knew not the kunnyng of hooli men.
For I haue not learned wisedome, nor atteined to the knowledge of holy things.
4 Who stiede in to heuene, and cam doun? Who helde togidere the spirit in hise hondis? who bonde togidere watris as in a cloth? Who reiside alle the endis of erthe? What is name of hym? and what is the name of his sone, if thou knowist?
Who hath ascended vp to heauen, and descended? Who hath gathered the winde in his fist? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the endes of the world? What is his name, and what is his sonnes name, if thou canst tell?
5 Ech word of God is a scheld set a fiere, to alle that hopen in hym.
Euery worde of God is pure: he is a shield to those, that trust in him.
6 Adde thou not ony thing to the wordis of hym, and thou be repreued, and be foundun a liere.
Put nothing vnto his wordes, least he reproue thee, and thou be found a lyar.
7 I preiede thee twei thingis; denye not thou to me, bifor that Y die.
Two things haue I required of thee: denie me them not before I die.
8 Make thou fer fro me vanyte and wordis of leesyng; yyue thou not to me beggery and richessis; yyue thou oneli necessaries to my lijflode;
Remooue farre from me vanitie and lyes: giue me not pouertie, nor riches: feede me with foode conuenient for me,
9 lest perauenture Y be fillid, and be drawun to denye, and seie, Who is the Lord? and lest Y compellid bi nedynesse, stele, and forswere the name of my God.
Least I be full, and denie thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or least I be poore and steale, and take the Name of my God in vaine.
10 Accuse thou not a seruaunt to his lord, lest perauenture he curse thee, and thou falle doun.
Accuse not a seruant vnto his master, lest he curse thee, when thou hast offended.
11 A generacioun that cursith his fadir, and that blessith not his modir.
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doeth not blesse their mother.
12 A generacioun that semeth cleene to it silf, and netheles is not waischun fro hise filthis.
There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceite, and yet are not washed from their filthinesse.
13 A generacioun whose iyen ben hiy, and the iye liddis therof ben reisid in to hiy thingis.
There is a generation, whose eies are hautie, and their eye liddes are lifted vp.
14 A generacioun that hath swerdis for teeth, and etith with hise wank teeth; that it ete nedi men of erthe, and the porails of men.
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swordes, and their chawes as kniues to eate vp the afflicted out of the earth, and the poore from among men.
15 The watir leche hath twei douytris, seiynge, Brynge, bringe. Thre thingis ben vnable to be fillid, and the fourthe, that seith neuere, It suffisith;
The horse leache hath two daughters which crye, Giue, giue. There be three things that will not be satisfied: yea, foure that say not, It is ynough.
16 helle, and the mouth of the wombe, and the erthe which is neuere fillid with water; but fier seith neuere, It suffisith. (Sheol h7585)
The graue, and the barren wombe, the earth that cannot be satisfied with water, and the fire that sayeth not, It is ynough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Crowis of the stronde picke out thilke iye, that scorneth the fadir, and that dispisith the child beryng of his modir; and the briddis of an egle ete that iye.
The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother, let ye rauens of the valley picke it out, and the yong eagles eate it.
18 Thre thingis ben hard to me, and outirli Y knowe not the fourthe thing;
There be three thinges hid from me: yea, foure that I knowe not,
19 the weye of an egle in heuene, the weie of a serpent on a stoon, the weie of a schip in the myddil of the see, and the weie of a man in yong wexynge age.
The way of an eagle in the aire, the way of a serpent vpon a stone, ye way of a ship in ye middes of the sea, and the way of a man with a maide.
20 Siche is the weie of a womman auowtresse, which etith, and wipith hir mouth, and seith, Y wrouyte not yuel.
Such is ye way also of an adulterous woman: she eateth and wipeth her mouth, and sayth, I haue not committed iniquitie.
21 The erthe is moued bi thre thingis, and the fourthe thing, which it may not susteyne;
For three things the earth is moued: yea, for foure it cannot susteine it selfe:
22 bi a seruaunt, whanne he regneth; bi a fool, whanne he is fillid with mete;
For a seruant when he reigneth, and a foole when he is filled with meate,
23 bi an hateful womman, whanne sche is takun in matrymonye; and bi an handmaide, whanne sche is eir of hir ladi.
For the hatefull woman, when she is married, and for a handmaid that is heire to her mistres.
24 Foure ben the leeste thingis of erthe, and tho ben wisere than wise men;
These be foure small things in the earth, yet they are wise and full of wisedome:
25 amtis, a feble puple, that maken redi mete in heruest to hem silf;
The pismires a people not strong, yet prepare they their meate in sommer:
26 a hare, a puple vnmyyti, that settith his bed in a stoon;
The conies a people not mightie, yet make their houses in the rocke:
27 a locust hath no kyng, and al goith out bi cumpanyes; an euete enforsith with hondis,
The grashopper hath no King, yet goe they forth all by bandes:
28 and dwellith in the housis of kingis.
The spider taketh holde with her handes, and is in Kings palaces.
29 Thre thingis ben, that goon wel, and the fourthe thing, that goith richeli.
There be three thinges that order well their going: yea, foure are comely in going,
30 A lioun, strongeste of beestis, schal not drede at the meetyng of ony man;
A lyon which is strong among beastes, and turneth not at the sight of any:
31 a cok gird the leendis, and a ram, and noon is that schal ayenstonde him.
A lusty grayhound, and a goate, and a King against whom there is no rising vp.
32 He that apperith a fool, aftir that he is reisid an hiy; for if he hadde vndurstonde, he hadde sett hond on his mouth.
If thou hast bene foolish in lifting thy selfe vp, and if thou hast thought wickedly, lay thine hand vpon thy mouth.
33 Forsothe he that thristith strongli teetis, to drawe out mylk, thristith out botere; and he that smytith greetli, drawith out blood; and he that stirith iris, bringith forth discordis.
When one churneth milke, he bringeth foorth butter: and he that wringeth his nose, causeth blood to come out: so he that forceth wrath, bringeth foorth strife.
