Proverbs 18
1 For [an object of] desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth.
He that wole go a wei fro a frend, sekith occasiouns; in al tyme he schal be dispisable.
2 A fool delighteth not in understanding, But — in uncovering his heart.
A fool resseyueth not the wordis of prudence; `no but thou seie tho thingis, that ben turned in his herte.
3 With the coming of the wicked come also hath contempt, And with shame — reproach.
A wickid man, whanne he cometh in to depthe of synnes, dispisith; but sclaundre and schenschipe sueth hym.
4 Deep waters [are] the words of a man's mouth, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
Deep watir is the wordis of the mouth of a man; and a stronde fletinge ouer is the welle of wisdom.
5 Acceptance of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
It is not good to take the persoone of a wickid man in doom, that thou bowe awei fro the treuthe of dom.
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth for stripes calleth.
The lippis of a fool medlen hem silf with chidyngis; and his mouth excitith stryues.
7 The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
The mouth of a fool is defoulyng of hym; and hise lippis ben the fallynge of his soule.
8 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
The wordis of a double tungid man ben as symple; and tho comen `til to the ynnere thingis of the wombe. Drede castith doun a slowe man; forsothe the soulis of men turned in to wymmens condicioun schulen haue hungur.
9 He also that is remiss in his work, A brother he [is] to a destroyer.
He that is neisch, and vnstidfast in his werk, is the brother of a man distriynge hise werkis.
10 A tower of strength [is] the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.
A strongeste tour is the name of the Lord; a iust man renneth to hym, and schal be enhaunsid.
11 The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
The catel of a riche man is the citee of his strengthe; and as a stronge wal cumpassinge hym.
12 Before destruction the heart of man is high, And before honour [is] humility.
The herte of man is enhaunsid, bifor that it be brokun; and it is maad meke, bifore that it be glorified.
13 Whoso is answering a matter before he heareth, Folly it is to him and shame.
He that answerith bifore that he herith, shewith hym silf to be a fool; and worthi of schenschipe.
14 The spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, And a smitten spirit who doth bear?
The spirit of a man susteyneth his feblenesse; but who may susteyne a spirit liyt to be wrooth?
15 The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
The herte of a prudent man schal holde stidfastli kunnyng; and the eere of wise men sekith techyng.
16 The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.
The yift of a man alargith his weie; and makith space to hym bifore princes.
17 Righteous [is] the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.
A iust man is the first accusere of hym silf; his frend cometh, and schal serche hym.
18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.
Lot ceessith ayenseiyngis; and demeth also among miyti men.
19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
A brother that is helpid of a brothir, is as a stidfast citee; and domes ben as the barris of citees.
20 From the fruit of a man's mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
A mannus wombe schal be fillid of the fruit of his mouth; and the seedis of hise lippis schulen fille hym.
21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
Deth and lijf ben in the werkis of tunge; thei that louen it, schulen ete the fruytis therof.
22 [Whoso] hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.
He that fyndith a good womman, fyndith a good thing; and of the Lord he schal drawe vp myrthe. He that puttith a wey a good womman, puttith awei a good thing; but he that holdith auowtresse, is a fool and vnwijs.
23 [With] supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.
A pore man schal speke with bisechingis; and a riche man schal speke sterneli.
24 A man with friends [is] to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
A man freendli to felouschipe schal more be a frend, than a brothir.
