Proverbs 9
1 Wisdom bildide an hous to him silf; he hewide out seuene pileris,
Wisdom has built a house for herself, and set up seven pillars.
2 he offride his slayn sacrifices, he medlide wijn, and settide forth his table.
She has killed her beasts; she has mingled her wine in a bowl, and prepared her table.
3 He sente hise handmaides, that thei schulden clepe to the tour; and to the wallis of the citee.
She has sent forth her servants, calling with a loud proclamation to the feast, saying,
4 If ony man is litil; come he to me. And wisdom spak to vnwise men,
Whoso is foolish, let him turn aside to me: and to them that want understanding she says,
5 Come ye, ete ye my breed; and drynke ye the wiyn, which Y haue medlid to you.
Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine which I have mingled for you.
6 Forsake ye yong childhed, and lyue ye; and go ye bi the weyes of prudence.
Leave folly, that ye may reign for ever; and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge.
7 He that techith a scornere, doith wrong to him silf; and he that vndirnymmeth a wickid man, gendrith a wem to him silf.
He that reproves evil [men] shall get dishonour to himself; and he that rebukes an ungodly [man] shall disgrace himself.
8 Nile thou vndirnyme a scornere; lest he hate thee. Vndirnyme thou a wise man; and he schal loue thee.
Rebuke not evil [men], lest they should hate thee: rebuke a wise [man], and he will love thee.
9 Yyue thou occasioun to a wise man; and wisdom schal be encreessid to hym. Teche thou a iust man; and he schal haste to take.
Give an opportunity to a wise [man], and he will be wiser: instruct a just man, and he will receive more [instruction].
10 The bigynnyng of wisdom is the dreed of the Lord; and prudence is the kunnyng of seyntis.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding: for to know the law is [the character] of a sound mind.
11 For thi daies schulen be multiplied bi me; and yeeris of lijf schulen be encreessid to thee.
For in this way thou shalt live long, and years of thy life shall be added to thee.
12 If thou art wijs; thou schalt be to thi silf, and to thi neiyboris. Forsothe if thou art a scornere; thou aloone schalt bere yuel.
Son, if thou be wise for thyself, thou shalt also be wise for thy neighbours; and if thou shouldest prove wicked, thou alone wilt bear the evil. He that stays himself upon falsehoods, attempts to rule the winds, and the same will pursue birds in their fight: for he has forsaken the ways of his own vineyard, and he has caused the axles of his own husbandry to go astray; and he goes through a dry desert, and a [land] appointed to drought, and he gathers barrenness with his hands.
13 A fonned womman, and ful of cry, and ful of vnleueful lustis, and that kan no thing outirli,
A foolish and bold woman, who knows not modesty, comes to want a morsel.
14 sittith in the doris of hir hous, on a seete, in an hiy place of the cite;
She sits at the doors of her house, on a seat openly in the streets,
15 to clepe men passinge bi the weie, and men goynge in her iournei.
calling to passers by, and to those that are going right on their ways;
16 Who is a litil man `of wit; bowe he to me. And sche spak to a coward,
[saying], Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; and I exhort those that want prudence, saying,
17 Watris of thefte ben swettere, and breed hid is swettere.
Take and enjoy secret bread, and the sweet water of theft.
18 And wiste not that giauntis ben there; and the gestis `of hir ben in the depthis of helle. Sotheli he that schal be applied, ether fastned, to hir; schal go doun to hellis. For whi he that goith awei fro hir; schal be saued. (Sheol h7585)
But he knows that mighty men die by her, and he falls in with a snare of hell. (Sheol h7585)
