Proverbiorum 20
1 luxuriosa res vinum et tumultuosa ebrietas quicumque his delectatur non erit sapiens
Wiyn is a letcherouse thing and drunkenesse is ful of noise; who euere delitith in these, schal not be wijs.
2 sicut rugitus leonis ita terror regis qui provocat eum peccat in animam suam
As the roryng of a lioun, so and the drede of the kyng; he that territh hym to ire, synneth ayens his owne lijf.
3 honor est homini qui separat se a contentionibus omnes autem stulti miscentur contumeliis
It is onour to a man that departith hym silf fro stryuyngis; but fonned men ben medlid with dispisyngis.
4 propter frigus piger arare noluit mendicabit ergo aestate et non dabitur ei
A slow man nolde ere for coold; therfor he schal begge in somer, and me schal not yyue to hym.
5 sicut aqua profunda sic consilium in corde viri sed homo sapiens exhauriet illud
As deep watir, so counsel is in the herte of a man; but a wijs man schal drawe it out.
6 multi homines misericordes vocantur virum autem fidelem quis inveniet
Many men ben clepid merciful; but who schal fynde a feithful man?
7 iustus qui ambulat in simplicitate sua beatos post se filios derelinquet
Forsothe a iust man that goith in his simplenesse, schal leeue blessid sones aftir hym.
8 rex qui sedet in solio iudicii dissipat omne malum intuitu suo
A king that sittith in the seete of doom, distrieth al yuel bi his lokyng.
9 quis potest dicere mundum est cor meum purus sum a peccato
Who may seie, Myn herte is clene; Y am clene of synne?
10 pondus et pondus mensura et mensura utrumque abominabile est apud Deum
A weiyte and a weiyte, a mesure and a mesure, euer eithir is abhomynable at God.
11 ex studiis suis intellegitur puer si munda et si recta sint opera eius
A child is vndurstondun bi hise studies, yf his werkis ben riytful and cleene.
12 aurem audientem et oculum videntem Dominus fecit utrumque
An eere heringe, and an iye seynge, God made euere eithir.
13 noli diligere somnum ne te egestas opprimat aperi oculos tuos et saturare panibus
Nyle thou loue sleep, lest nedynesse oppresse thee; opene thin iyen, and be thou fillid with looues.
14 malum est malum est dicit omnis emptor et cum recesserit tunc gloriabitur
Ech biere seith, It is yuel, it is yuel; and whanne he hath go awey, thanne he schal haue glorie.
15 est aurum et multitudo gemmarum vas autem pretiosum labia scientiae
Gold, and the multitude of iemmes, and a preciouse vessel, ben the lippis of kunnyng.
16 tolle vestimentum eius qui fideiussor extitit alieni et pro extraneis aufer pignus ab eo
Take thou awei the cloth of hym, that was borewe of an othere man; and for straungeris take thou awei a wed fro hym.
17 suavis est homini panis mendacii et postea implebitur os eius calculo
The breed of a leesing is sweet to a man; and aftirward his mouth schal be fillid with rikenyng.
18 cogitationes consiliis roborantur et gubernaculis tractanda sunt bella
Thouytis ben maad strong bi counselis; and bateils schulen be tretid bi gouernals.
19 ei qui revelat mysteria et ambulat fraudulenter et dilatat labia sua ne commiscearis
Be thou not medlid with him that schewith pryuetees, and goith gylefulli, and alargith hise lippis.
20 qui maledicit patri suo et matri extinguetur lucerna eius in mediis tenebris
The liyt of hym that cursith his fadir and modir, schal be quenchid in the myddis of derknessis.
21 hereditas ad quam festinatur in principio in novissimo benedictione carebit
Eritage to which me haastith in the bigynnyng, schal wante blessing in the laste tyme.
22 ne dicas reddam malum expecta Dominum et liberabit te
Seie thou not, Y schal yelde yuel for yuel; abide thou the Lord, and he schal delyuere thee.
23 abominatio est apud Deum pondus et pondus statera dolosa non est bona
Abhomynacioun at God is weiyte and weiyte; a gileful balaunce is not good.
24 a Domino diriguntur gressus viri quis autem hominum intellegere potest viam suam
The steppis of man ben dressid of the Lord; who forsothe of men mai vndurstonde his weie?
25 ruina est hominis devorare sanctos et post vota tractare
Falling of man is to make auow to seyntis, and aftirward to withdrawe the vowis.
26 dissipat impios rex sapiens et curvat super eos fornicem
A wijs kyng scaterith wickid men; and bowith a bouwe of victorie ouer hem.
27 lucerna Domini spiraculum hominis quae investigat omnia secreta ventris
The lanterne of the Lord is the spirit of man, that sekith out alle the priuetees of the wombe.
28 misericordia et veritas custodiunt regem et roboratur clementia thronus eius
Merci and treuthe kepen a kyng; and his trone is maad strong bi mekenesse.
29 exultatio iuvenum fortitudo eorum et dignitas senum canities
The ful out ioiyng of yonge men is the strengthe of hem; and the dignyte of elde men is hoornesse.
30 livor vulneris absterget mala et plagae in secretioribus ventris
The wannesse of wounde schal wipe aweie yuels, and woundis in the priuyere thingis of the wombe.
