Proverbs 24

¹ The domes of the Lord ben weiyte and a balaunce; and hise werkis ben alle the stoonys of the world. ² Thei that don wickidli ben abhomynable to the king; for the trone of the rewme is maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse. ³ The wille of kyngis is iust lippis; he that spekith riytful thingis, schal be dressid. ⁴ Indignacioun of the kyng is messangeris of deth; and a wijs man schal plese him. ⁵ Lijf is in the gladnesse of the cheer of the king; and his merci is as a reyn comynge late. 6 Welde thou wisdom, for it is betere than gold; and gete thou prudence, for it is precyousere than siluer. 7 The path of iust men bowith awei yuelis; the kepere of his soule kepith his weie. 8 Pride goith bifore sorewe; and the spirit schal be enhaunsid byfor fallyng. 9 It is betere to be maad meke with mylde men, than to departe spuylis with proude men. 10 A lerned man in word schal fynde goodis; and he that hopith in the Lord is blessid. 11 He that is wijs in herte, schal be clepid prudent; and he that is swete in speche, schal fynde grettere thingis. 12 The welle of lijf is the lernyng of him that weldith; the techyng of foolis is foli. 13 The herte of a wijs man schal teche his mouth; and schal encreesse grace to hise lippis. 14 Wordis wel set togidere is a coomb of hony; helthe of boonys is the swetnesse of soule. 15 A weye is that semeth riytful to a man; and the laste thingis therof leden to deth. 16 The soule of a man trauelinge trauelith to hym silf; for his mouth compellide hym. 17 An vnwijs man diggith yuel; and fier brenneth in hise lippis. 18 A weiward man reisith stryues; and a man ful of wordis departith princis. 19 A wickid man flaterith his frend; and ledith hym bi a weie not good. 20 He that thenkith schrewid thingis with iyen astonyed, bitith hise lippis, and parformeth yuel. 21 A coroun of dignyte is eelde, that schal be foundun in the weies of riytfulnesse. 22 A pacient man is betere than a stronge man; and he that is lord of his soule, is betere than an ouercomere of citees. ²³ Lottis ben sent into the bosum; but tho ben temperid of the Lord. ²⁵ Betere is a drie mussel with ioye, than an hous ful of sacrifices with chidyng. ²⁶ A wijs seruaunt schal be lord of fonned sones; and he schal departe eritage among britheren. ²⁷ As siluer is preued bi fier, and gold is preued bi a chymnei, so the Lord preueth hertis. ²⁸ An yuel man obeieth to a wickid tunge; and a fals man obeieth to false lippis. ²⁹ He that dispisith a pore man, repreueth his maker; and he that is glad in the fallyng of another man, schal not be vnpunyschid. ³⁰ The coroun of elde men is the sones of sones; and the glorie of sones is the fadris of hem. ³¹ Wordis wel set togidere bisemen not a fool; and a liynge lippe bicometh not a prince. ³² A preciouse stoon moost acceptable is the abiding of hym that sekith; whidur euere he turneth hym silf, he vndurstondith prudentli. ³³ He that helith trespas, sekith frenschipis; he that rehersith bi an hiy word, departith hem, that ben knyt togidere in pees. ³⁴ A blamyng profitith more at a prudent man, than an hundryd woundis at a fool.