Proverbiorum 30
1 Verba Congregantis, filii Vomentis. Visio quam locutus est vir cum quo est Deus, et qui Deo secum morante confortatus, ait:
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,
2 [Stultissimus sum virorum, et sapientia hominum non est mecum.
and seide, Y am the moost fool of men; and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 Non didici sapientiam, et non novi scientiam sanctorum.
Y lernede not wisdom; and Y knew not the kunnyng of hooli men.
4 Quis ascendit in cælum, atque descendit? quis continuit spiritum in manibus suis? quis colligavit aquas quasi in vestimento? quis suscitavit omnes terminos terræ? quod nomen est ejus, et quod nomen filii ejus, si nosti?
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?
5 Omnis sermo Dei ignitus: clypeus est sperantibus in se.
Ech word of God is a scheld set a fiere, to alle that hopen in hym.
6 Ne addas quidquam verbis illius, et arguaris, inveniarisque mendax.
Adde thou not ony thing to the wordis of hym, and thou be repreued, and be foundun a liere.
7 Duo rogavi te: ne deneges mihi antequam moriar:
I preiede thee twei thingis; denye not thou to me, bifor that Y die.
8 vanitatem et verba mendacia longe fac a me; mendicitatem et divitias ne dederis mihi: tribue tantum victui meo necessaria,
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;
9 ne forte satiatus illiciar ad negandum, et dicam: Quis est Dominus? aut egestate compulsus, furer, et perjurem nomen Dei mei.
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.
10 Ne accuses servum ad dominum suum, ne forte maledicat tibi, et corruas.]
Accuse thou not a seruaunt to his lord, lest perauenture he curse thee, and thou falle doun.
11 [Generatio quæ patri suo maledicit, et quæ matri suæ non benedicit;
A generacioun that cursith his fadir, and that blessith not his modir.
12 generatio quæ sibi munda videtur, et tamen non est lota a sordibus suis;
A generacioun that semeth cleene to it silf, and netheles is not waischun fro hise filthis.
13 generatio cujus excelsi sunt oculi, et palpebræ ejus in alta surrectæ;
A generacioun whose iyen ben hiy, and the iye liddis therof ben reisid in to hiy thingis.
14 generatio quæ pro dentibus gladios habet, et commandit molaribus suis, ut comedat inopes de terra, et pauperes ex hominibus.
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.
15 Sanguisugæ duæ sunt filiæ, dicentes: Affer, affer. Tria sunt insaturabilia, et quartum quod numquam dicit: Sufficit.
The watir leche hath twei douytris, seiynge, Brynge, bringe. Thre thingis ben vnable to be fillid, and the fourthe, that seith neuere, It suffisith;
16 Infernus, et os vulvæ, et terra quæ non satiatur aqua: ignis vero numquam dicit: Sufficit. (Sheol h7585)
helle, and the mouth of the wombe, and the erthe which is neuere fillid with water; but fier seith neuere, It suffisith. (Sheol h7585)
17 Oculum qui subsannat patrem, et qui despicit partum matris suæ, effodiant eum corvi de torrentibus, et comedant eum filii aquilæ!]
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.
18 [Tria sunt difficilia mihi, et quartum penitus ignoro:
Thre thingis ben hard to me, and outirli Y knowe not the fourthe thing;
19 viam aquilæ in cælo, viam colubri super petram, viam navis in medio mari, et viam viri in adolescentia.
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.
20 Talis est et via mulieris adulteræ, quæ comedit, et tergens os suum dicit: Non sum operata malum.
Siche is the weie of a womman auowtresse, which etith, and wipith hir mouth, and seith, Y wrouyte not yuel.
21 Per tria movetur terra, et quartum non potest sustinere:
The erthe is moued bi thre thingis, and the fourthe thing, which it may not susteyne;
22 per servum, cum regnaverit; per stultum, cum saturatus fuerit cibo;
bi a seruaunt, whanne he regneth; bi a fool, whanne he is fillid with mete;
23 per odiosam mulierem, cum in matrimonio fuerit assumpta; et per ancillam, cum fuerit hæres dominæ suæ.]
bi an hateful womman, whanne sche is takun in matrymonye; and bi an handmaide, whanne sche is eir of hir ladi.
24 [Quatuor sunt minima terræ, et ipsa sunt sapientiora sapientibus:
Foure ben the leeste thingis of erthe, and tho ben wisere than wise men;
25 formicæ, populus infirmus, qui præparat in messe cibum sibi;
amtis, a feble puple, that maken redi mete in heruest to hem silf;
26 lepusculus, plebs invalida, qui collocat in petra cubile suum;
a hare, a puple vnmyyti, that settith his bed in a stoon;
27 regem locusta non habet, et egreditur universa per turmas suas;
a locust hath no kyng, and al goith out bi cumpanyes; an euete enforsith with hondis,
28 stellio manibus nititur, et moratur in ædibus regis.
and dwellith in the housis of kingis.
29 Tria sunt quæ bene gradiuntur, et quartum quod incedit feliciter:
Thre thingis ben, that goon wel, and the fourthe thing, that goith richeli.
30 leo, fortissimus bestiarum, ad nullius pavebit occursum;
A lioun, strongeste of beestis, schal not drede at the meetyng of ony man;
31 gallus succinctus lumbos; et aries; nec est rex, qui resistat ei.
a cok gird the leendis, and a ram, and noon is that schal ayenstonde him.
32 Est qui stultus apparuit postquam elevatus est in sublime; si enim intellexisset, ori suo imposuisset manum.
He that apperith a fool, aftir that he is reisid an hiy; for if he hadde vndurstonde, he hadde sett hond on his mouth.
33 Qui autem fortiter premit ubera ad eliciendum lac exprimit butyrum; et qui vehementer emungit elicit sanguinem; et qui provocat iras producit discordias.]
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.
