Proverbs 14
Proverbs chapter 14 from the John Wycliffe Bible (c.1395)
1 yyue thou not sleep to thin iyen, nether thin iyeliddis nappe.
2 Be thou rauyschid as a doo fro the hond; and as a bridde fro aspiyngis of the foulere.
3 O! thou slowe man, go to the amte, ether pissemyre; and biholde thou hise weies, and lerne thou wisdom.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="4"><sup>4</sup> Which whanne he hath no duyk, nethir comaundour, nether prince;</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="5"><sup>5</sup> makith redi in somer mete to hym silf, and gaderith togidere in heruest that, that he schal ete.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="6"><sup>6</sup> Hou long schalt thou, slow man, slepe? whanne schalt thou rise fro thi sleep?</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="7"><sup>7</sup> A litil thou schalt slepe, a litil thou schalt nappe; a litil thou schalt ioyne togidere thin hondis, that thou slepe.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="8"><sup>8</sup> And nedynesse, as a weigoere, schal come to thee; and pouert, as an armed man. Forsothe if thou art not slow, thi ripe corn schal come as a welle; and nedynesse schal fle fer fro thee.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="9"><sup>9</sup> A man apostata, a man vnprofitable, he goith with a weiward mouth;</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="10"><sup>10</sup> he bekeneth with iyen, he trampith with the foot, he spekith with the fyngur,</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="11"><sup>11</sup> bi schrewid herte he ymagyneth yuel, and in al tyme he sowith dissenciouns.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="12"><sup>12</sup> His perdicioun schal come to hym anoon, and he schal be brokun sodeynli; and he schal no more haue medecyn.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="13"><sup>13</sup> Sixe thingis ben, whyche the Lord hatith; and hise soule cursith the seuenthe thing.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="14"><sup>14</sup> Hiye iyen, a tunge liere, hondis schedinge out innocent blood,</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="15"><sup>15</sup> an herte ymagynynge worste thouytis, feet swifte to renne in to yuel,</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="16"><sup>16</sup> a man bringynge forth lesingis, a fals witnesse; and him that sowith discordis among britheren.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="17"><sup>17</sup> Mi sone, kepe the comaundementis of thi fadir; and forsake not the lawe of thi modir.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="18"><sup>18</sup> Bynde thou tho continueli in thin herte; and cumpasse to thi throte.
19 Whanne thou goist, go tho with thee; whanne thou slepist, kepe tho thee; and thou wakynge speke with tho.
20 For the comaundement of God is a lanterne, and the lawe is liyt, and the blamyng of techyng is the weie of lijf;
21 that the comaundementis kepe thee fro an yuel womman, and fro a flaterynge tunge of a straunge womman.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="22"><sup>22</sup> Thin herte coueite not the fairnesse of hir; nether be thou takun bi the signes of hir.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="23"><sup>23</sup> For the prijs of an hoore is vnnethe of o loof; but a womman takith the preciouse soule of a man.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="24"><sup>24</sup> Whether a man mai hide fier in his bosum, that hise clothis brenne not;</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="25"><sup>25</sup> ethir go on colis, and hise feet be not brent?</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="26"><sup>26</sup> So he that entrith to the wijf of his neiybore; schal not be cleene, whanne he hath touchid hir.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="27"><sup>27</sup> It is not greet synne, whanne a man stelith; for he stelith to fille an hungri soule.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="28"><sup>28</sup> And he takun schal yelde the seuenthe fold; and he schal yyue al the catel of his hous, and schal delyuere hym silf.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="29"><sup>29</sup> But he that is avouter; schal leese his soule, for the pouert of herte.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="30"><sup>30</sup> He gaderith filthe, and sclaundrith to hym silf; and his schenschip schal not be don awei.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="31"><sup>31</sup> For the feruent loue and strong veniaunce of the man schal not spare in the dai of veniaunce,</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="32"><sup>32</sup> nether schal assente to the preieris of ony; nether schal take ful many yiftis for raunsum.</span> <span class="verse" data-verse="34"><sup>34</sup> Mi sone, kepe thou my wordis; and kepe myn heestis to thee. Sone, onoure thou the Lord, and thou schalt be myyti; but outakun hym drede thou not an alien.
35 Kepe thou myn heestis, and thou schalt lyue; and my lawe as the appil of thin iyen.