Proverbs 8
1 Whether wisdom crieth not ofte; and prudence yyueth his vois?
Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
2 In souereyneste and hiy coppis, aboue the weie, in the myddis of pathis,
On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.
3 and it stondith bisidis the yate of the citee, in thilke closyngis, and spekith, and seith, A!
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
4 ye men, Y crie ofte to you; and my vois is to the sones of men.
“I call to you men! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
5 Litle children, vndirstonde ye wisdom; and ye vnwise men, `perseyue wisdom.
You simple, understand prudence! You fools, be of an understanding heart!
6 Here ye, for Y schal speke of grete thingis; and my lippis schulen be openyd, to preche riytful thingis.
Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.
7 My throte schal bithenke treuthe; and my lippis schulen curse a wickid man.
For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 My wordis ben iust; no schrewid thing, nether weiward is in tho.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9 `My wordis ben riytful to hem that vndurstonden; and ben euene to hem that fynden kunnyng.
They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take ye my chastisyng, and not money; chese ye teching more than tresour.
Receive my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is betere than alle richessis moost preciouse; and al desirable thing mai not be comparisound therto.
For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.
12 Y, wisdom, dwelle in counsel; and Y am among lernyd thouytis.
“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The drede of the Lord hatith yuel; Y curse boost, and pride, and a schrewid weie, and a double tungid mouth.
The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
14 Counseil is myn, and equyte `is myn; prudence is myn, and strengthe `is myn.
Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
15 Kyngis regnen bi me; and the makeris of lawis demen iust thingis bi me.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 Princis comaunden bi me; and myyti men demen riytfulnesse bi me.
By me princes rule, nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
17 I loue hem that louen me; and thei that waken eerli to me, schulen fynde me.
I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 With me ben rychessis, and glorie; souereyn richessis, and riytfulnesse.
With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.
19 My fruyt is betere than gold, and precyouse stoon; and my seedis ben betere than chosun siluer.
My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, my yield than choice silver.
20 Y go in the weies of riytfulnesse, in the myddis of pathis of doom;
I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice,
21 that Y make riche hem that louen me, and that Y fille her tresouris.
that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.
22 The Lord weldide me in the bigynnyng of hise weies; bifore that he made ony thing, at the bigynnyng.
“Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.
23 Fro with out bigynnyng Y was ordeined; and fro elde tymes, bifor that the erthe was maad.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.
24 Depthis of watris weren not yit; and Y was conseyued thanne. The wellis of watris hadden not brokun out yit,
When there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 and hillis stoden not togidere yit bi sad heuynesse; bifor litil hillis Y was born.
Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was born;
26 Yit he hadde not maad erthe; and floodis, and the herris of the world.
while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27 Whanne he made redi heuenes, Y was present; whanne he cumpasside the depthis of watris bi certeyn lawe and cumpas.
When he established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,
28 Whanne he made stidfast the eir aboue; and weiede the wellis of watris.
when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,
29 Whanne he cumpasside to the see his marke; and settide lawe to watris, that tho schulden not passe her coostis. Whanne he peiside the foundementis of erthe;
when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 Y was making alle thingis with him. And Y delitide bi alle daies, and pleiede bifore hym in al tyme,
then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,
31 and Y pleiede in the world; and my delices ben to be with the sones of men.
rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.
32 Now therfor, sones, here ye me; blessid ben thei that kepen my weies.
“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Here ye teching, and be ye wise men; and nile ye caste it awei.
Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.
34 Blessid is the man that herith me, and that wakith at my yatis al dai; and kepith at the postis of my dore.
Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.
35 He that fyndith me, schal fynde lijf; and schal drawe helthe of the Lord.
For whoever finds me finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh.
36 But he that synneth ayens me, schal hurte his soule; alle that haten me, louen deeth.
But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”
