Proverbs 16
Proverbs chapter 16 from the John Wycliffe Bible (c.1395)
1 Take ye my chastisyng, and not money; chese ye teching more than tresour.
2 For wisdom is betere than alle richessis moost preciouse; and al desirable thing mai not be comparisound therto.
3 Y, wisdom, dwelle in counsel; and Y am among lernyd thouytis.
4 The drede of the Lord hatith yuel; Y curse boost, and pride, and a schrewid weie, and a double tungid mouth.
5 Counseil is myn, and equyte is myn; prudence is myn, and strengthe is myn.
6 Kyngis regnen bi me; and the makeris of lawis demen iust thingis bi me.
7 Princis comaunden bi me; and myyti men demen riytfulnesse bi me.
8 I loue hem that louen me; and thei that waken eerli to me, schulen fynde me.
9 With me ben rychessis, and glorie; souereyn richessis, and riytfulnesse.
10 My fruyt is betere than gold, and precyouse stoon; and my seedis ben betere than chosun siluer.
11 Y go in the weies of riytfulnesse, in the myddis of pathis of doom;
12 that Y make riche hem that louen me, and that Y fille her tresouris.
13 The Lord weldide me in the bigynnyng of hise weies; bifore that he made ony thing, at the bigynnyng.
14 Fro with out bigynnyng Y was ordeined; and fro elde tymes, bifor that the erthe was maad.
15 Depthis of watris weren not yit; and Y was conseyued thanne. The wellis of watris hadden not brokun out yit,
16 and hillis stoden not togidere yit bi sad heuynesse; bifor litil hillis Y was born.
17 Yit he hadde not maad erthe; and floodis, and the herris of the world.
18 Whanne he made redi heuenes, Y was present; whanne he cumpasside the depthis of watris bi certeyn lawe and cumpas.
19 Whanne he made stidfast the eir aboue; and weiede the wellis of watris.
20 Whanne he cumpasside to the see his marke; and settide lawe to watris, that tho schulden not passe her coostis. Whanne he peiside the foundementis of erthe;
21 Y was making alle thingis with him. And Y delitide bi alle daies, and pleiede bifore hym in al tyme,
22 and Y pleiede in the world; and my delices ben to be with the sones of men.
23 Now therfor, sones, here ye me; blessid ben thei that kepen my weies.
24 Here ye teching, and be ye wise men; and nile ye caste it awei.
25 Blessid is the man that herith me, and that wakith at my yatis al dai; and kepith at the postis of my dore.
26 He that fyndith me, schal fynde lijf; and schal drawe helthe of the Lord.
27 But he that synneth ayens me, schal hurte his soule; alle that haten me, louen deeth.
29 Wisdom bildide an hous to him silf; he hewide out seuene pileris,
30 he offride his slayn sacrifices, he medlide wijn, and settide forth his table.
31 He sente hise handmaides, that thei schulden clepe to the tour; and to the wallis of the citee.
32 If ony man is litil; come he to me. And wisdom spak to vnwise men,
33 Come ye, ete ye my breed; and drynke ye the wiyn, which Y haue medlid to you.
